THE ESSENTIAL
- Symptoms of hand-foot-mouth syndrome appear between three to seven days after contamination.
- Dehydration is a common side effect because sores in the mouth prevent drinking, so force the child to do so.
Children aged 6 months to 4 years are the most affected by hand-foot-mouth syndrome, according to health insurance. But this mild viral infection can also affect older people, even adults. Generally, there are small outbreaks in spring, summer or early fall.
The hand-foot-mouth syndrome causes fever and sore throat
This disease is usually caused by a virus that enters through the mouth. This then passes through the throat, the digestive tract, spreads through the blood and the lymph nodes. Before the onset of the disease, for one to two days, the child may experience fever (between 38 and 39 degrees), headache, loss of appetite, sore throat, nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain and diarrhea.
These symptoms are quite common to other illnesses, such as a cold for example. But if your child feels one or more of them, he should be taken to see him because they can be the harbingers of hand-foot-mouth syndrome.
Viral infection causes skin rash
When the infection is declared, the symptoms evolve. Children usually have redness and irritation in the mouth and throat. Then, small red dots appear on the tongue, gums and inside the cheeks. Quite quickly, they turn into skin blisters with fluid inside. These burst quickly but the trace left behind can be painful.
At the same time, there are also lesions – small red spots then blisters – on other parts of the body such as the back, the fingers, the soles of the feet. “The hallmarks of the virus are a rash that appears on the hands, feet, and mouth, but the rash can often be found all over the body, including the trunk and genitals“, explains Dana Schmidtpediatrician.
Wash your hands to avoid contamination
The syndrome is usually contagious during the first days of illness. “Like most viruses, hands, feet and mouth are quite contagioussays Dara Schmidt. So in a daycare or school it can spread very quickly“. As for the symptoms, the skin spots should disappear within ten days.
To avoid catching the disease, you must follow the same instructions as for many viruses: wash your hands regularly, do not be in contact with a sick person, or clean surfaces and linen that may have been in contact. with the virus.
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