Patient's question:
The child has had poor appetite since yesterday and has one or two small red blisters on their hands. They had a fever of 38.5°C at night, but after taking fever-reducing medication, they haven't had a fever again. Their appetite is still okay. There are small red blisters on both sides of their mouth, but not on their tongue. This started yesterday morning, and the doctor suspects it might be hand, foot, and mouth disease.Previous treatment and outcomes: They were admitted for treatment. I want to know if hand, foot, and mouth disease must always come with a fever?
Doctor's answer:
Hand, foot, and mouth disease can have fever or no fever. However, the typical presentation of hand, foot, and mouth disease usually starts with upper respiratory infection symptoms, followed by the appearance of rashes. The typical rash of hand, foot, and mouth disease is easy to identify—it appears as maculopapules or vesicles. The vesicles contain very little fluid and are surrounded by a red halo. The rash is generally painless and itchy. The rash typically appears on the palms, soles, buttocks, and oral mucosa.Clinical diagnosis of hand, foot, and mouth disease may have some errors compared to laboratory diagnosis, and laboratory diagnosis is generally considered more accurate. However, many areas lack the necessary conditions. If a child is not doing well overall, it is best to hospitalize them for treatment. If the child is generally doing fine, outpatient treatment may be sufficient.