Patient's question:
Our child started feeling unwell after returning from kindergarten. When we took them to the hospital, the doctor said they had hand, foot, and mouth disease. I wanted to ask what hand, foot, and mouth disease is. It seems to be a disease that is particularly common in kindergartens. Their teacher said that some children in the class have also contracted this disease.Doctor's answer:
Hand, foot, and mouth disease is a highly prevalent childhood infectious disease in recent years, primarily affecting children under the age of 6. It severely impacts children's physical health and can even endanger their lives. The disease is caused by the hand, foot, and mouth virus, which comes in various strains. Some strains are less toxic with mild symptoms and can be cured with medication or a few days of intravenous fluids. However, others are severe and require hospitalization for treatment. This disease is highly contagious, so if one child in a classroom gets infected, many others are likely to catch it.