Question
Should a child diagnosed with hand, foot, and mouth disease be isolated?
Answer
Yes, hand, foot, and mouth disease is contagious, so patients need to be isolated. If a child shows symptoms such as hand, foot, and mouth sores, they should stay home and avoid going to kindergarten or school until they have fully recovered. During the outbreak of hand, foot, and mouth disease, schools and kindergartens should check children daily for fever or symptoms of hand, foot, and mouth disease. Upon discovery of these symptoms, parents should be notified immediately to take their child home and seek appropriate treatment. Most cases of hand, foot, and mouth disease are self-limiting and many infected individuals can recover without medication. However, severe cases may develop complications such as myocarditis, pneumonia, or encephalitis, and treatment should be administered according to the severity of the illness.