Patient's question:
My little baby at home has had a cold recently. They have a fever, runny nose, and sometimes drool. There are also occasional episodes of nausea. On their fingertips, small blisters have appeared, and they keep getting bigger. When we went to the hospital for a check-up, the doctor told me that this is a symptom of the early stages of hand, foot, and mouth disease, right?Doctor's answer:
The incubation period is 3 to 5 days, with prodromal symptoms such as low fever, general malaise, and abdominal pain. Within 1 to 2 days, painful vesicles ranging from grain-sized to green bean-sized will appear on the mouth, throat, soft palate, buccal mucosa, tongue, and gums. They are surrounded by erythema, which turns into small ulcers. Due to the pain, it often oozes and refusal to eat occurs. At the same time, there is also a rash on the hands and feet. Many vesicles appear on the back of the hands and feet, around the nails, and in the palms. Apart from the hands and feet, they can also be seen on the buttocks and near the anus, and even on the trunk and limbs. After a few days, they dry up and subside without itching or pain.