hand foot and mouth
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What, Why & How
The disease is most common in children, typically under 5 years of age, but it can happen to anyone. The hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) causes sores or rashes on the hands, feet, and mouth, and even the buttocks. It involves a high-grade fever, and the condition needs special care because it can spread through coughing, sneezing, and touching the same objects as someone who is infected.The disease is extremely painful and irritates the patient and causes the following symptoms:
- High-grade fever up to 103 degrees
- Sore throat
- Loss of appetite, which ultimately causes health issues like weight loss and low immunity
- Blisters on hand, feet, mouth, and buttocks
- Rashes on hand, feet, and mouth
Causes
There are a few causes of hand, foot, and mouth disease, which are: polioviruses, coxsackieviruses, echoviruses and enteroviruses as they all part of the enterovirus, which is the root cause of this disease. Other than this, it is contagious, which makes it one hundred times more dangerous.These are a few ways which are most likely to spread this infection:
- Maintaining contact with the stool or an object which has been in contact with an infected person
- If blister fluid touches your body/skin
- Breathing in the same air as an infected person
Treatment
Sadly, there are no vaccines that can stop the disease in the first place. But there are a few ways to prevent or eliminate your chances of getting HFMD. Some of the useful remedies are:
-
Practice good hygiene. Regular hand washing with antibacterial soaps is very important. Tell your children to wash their hands properly after using the toilet. -
Keep the toys, objects, and other materials clean and disinfected. -
Avoid physical interaction with anyone who has the disease.
The best way to know if your child is suffering from the disease is to keep a close eye on their activities, their body temperature, and, most importantly, their skin. In case you suspect you or a loved one has HFMD, visit FamUrgent Care for urgent care immediately!
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