Question
A 7-month-old baby was diagnosed with hand, foot, and mouth disease a few days ago and has shown improvement after four days of intravenous treatment. However, new red spots have appeared on the baby’s body recently, and the parents are wondering if they should be particularly concerned.
Answer
Hand, foot, and mouth disease is an infectious disease caused by enteroviruses, primarily affecting children under 5 years old. Most children recover within a week without complications. While hand, foot, and mouth disease itself is not cause for alarm, one must be vigilant about potential complications such as myocarditis and pulmonary edema. For the situation you described, it is important to remain calm, closely monitor the baby’s condition changes, and communicate with the attending physician in a timely manner. Generally speaking, with active treatment, the baby’s condition should not pose any problems.