Question
How should I handle a six-month-old baby with hand, foot, and mouth disease? The baby had a fever of 38 degrees after a bath the previous evening. After receiving a fever-reducing injection, the fever subsided within a day, but the baby has been refusing to eat. After a medical examination, the doctor diagnosed it as an oral ulcer and prescribed a lozenge spray. Subsequently, red rashes were found on the ankles and buttocks. The doctor observed that the situation should not be serious, but today the rash seems to have spread. How should I handle it?
Answer
Considering the baby may have hand, foot, and mouth disease, which is an infectious disease caused by enteroviruses, treatment should focus on isolating the patient and disinfecting the environment to prevent cross-infection. It is recommended that parents take their child to a contagious disease clinic for further examination and ensure adequate hydration, proper rest, and enhanced care. Choose loose and breathable fabrics for the baby’s clothing and maintain cleanliness of the baby’s skin. At the same time, be attentive to any symptoms such as restlessness, tremors in the hands and feet, loss of appetite, or vomiting. If these symptoms occur, immediate treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin should be sought.