Patient's question:
My baby hasn't been eating well recently, and he also has a slight fever, mainly the high fever that makes me very worried. Accompanying symptoms include drooling and not eating hot food. Over the past few days, I accidentally noticed that there were many small blisters in his mouth, and only then did I realize that he had hand, foot, and mouth disease.What kind of help do I need: How can hand, foot, and mouth disease be prevented?
Doctor's answer:
Hand, foot, and mouth disease typically has a rapid onset, with children often experiencing fever ranging from 38°C to 40°C, which usually lasts for 4 to 7 days, though cases lasting more than 7 days are less common. In the early stages, some children may also have symptoms such as runny nose, sore throat, loss of appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea. Small red papules appear on the distal parts of the hands and feet, such as fingers, palms, and toes, as well as in the mouth, and quickly transform into small vesicles with a diameter of 2-4 mm, resembling rice grains in size. These vesicles are round or oval-shaped, surrounded by a red halo, and cause significant pain. In some cases, these rashes may also be seen on the buttocks and around the anus. Clinically, this disease is primarily characterized by vesicles on the hands, feet, and mouth, hence the name "hand, foot, and mouth disease." Oral vesicles are commonly found on the tongue, buccal mucosa, lips, hard palate, pharynx, and tonsils, and quickly develop into small ulcers. Children may drool excessively (salivate) and experience pain while eating, which may even affect their ability to eat. Personal preventive measures include: