Question
My son is 1 year and 10 months old. Today, when we went to the hospital for a check-up, he was diagnosed with hand, foot, and mouth disease and was advised to be hospitalized. The child has no fever; there are just blisters on his hands and in his mouth. After admission, the doctor requested many tests, including chest X-ray, ECG, routine blood tests, and biochemical tests. Which of these are necessary?
Answer
Considering your child’s condition, as he has been diagnosed with hand, foot, and mouth disease, which is a viral infection, antiviral medication is needed for treatment, but the medication has side effects. It is recommended to have biochemical testing done for your child. Hand, foot, and mouth disease is generally a viral infection. If a definitive diagnosis is needed, a blood test is usually required, but the final diagnosis still depends on the blisters that appear on the hands and feet. In some cases, this condition may be accompanied by fever, and generally only a blood test is needed without any other abnormalities.