Patient's question:
My baby has been crying and refusing to eat since yesterday. This morning, I noticed several large bubbles in my baby's mouth. My family is very worried and has taken them to the local hospital for a check-up.Doctor's answer:
Hand, foot, and mouth disease is an infectious disease caused by enteroviruses, which primarily occurs in infants and young children and can lead to the development of blisters on the hands, feet, mouth, and other parts of the body. In some cases, it may cause complications such as myocarditis, pulmonary edema, and aseptic meningitis. There are over 20 types of enteroviruses that can cause hand, foot, and mouth disease. The incubation period of the disease is 2 to 7 days. The sources of infection include patients and asymptomatic carriers. Patients are the main source of infection during outbreaks. They can excrete the virus from their throat during the acute phase of the disease. When the virus contains a high viral load, it can overflow, and patients may still excrete the virus in their feces for several weeks after recovery.