Question
My child has reached the age to attend kindergarten, but my husband and I are worried that the child might contract hand, foot, and mouth disease while playing with other children. We would like to understand more about the contagious nature of this disease.
Answer
Hand, foot, and mouth disease is a condition with a certain degree of contagiousness, primarily transmitted through saliva, contact, and respiratory droplets. Due to children’s weaker immune systems, they are more susceptible to infection after coming into contact with patients. Symptoms typically manifest as rashes on the mouth, hands, and feet, but mild cases are often self-limiting and can be treated symptomatically. Wishing the patient a speedy recovery!