Question
A two-year-old boy has been hospitalized with hand, foot, and mouth disease and still has a persistent fever after three days. What could be the cause?
Answer
Hand, foot, and mouth disease is an infectious disease caused by enteroviruses. Treatment mainly focuses on symptom relief, including antiviral medications, traditional Chinese medicine, and vitamins B and C. For patients with complications, intravenous immunoglobulin can be administered. During treatment, it is important to strengthen the care of the child, maintain oral hygiene, and rinse the mouth with saline or warm water before and after meals. Consume fluid or semi-liquid non-irritating foods. As hand, foot, and mouth disease can lead to complications such as myocarditis, encephalitis, meningitis, and flaccid paralysis, close observation is crucial and should not be overlooked.