Question
What are the symptoms of hand, foot, and mouth disease in children? At what age is hand, foot, and mouth disease common in children? Does every child get it?
Answer
The symptoms of hand, foot, and mouth disease in children include fever, vesicles on the oral mucosa, loss of appetite, and oral pain. The skin may also develop rashes which then form blisters. This disease is caused by a virus and is highly contagious, primarily transmitted through air and contact. If a child has strong immunity and resistance, they may be able to resist the virus infection and thus not become ill. Therefore, not every child will get hand, foot, and mouth disease. However, children who recover from the disease will gain lifelong immunity.