Question

The spring season is a high incidence period for hand, foot, and mouth disease. Parents are worried about their children getting infected, so they hope to learn how to prevent hand, foot, and mouth disease.

Answer

Hand, foot, and mouth disease is a common childhood infectious disease characterized by fever and rashes or blisters on the hands, feet, oral cavity, buttocks, and other parts. Some patients may experience mild upper respiratory symptoms such as coughing, runny nose, nausea, and vomiting before or during the onset of the disease. About half of the patients may have a fever of around 38°C for 1 to 2 days before or at the onset of the disease. Oral mucosal rashes usually appear earlier and are initially small grain-like macules or vesicles with a red halo, mainly located on the tongue and cheeks, with the sides of the lips and teeth also possibly affected. Vesicles and rashes typically resolve within a week. To prevent hand, foot, and mouth disease, parents should pay attention to the following points:

  1. Maintain good personal hygiene habits, wash hands frequently, especially before handling food and eating.
  2. Avoid close contact with children who have hand, foot, and mouth disease.
  3. Regularly clean and disinfect items and surfaces that children frequently come into contact with.
  4. Encourage children to drink plenty of water