Patient's question:
My daughter really likes playing with the children from the neighboring house. However, since Xiao Bao contracted hand, foot, and mouth disease, he needs to be isolated. After he recovered, Xiao Bao kept asking to play with others, so I wanted to ask how long after recovery is it absolutely safe from infection?Doctor's answer:
This is about common childhood diseases. Hand, foot, and mouth disease is an infectious disease caused by enteroviruses, which spreads quickly and is easily prevalent. It is most common during summer and autumn, and frequently occurs in children under the age of 5. Generally, treatment for this condition, if there are no complications, has a good prognosis, and most recover completely within a week. The main treatment is symptomatic care. First, isolate the child, then provide symptomatic treatment, ensure good oral care, and keep clothes and bedding clean and frequently changed. In addition to trimming the baby's nails, calamine lotion can also be applied. Besides keeping the buttocks of babies with rashes clean and dry, antiviral medications and heat-clearing, detoxifying traditional Chinese herbal medicines can be taken. It is best to avoid contact with other children for a week to be on the safe side. At the same time, the house should be frequently opened for ventilation, and attention should be paid to having the child wash their face before meals and after using the bathroom. Digestive vitamins and plenty of warm water should be consumed.