What Is Hand/Foot/Mouth Disease

Hand, foot, and mouth disease is a common viral infection. It’s commonly seen in children, especially those in preschool and kindergarten. It’s also more common during the colder months of the year. Even though it’s most commonly found in kids, adults can get it.

Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease is a very mild illness that almost always goes away on its own within a week or two. If not you should contact us at Elm Pediatrics for an appointment. However, it can be unpleasant and uncomfortable while you have it. There are three main symptoms of this illness: hand sores, red rash on feet, palms, soles of the feet, and blisters inside your mouth. The virus usually spreads from person to person through close contact, such as touching surfaces contaminated with the virus and then touching your face with your hands (or vice versa).

1. Symptoms

Symptoms of hand, foot, and mouth disease usually start with a fever and sore throat. The rash on your feet is usually the first to show up. The rash begins as a red or pink patch on your feet. The rash will probably spread to your hands and the soles of your feet.

It can also apply to other parts of your body, like the palms of your hands and lips. If the virus spreads to these areas, you may also develop blisters in them. Blisters are tiny fluid-filled bubbles that form under the skin when you get an infection or a cut or burn. They can be painful, but they don’t last long, and they don’t infect other people or animals that touch them.

2. Causes

Hand, foot, and mouth diseases are caused by a virus spread from person to person. It’s most commonly spread by contact with objects contaminated with the virus. You can get it from someone who has it or get it by touching things they’ve touched. You can also get it by breathing in droplets of saliva or mucus that are coughed or sneezed out into the air. You can also get it by eating food that has been exposed to the virus, especially if you have diarrhea after you eat the food.

3. Prevention

Hand, foot, and mouth diseases are more common during the colder months. If you plan to visit someone who has it, keep your hands and feet away from their face and mouth. Clean your hands and feet with warm water after touching someone who has it.

If you have diarrhea after eating or drinking something, wash your hands with soap and water before eating or drinking anything again. You can also put on disinfectant cream on any cuts or scratches on your hands or feet to help prevent any diseases that might be spread that way.

If you’re sick, don’t go to work or school. If you have small children at home, you should also keep them away from other people’s children so they can’t spread the virus to them.

Hand, foot, and mouth disease is a viral infection that causes painful blisters or sores on the hands and feet. It’s most commonly spread when someone coughs or sneezes. You can also get it by touching objects that have been contaminated with the virus. You can get it by eating food that has been exposed to the virus, especially if you have diarrhea after you eat the food.