Hand foot mouth disease is an acute infectious disease caused by intestinal viruses. There are more than 20 kinds of viruses, which are generally susceptible to infection by people of all ages, mainly children under five years old, and children under three years old have the highest incidence rate. After being infected, children only acquire immunity to this type of virus and lack immunity to other types of viruses. That is to say, due to the diverse types of viruses involved in hand, foot, and mouth disease, a single infection does not fully immunize the disease, and there may be repeated infections.
So, what knowledge do parents need to master in preventing hand, foot, and mouth disease?
1、 The three main modes of transmission of hand, foot and mouth disease
1. Gastrointestinal transmission: fecal oral route.
2. Respiratory transmission: through droplets, coughing, sneezing, etc.
3. Contact transmission: Transmission is caused by the patient's oral and nasal secretions, skin or mucosal herpes fluid, and contaminated hands and objects.
2、 What are the symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease? Hand, foot and mouth disease is mostly an acute onset, with fever as the main complaint, and an average duration of 2-4 days. At the beginning of the illness, some children may experience symptoms such as runny nose, sore throat, loss of appetite, and vomiting. Shortly after onset, oral herpes appears, mostly distributed in the tongue, cheek mucosa, lips, hard palate, soft palate, pharynx, tonsils, etc., with a diameter of 2-4mm, about the size of a grain of rice, round or oval in shape, and surrounded by a red halo. And it quickly turns into a small ulcer, causing the child to drool, feel pain when eating, and even affect eating. Generally, the oral pain subsides in about 5 days and gradually returns to eating. On the day of onset or the next day, a rash with small blisters may appear around the hands, feet, buttocks, and knees. Most of these rashes are not painful or itchy, and appear within 1-2 days. They gradually disappear after about a week without leaving scars or pigmentation.
It should be clarified that hand, foot, and mouth disease is not determined by the severity of the rash. That is to say, the severity of the condition does not depend on the amount of rash. During the first five days of the disease, a small proportion of children may experience symptoms such as mental distress, drowsiness, muscle pain, and weakness, indicating involvement of the nervous system. Subsequently, there is a possibility of heart and lung failure, which parents should pay special attention to.
3、 What are the preventive measures for hand, foot and mouth disease?
1. Wash hands frequently: Parents and babies should develop the habit of washing hands frequently, before meals, after using the bathroom, or after going out and returning home. Wash hands with running water, hand sanitizer or soap, and rub for at least 20 seconds.
2. Regular ventilation: Maintain indoor air circulation, open windows for ventilation at least three times a day, for at least half an hour each time. Try not to take your baby to places with dense crowds and poor air circulation.
3. Disinfect frequently: Sun dry clothes and blankets frequently. Regularly clean and disinfect the utensils, bottles, pacifiers, toys, and other items used by babies.
4. Observe frequently: Pay attention to whether there is a rash in the baby's mouth, hands, feet, buttocks, and other areas. If there is, seek medical attention as soon as possible.
5. Vaccination: Although current vaccines only target EV71 virus and cannot prevent other types of enteroviruses, EV71 virus is the main culprit causing severe illness and death. The vaccination target is children aged 6 months to 5 years old. In order to provide early protection, it is recommended that children complete the vaccination procedure before the age of 12 months. Vaccination is not recommended for children over 5 years old. Hand, foot, and mouth vaccines belong to Class II vaccines and require self funded vaccination.
4、 How to care for children with hand, foot and mouth disease
1. Pay attention to isolation: Hand, foot and mouth disease is highly contagious and can be easily transmitted to other babies. If there are other babies at home, it is recommended to live separately to avoid transmission. During the period of illness, students and young children should suspend classes and take vacations. It is best not to go out, let alone play in public places, in order to avoid spreading the disease to other healthy babies.
2. Control fever: Physical methods or medication can be used to cool down.
3. Light diet: When there is herpes in the mouth, the baby may refuse to eat due to sore throat. It is recommended to let the baby eat "warm, cool, soft, and light" food, avoiding stimulating foods such as too salty and too acidic.
4. Prevent scratching: The rash of hand, foot, and mouth disease is usually not itchy or painful (but some types, such as Kosaki A6, may be accompanied by pain), and does not scab or leave scars when the rash recovers. You can change your baby into comfortable and soft clothes, cut their nails frequently to prevent scratching and rash from causing secondary bacterial infections. You can apply calamine detergent appropriately. If there is herpes rupture, you can apply a less irritating iodine solution and keep the area clean.
5. Disinfection and ventilation: Alcohol is ineffective against hand, foot, and mouth disease virus. Items used by children such as toys and furniture can be disinfected with chlorine containing disinfectant. Tableware can be boiled or disinfected using other high-temperature methods. Clothes, bedding, towels, etc. should be washed and exposed to sunlight. The room should be regularly opened for ventilation.