Once You Have Had Hand Foot Mouth Can You Get It Again
Hand, human foot and mouth illness (HFMD) is a viral infection that causes a rash or blisters on the hands and feet, likewise equally in or around the mouth. There are two types of viruses that crusade HFMD, and the symptoms vary depending on the virus.
HFMD mainly affects children under the age of ten, just can also touch on adolescents. It spreads hands from i person to another. It is possible to contract the virus more than than once, but the symptoms will be less astringent.
HFMD is not related to the foot and mouth illness that is constitute in animals.
Signs and symptoms of HFMD
Symptoms usually get-go iii to seven days subsequently condign infected, and tin can last from seven to x days. If your child has HFMD, they may feel tired, have a fever, and have a rash. Depending on which virus your kid has, the skin rash can wait like:
- Small, oval, white blisters on the palms, soles of the feet, as well as in the mouth. Your child may have a sore oral cavity and throat, leading to poor appetite or risk of dehydration (drinking and eating can be painful because of the mouth blisters).
- A ruddy pare rash with a brown scale on it. The rash appears on the outer arms, hands, legs, feet, around the oral fissure and upper buttocks. The body is ordinarily relatively articulate. Sometimes there are blisters present, only they are not usually in the mouth and your child can eat and beverage as usual.
The blisters should not be itchy like chickenpox blisters. If your child has eczema, the HFMD can cause the eczema to worsen and potentially become infected with bacteria.
How is HFMD spread?
HFMD is virtually commonly caused by the coxsackie virus. The main way HFMD spreads is through contact with the fluid from inside the blisters, or with the droplets spread from sneezing and coughing. The virus can too exist present in bowel movements (poo) for upwards to several weeks after the person has recovered.
To prevent the spread of HFMD:
- Wash your hands thoroughly after touching your child's bodily fluids. This includes touching their blisters, helping them accident their olfactory organ, and changing nappies or helping with toileting.
- Make sure your kid doesn't share items such as cutlery, drinking cups, towels, toothbrushes and clothing.
- Keep your kid dwelling from school, kindergarten or child care until all the fluid in their blisters has dried.
Care at habitation
HFMD is a viral infection that rarely causes further complications. Antibiotics exercise not work on viruses and are not given to children with HFMD. HFMD volition become improve on its own, merely in that location are ways you can care for your child at home:
- If your child is in pain or is uncomfortable, give them pain relief, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. Do not give aspirin. Run across our fact sheet Pain relief for children.
- Give your kid frequent sips of h2o or an oral rehydration solution to stop them becoming dehydrated.
- Go out blisters to dry naturally. Exercise not pierce or squeeze them.
- If your child is unwell with a fever and a peel rash (small vivid red spots or imperial spots or unexplained bruises) that does not plow to skin-colour (blanch) when you printing on it, this may be a sign of meningococcal infection (encounter our fact sheet Meningococcal infection).
Cardinal points to recall
- HFMD is a mild disease that will get better on its ain.
- Ii types of viruses crusade HFMD, and the rash depends on which virus your kid has.
- HFMD is spread easily from one person to some other.
For more data
- Kids Health Info fact sheet: Pain relief for children
- Kids Health Info fact sail: Aridity
- Kids Wellness Info fact sheet: Eczema
- Kids Health Info fact canvass: Fever in children
- Kids Health Info fact sheet: Stopping the spread of germs
- Meet your GP or Maternal and Child Health Nurse.
- Mitt, foot and mouth disease (HFMD)
- NSW Health: Manus, foot and mouth illness fact sheet
- Better Health Channel: Mitt, foot and mouth disease
Mutual questions our doctors are asked
Is HFMD dangerous for meaning women?
HFMD is not known to pose a risk to pregnant women or their unborn babies.
My child still has blisters. Tin can she render to schoolhouse?
If the fluid in the blisters has dried, and then information technology is safe for your child to go dorsum to schoolhouse.
Developed past The Imperial Children'south Hospital Emergency and Infection Control departments. We admit the input of RCH consumers and carers.
Reviewed February 2018.
Kids Wellness Info is supported by The Imperial Children's Infirmary Foundation. To donate, visit www.rchfoundation.org.au.
Source: https://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/Hand_foot_and_mouth_disease/