Question
While brushing my child’s teeth, I noticed red spots on their hands, feet, and buttocks, as well as several small blisters in their mouth. There are no signs of fever. The hospital diagnosed it as hand, foot, and mouth disease. How should I handle this situation?
Answer
Hand, foot, and mouth disease is a common illness in children, with traditional Chinese medicine treatment proving particularly effective. Treatment usually involves a combination of oral and topical medications. Patients without complications can expect to recover within about a week with a good prognosis. Antiviral drugs can also be used for treatment. It is recommended to let the child rinse their mouth with warm water regularly, avoid eating cold or spicy foods, as well as overly salty foods to prevent pain and refusal to eat; choose foods that are easy to digest, light, soft, and warm, and drink plenty of warm water. Preventive measures include isolating the affected child, strengthening the health care of infants and young children to reduce the chance of infection, and paying attention to indoor air circulation and temperature regulation.