What is Hand, Foot, & Mouth Disease?

Hand, foot, and mouth disease is a highly contagious disease. It is caused by Coxsackievirus, a virus from the Enterovirus genus. It is more common in young children, and causes blisters and rashes on the skin. They must be diagnosed and treated quickly. It can be prevented by regular handwashing and avoiding close contact with people suffering from hand, foot, and mouth disease- lowering the risk of infection.  

What are the symptoms of hand, foot, and mouth diseases? 

The hand, foot, and mouth disease symptoms can be seen 3-6 days after your infection. Some of the symptoms that can be experienced are- 

 

• Fever

• Sore throat

• Malaise

• Headache

• Ill-temper

• Sore red blisters in the mouth, tongue, gums, etc

• Rash on hand and feet 

• Loss of appetite 

• Salivation 

What causes hand, foot, and mouth disease? 

Coxsackievirus mainly causes hand, foot, and mouth disease. It is transmitted through the following ways- 

 

• Fluid from the blisters 

• The saliva of the infected person

• Waste of the infected person

• Contaminated droplets of cough and sneeze in the air 

• Flies and mosquitoes 

How are hand, foot, and mouth disease treated? 

In most cases, the infection goes away in about 7-10 days. The hand, foot, mouth disease treatment includes:

 

• Medicated syrups to ease pain and sore throat 

• Ointments to relieve blisters and rashes 

• Pain relief medicines such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen, etc

What are the home remedies for hand, foot, and mouth disease?

Some of the home remedies that are used to treat hand, foot, and mouth disease include- 

 

• Limiting spicy or salty foods

• Avoiding acidic foods such as citrus fruits, fruit drinks, and soda

• Drinking cold beverages such as water, coconut water, etc

• Eating cold things such as ice creams, sherbet, popsicles, etc

• Using ice packs 

• Eating foods that do not need a lot of chewing 

How is hand, foot, and mouth disease diagnosed? 

The symptoms, including fever, sore throat, severe headache, blisters, etc, help in the diagnosis of hand, foot, and mouth disease. Additionally, doctors usually recommend swabs or stool tests to confirm the disease. 

Preventive tips to safeguard yourself from hand, foot, and mouth disease- 

Some ways of prevention from hand, foot, and mouth disease are- 

 

• Good hygiene – Regular handwashing must be promoted in order to maintain good hygiene. Along with this, it is advisable for children to carry sanitizers and wet wipes and use them regularly to remain hygienic and clean.

• Disinfect common areas – Common areas, such as daycares, schools, etc., must be sanitised at regular intervals. This helps in cleaning these common areas and prevents the transmission of the disease.

• Avoid close contact – Close contact with an infected person must be avoided, especially at a younger age. This is because children are more likely to get infected by this disease. 

Who is at risk for hand, foot, and mouth disease?

Young children have the highest risk of getting infected by hand, foot, and mouth disease. The virus can spread quickly at schools, child daycares, etc. Children usually get immune to the disease once they are exposed to the virus. However, adults who have weak immune systems can also get this infection. 

Conclusion

In a nutshell, hand, foot, and mouth disease is a highly transmissible disease caused by a virus. It should be prevented as much as possible by washing hands regularly and maintaining good hygiene. It needs to be diagnosed as soon as possible because young children have the highest chance of getting infected even though it is cured in about 7-10 days. Thus, knowing about hand, foot, and mouth disease is essential and must be prevented.

Besides, know that health issues can arise at any time. It is best to keep yourself and your family covered with an adequate health insurance plan so that planned or unplanned medical expenses are not a burden on you.