Key Takeaways
- Hand, foot, and mouth disease is very contagious and spreads through direct contact and through the air, as well as on surfaces and objects.
- Symptoms may start with irritability and a low-grade fever before the telltale rash shows up.
- Washing and disinfecting surfaces helps to prevent the spread of the virus, along with handwashing and avoiding contact with kids who have hand, foot, and mouth disease.
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One of the dreaded calls of any parent with a young child is someone letting you know there has been an exposure for hand, foot, and mouth disease at school or daycare.
Hand, foot, and mouth disease is very contagious and is most common among children under age 5. While it is not a severe illness, it takes 7-10 days to recover and the symptoms can be hard on child and parent alike.
Dana Norman, DO, is a pediatrician at our pediatrics office in Geneva and will be seeing patients at our Geneva Medical Campus when it opens in September. She tells us the best ways to prevent hand, foot, and mouth disease, and what you can do if your child ends up becoming sick with the virus.
How does hand, foot, and mouth disease spread?
Hand, foot, and mouth disease is caused by coxsackie virus and enterovirus particles that spread more often during certain times of the year – typically during the warmer months.
Infants, toddlers, and young children spread these viral particles when they are in close contact with one another, which makes places like daycares, schools, birthday parties, or even large family gatherings prime targets for an outbreak.
“The virus can spread in anything that's secreted from the body – coughing, sneezing, runny noses – as well as anything from our digestive tract,” Dr. Norman said.
Surfaces and objects with virus particles can also spread the disease, along with fluid from blisters.
Adults can become sick with hand, foot, and mouth disease, but it is less common than with young children.
Preventing hand, foot, and mouth disease
If there is a situation where another child was in close proximity to your child and developed hand, foot, and mouth disease, it becomes a waiting game. A child who is exposed usually takes 3-5 days to start showing signs of becoming sick.
General disinfecting and cleaning of surfaces is always a good step to take, regardless of whether you know of any exposure. Wiping down bathrooms, kitchens, and doorknobs, along with making sure kids aren't sharing cups, utensils or drinks and things like that can limit the spread of most germs.
Washing your hands with soap and water after any contact, including diaper changes and bathroom use, can also reduce the risk of carrying any virus.
Symptoms of hand, foot, and mouth disease
Hand, foot, and mouth disease symptoms generally start with
- increased irritability
- fatigue
- low-grade fever
- sore throat
After this, the rash that gives that virus its namesake appears on the hands, feet, or mouth. In some cases, the rash can work its ways up the arms and legs, and may even become a diaper rash.
“The rash looks like little red bumps or blister on the skin. Inside of the mouth, you can see different kind of lesions or marks in there toward the back of the mouth,” Dr. Norman said. “That’s what really causes the trouble with this illness.”
From the time the first symptoms start to show up, it takes 3-5 days for them to resolve. Within two weeks of recovering from hand, foot, and mouth disease, some children may have fingernails peel or fall off.
Treating hand, foot, and mouth disease
Unfortunately, there is no cure for hand, foot, and mouth disease. All treatments for children who have the virus are focused on relieving symptoms.
“Because those lesions inside the mouth can be really painful, parents and caregivers should really be focused on pain control and hydration,” Dr. Norman said.
Children can take over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain. If they are not willing to eat or drink much because their mouth hurts, try giving them sips of fluid or very cold things like popsicles or other frozen items to help numb and cool the back of their throat. Water-dense foods like watermelon can be good.
Once your child is fever-free for at least 24 hours and are not drooling or experiencing discomfort from mouth sores, they can return to school or daycare.
“Children usually feel better within a couple days,” Dr. Norman said. “They might have a lingering rash, but the rash itself is not contagious.”
Dr. Norman is accepting new patients at our Geneva Medical Campus, which is scheduled to open in September. Call our office to schedule an appointment.
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