HFMD is an infectious disease caused mainly by coxsackievirus, and is most prevalent in the summer and fall, mostly in children under 5 years of age. The routes of infection include gastrointestinal, respiratory and contact transmission.
Mode of transmission
1. The virus is parasitic in the pharynx, saliva, herpes and feces of the affected child and is transmitted to other children through saliva, sneezing, coughing and droplets during speech.
2. It can also be transmitted indirectly through hands, household items and utensils. The affected child will develop small herpes similar to chickenpox on the hands, feet, skin or oral mucosa, thus it is called hand-foot-mouth disease.
Clinical manifestations
1, hand, foot and mouth disease incubation period: mostly 2 to 10 days, an average of 3 to 5 days
2, most children are suddenly onset, high fever temperature more than 38 degrees, accompanied by headache, cough, runny nose and other symptoms, the higher the temperature, the longer the illness, the more serious the disease.
3. Herpes is seen in the oral mucosa and lips of the affected children, and ulcers will be formed after the herpes breaks down, and the pain is heavy, and the affected children often show
4. 1-2 days after oral herpes, papules appear on the hands, feet, buttocks, arms and legs, which later turn into herpes. The hands and feet are more frequent.
5. The number of rashes is less than a few and more than a few dozen. It does not leave traces after fading, and there is no pigmentation. Some cases only show a rash or herpetic pharyngitis.
6, the disease is a mild self-healing disease, the vast majority of children have a good prognosis.
Very few cases (especially those younger than 3 years old) develop meningitis, encephalitis, encephalomyelitis, pulmonary edema, circulatory disorders, etc. in about 1-5 days after the onset of the disease, and very few cases are critical and can lead to death.
Treatment
1, after the onset of the disease must go to the hospital, and according to the doctor’s orders to take medication, bed rest.
2, symptomatic treatment, oral herpes and ulcers serious, with rehabilitation of new liquid gargle or coated with the affected area, can also be mixed into a paste of Similac after meals with a cotton swab on the ulcerated surface.
3, the initial rash can be coated with stove glycerine lotion, herpes or herpes rupture can be coated with 0.5% iodophor. If there is an infection, antibiotics and sedative anti-itch agents are needed.
4. You can take anti-viral drugs and herbs to clear heat and detoxify the body, and supplement with vitamin B and C, etc. If necessary, you can take Chinese medicine, such as pediatric pharyngeal flat punch, Qingkailing oral liquid, Banlangen punch and other oral medications.
Care
1, the baby refuses to eat, salivation, crying and sleeplessness due to oral pain, to keep the baby’s mouth clean, before and after meals with saline gargle, for babies who can not gargle, you can use cotton swabs dipped in saline to gently clean the mouth.
2, keep the skin clean and dry, clothes, bedding clean and soft, often changed. Wrap the baby’s hands if necessary to prevent scratching the rash.
3, pediatric hand, foot and mouth disease is generally low or moderate fever, no special treatment, you can let the baby drink more water
4.For babies with body temperature between 37.5℃ and 38.5℃, give physical cooling such as heat dissipation, drinking more warm water and taking warm baths.
5, the child due to fever, oral herpes, poor appetite, reluctant to eat. It is appropriate to give the baby to eat light, warm, tasty, easy to digest, soft liquid or semi-liquid, forbidden to eat cold, spicy, salty and other irritating food.
6.The whole course of the disease will end in about 1 week, usually without any serious complications, as long as proper care, will not leave any pigment traces or scars on the skin.
Disinfection and isolation
1.Once found infected with HFMD, the affected child should be isolated to avoid the spread of the epidemic. The baby should be kept at home until the fever, rash subsides and blisters crust over. Isolation is usually required for 2 weeks.
2.Baby’s used items should be thoroughly disinfected: disinfectant solution containing chlorine can be used for soaking, and items that should not be soaked can be exposed to sunlight.
3, the baby’s room should be regularly opened and ventilated to keep the air fresh and circulating and the temperature appropriate. Lactic acid fumigation can be used daily for air disinfection in families with conditions. Reduce the number of people going in and out of the baby’s room, prohibit smoking, to prevent air pollution, to avoid secondary infection.
How to prevent
1. Because the clinical performance at the beginning of the disease process is similar to cold symptoms, such as fever and sore throat. And mouth ulcers are often misdiagnosed as simple stomatitis. Therefore, if you find that your baby has fever, rash or mouth ulcers during the HFMD epidemic, you should go to the hospital promptly to avoid delaying the disease.
2, isolation in place to avoid contact. Isolation treatment at home should also be separated from other children, food and accommodation, utensils, toys should be separated, so as not to infect other children.
3, keep the disease from the mouth off. Prevent feces, nasal and oral secretions from contaminating water and food, thoroughly dispose of baby’s feces and urine excretions, wash and disinfect cloth diapers before use, and disinfect baby’s bottles and eating utensils frequently to prevent baby from eating unreliable food and drinks.
4.Cultivate good hygiene habits, stay away from garbage and unclean environment; develop the habit of washing hands thoroughly after games, before meals and after pooping.
5.Strengthen environmental hygiene. The environment, toys and public swimming pools in child care institutions must be strictly disinfected, preferably through the health epidemic prevention department to guide the treatment. Pay attention to the harmless treatment of feces and never allow contaminated water.