Question
A young child shows a resistance to water during bath time, and after washing, multiple red rashes appear on their hands and feet. What could this be?
Answer
Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease is a common infectious disease in children, characterized by painful small blisters that appear in the mouth, throat, soft palate, buccal mucosa, tongue, and gums. These blisters range in size from millet to mung bean and are surrounded by red halos. Due to the pain, these blisters may burst and form small ulcers, causing the child to have a runny nose and refuse to eat. Most children with hand, foot, and mouth disease can heal on their own with a good prognosis. It is recommended to clean a child’s hands with soap or hand sanitizer before and after meals, avoid allowing the child to drink unboiled water, reduce the intake of cold foods, and avoid contact with sick children to lower the risk of infection.