Question
My child has been feverish for 4 days, with fever every 4 hours on average, reaching a high of 39.4 degrees Celsius. There is clear nasal discharge and almost no cough; at most a couple of coughs a day. I took them to the hospital for a urine test and the doctor said it was viral influenza. However, upon returning home late at night, I noticed 4 blisters on my child’s tongue tip, which were only 2 blisters two days ago. Today, the doctor only looked at the throat and not the tongue, and I forgot to ask. So I want to know, can blood tests at the fingertips detect hand, foot, and mouth disease? Is this tongue blisters symptom hand, foot, and mouth disease?
Answer
Hand, foot, and mouth disease is characterized by many blisters on the palms of hands and soles of feet and in the mouth. The tongue is not affected. Don’t worry; if there’s a problem, the doctor will find it out and let you know. It’s caused by a viral infection. Just drink plenty of water and eat light meals; it should get better in a few days.