Question
My child is three years and four months old. Today, when I took him to the doctor, he was diagnosed with hand, foot, and mouth disease and tested positive for Coxsackievirus A16 Ig and Enterovirus 71 IgM antibodies. The child is in good spirits and wants to eat, but has ulcers in his mouth. He has a fever that subsided last night. He has been drinking a lot of pork soup, but can’t eat anything except soy milk and a little milk. Besides medication treatment, do I need to hospitalize him? How serious is his hand, foot, and mouth disease? He can’t eat congee; what should I give him to eat? What foods should be avoided?
Answer
Based on your description, hand, foot, and mouth disease is mainly caused by viral infection. If the child’s condition is stable, you can observe and care for him at home. Please ensure appropriate medication treatment, monitor body temperature, maintain a balanced diet, avoid spicy and irritating foods, and drink plenty of water. This is the answer to “What is the condition of Coxsackievirus A16 Ig and Enterovirus 71 IgM antibodies?” I hope the child can recover soon and return to a healthy life.