Question
My son is 1 year and 10 months old. He was diagnosed with hand, foot, and mouth disease at the hospital today and needs to be hospitalized. He doesn’t have a fever; there are only blisters on his hands and in his mouth. After admission, the doctor requested many tests, including X-rays, an ECG, routine blood tests, and biochemical tests. Which of these are necessary?
Answer
Considering your situation, your child currently has hand, foot, and mouth disease, which is a viral infection that requires antiviral medication for treatment. However, the medication has side effects, so it’s recommended to have your child undergo a biochemical test. In cases like yours, hand, foot, and mouth disease is generally a viral infection. To confirm the diagnosis, blood tests are usually required. The final diagnosis still relies on the vesicles that appear on the hands and feet. Sometimes fever may occur as well; generally, just a blood test is needed without any abnormalities detected.