Question
Can children with hand, foot, and mouth disease still attend school?
Answer
It is recommended not to send the child to school, as hand, foot, and mouth disease is highly contagious and often occurs in infants and young children, potentially causing blisters on the hands, feet, and mouth. Some patients may experience complications such as myocarditis, pulmonary edema, and aseptic meningitis. The incubation period for the disease is 2 to 7 days, and during the early stages of illness, the patient themselves are a source of transmission. The virus is excreted from the throat for 1 to 2 weeks after onset of the disease, and from feces for about 3 to 5 weeks. The blister fluid contains a large amount of virus.