Child Skincare Issues: Hand-Foot-and-Mouth Conditions

The basics

Hand-foot-and-mouth disease is an infection caused by different strains of an enterovirus, most often the coxsackievirus A16 and enterovirus 71 strains. Many people mistake this disease for an illness called foot and mouth disease (or hoof and mouth disease) that infects farm animals. However, a different virus produces foot and mouth disease, and it can’t pass between animals and people. Just like it sounds, hand-foot-and-mouth disease affects the hands, feet and mouth with the most common symptoms being a rash on the hands and feet and sores in the mouth. Children under the age of five are most at risk to catch hand-foot-and-mouth disease, although adults can get it as well. It spreads quickly among children in daycare or preschool settings, so it’s important to know how to spot the symptoms and what to do if your child catches it.

The symptoms

According to Mayo Clinic, at the beginning of the illness, your child may display symptoms such as:

IrritabilityAppetite lossSore throatFever

Within a few days, your child will develop:

Sores around the mouthRash (or blisters) on the hands and feet; occasionally a rash may occur on the buttocks

Your child may not want to drink or eat due to mouth pain, so make sure to watch for signs of dehydration. If any of the following symptoms of dehydration occurs, call a doctor immediately:

An infant without a wet diaper in over three hours, or an older child who has not urinated in over eight hoursCrying with no tearsConstipationDry mouth, skin and eyesHeadache or feeling faint

Treatment

Unfortunately, no prescription or vaccine for hand-foot-and-mouth disease exists at this time, although research to create a treatment is currently ongoing. The good news is that symptoms typically only last between a week and ten days, so your child shouldn’t have to suffer for very long.

Easing symptoms

Even without a prescription treatment, you can reduce your child’s symptoms in several ways. To help with the sore throat and pain from the mouth sores, follow these tips.

Avoid giving your child food or drinks that’ll inflame an already sore mouth and throat. These include highly acidic foods such as orange juice and tomatoes, and spicy foods.Provide cold food or drinks, such as popsicles, to numb mouth pain and keep your child hydrated.Ease pain with acetaminophen, ibuprofen or an oral anesthetic spray.

The rash on the hands and feet typically doesn’t itch, but it can blister. If blisters develop, be careful not to break any of them. If a blister does burst, apply an antibiotic ointment, such as Brave Soldier Antiseptic Healing Ointment, and a bandage to the area to prevent infection.

Prevention

Follow these guidelines to reduce your child’s chances of catching hand-foot-and-mouth disease or passing it along to another child:

Keep hands clean. Wash your and your child’s hands with soap and water. In a pinch, hand sanitizer such as Jurlique Moisturizing Hand Sanitizer or Purell Hand Sanitizer can also be effective.Sanitize, sanitize, sanitize. Disinfect any surfaces or toys touched by children who have hand-foot-and-mouth disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends cleaning them with a solution of “one tablespoon bleach and four cups of water.”Stay home. If your child becomes infected with hand-foot-and-mouth disease, keep them home from daycare or school, and avoid areas where he or she could pass it to other children.

As a parent, hand-foot-and-mouth disease may be a scary diagnosis, but knowing how to handle it is the key. Remember, even though you can’t give your child a prescription to treat the disease, you can ease your child’s symptoms with acetaminophen or ibuprofen, and by keeping him or her well-hydrated. If your child doesn’t improve within a few weeks or shows any signs of dehydration, contact your doctor right away!

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