Hand-Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Hand-foot-and-mouth disease is caused by a virus. It causes painful sores in the mouth and a rash with blisters on the hands and feet. It is usually a mild illness, but can be very serious. Human hand-foot-and-mouth disease is not related to hoof and mouth disease in cattle.

Hand-foot-and-mouth disease may occur at any age but is most common in children under the age of 10. Preschool age children tend to get sicker. It appears most often in warm weather, usually in the summer or early fall. It is not unusual for more than half of the children in a school or day care center to have the disease at any one time. Children are contagious for around 7 to 10 days.

Mild fever is usually the first symptom of hand-foot-and-mouth disease, and it starts 3 to 6 days after exposure. One or two days after the fever starts, other symptoms may include:

• painful red blisters on the tongue, mouth, palms of the hands, or soles of the feet
• a sore mouth and sore throat, and
• a general feeling of weakness.

The disease is usually mild and lasts 3 to 7 days. It can be confused with chickenpox, but the area affected by the rash is different. The only medicine healthcare providers usually recommend for hand-foot-and-mouth disease is acetaminophen. Check with your healthcare provider before you give medicine that contains aspirin or salicylates to a child or teen because of the risk for a serious illness called Reye's syndrome.

Hand-foot-and-mouth disease is spread by coughing or sneezing, or by contact with mucus, saliva, blisters, or the bowel movements of the infected person. It is best to keep children with hand-foot-and-mouth disease out of child care or school until the fever is gone and mouth sores have healed.

Most blisters disappear without causing problems. In the mouth, however, some may form shallow, painful sores that look similar to canker sores. To help with symptoms, you can:

• Avoid eating or drinking sour, salty, or spicy foods that may cause more pain.
• Drink plenty of liquids to help keep from getting dehydrated.

Tips to help prevent hand-foot-and-mouth disease include:

• Wash hands frequently to decrease the chance of becoming infected.
• Stay away from others who have the disease, and
• Keep children from sharing toys during the infection.

Most adults become immune to hand-foot-and-mouth disease in early childhood. Pregnant women should see their provider if exposed to hand-foot-and-mouth disease.

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

HIA File infd4514.htm Release 13/2010