Patient's question:
My sister's child has been having frequent fever recently. Even after taking some medicine, it hasn't helped. But today, I noticed some red spots on the child's hands and mouth. The doctor said it's hand, foot, and mouth disease.Doctor's answer:
Hello, hand, foot, and mouth disease is an infectious disease caused by enteroviruses, with more than 20 types of enteroviruses known to cause it. Among them, Coxackievirus A16 and Enterovirus 71 are the most common. Most cases occur in children under the age of 5, manifesting as mouth pain, loss of appetite, low fever, and small blisters or ulcers on the hands, feet, and mouth. Most children recover on their own within about a week. However, a small number of cases may lead to complications such as myocarditis, pulmonary edema, and meningitis, among others. In rare severe cases, children may rapidly deteriorate and even die. Currently, there is a lack of effective symptomatic treatment drugs. It is still recommended to actively treat and provide symptomatic care.