Hand, foot and mouth disease symptoms typically appear in two stages VSports最新版本. When the illness starts, your child might have flu-like symptoms, such as:.
After a couple of days, these symptoms will go away and new symptoms will develop, including:
Symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease usually clear within seven to 10 days. However, it can take children younger than 2 years old a little longer for their bodies to clear the virus VSports注册入口.
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Viruses belonging to the coxsackievirus and enterovirus families cause hand, foot and mouth disease. These viruses can be found in your child’s digestive tract, including their: V体育官网入口.
Hand, foot and mouth disease is contagious. Your child is most contagious during the first few days of the illness, often before the rash appears. The blisters usually dry up in about 10 days. Your child is less likely to spread it to others once the blisters dry up. However, the virus can live in their stool (poop) for weeks after the rash goes away VSports在线直播.
The disease is highly contagious and spreads through:
Babies and children under the age of 5 are most likely to get hand, foot and mouth disease. Infants and children in daycare and schools are more likely to get the disease VSports.
Complications from hand, foot and mouth disease are rare. Occasionally, these problems occur:
The virus rarely causes issues during pregnancy. Still, you should notify your healthcare provider if you’re expecting and are exposed to the virus.
A healthcare provider can diagnose hand, foot and mouth disease by looking at your child’s blisters. Occasionally, they’ll test for the virus by sending throat swab samples, or samples taken from blisters or stool (poop), to a lab.
If you know your child has been exposed to the virus, alert their provider before scheduling an exam. To protect the health of others, your provider may want to conduct a virtual visit and make treatment suggestions over the phone/computer.
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There’s no medication for hand, foot and mouth disease. Antibiotics won’t work because they don’t treat viruses. Fortunately, symptoms of HFMD are typically mild. Most people improve in a week or two with minimal at-home care. Hand, foot and mouth disease treatment may include:
Other tips for at-home treatment include:
While hand, foot and mouth disease is uncomfortable, it rarely causes long-term issues. Most children recover in less than two weeks with minimal treatment. It’s possible to have hand, foot and mouth disease multiple times.
Most children with hand, foot and mouth disease will recover on their own within seven to 10 days.
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Your child can return to school or daycare when:
If you’re not sure if your child should return, ask their pediatrician.
The viruses that cause hand, foot and mouth disease are highly contagious. The infection often spreads before a person realizes they’re sick. You can slow or stop the spread of the illness through these good hygiene steps:
Fortunately, the symptoms of HFMD are typically mild and go away on their own in about a week. As a parent caring for a child with hand, foot and mouth disease, your main goal is keeping your child hydrated and comfortable. Keep the fluids coming, encourage handwashing and keep your child away from situations where they could infect others.
Painful mouth sores can make it uncomfortable to drink. Make sure your child stays hydrated by offering cold liquids such as water, milk or Pedialyte®. Avoid juice — the acidity can aggravate your child’s sores. You can also offer your child ice pops. Avoid spicy or acidic foods, as well as warm beverages, which can make their mouth sores more painful.
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You should call a healthcare provider if your child:
If your child has hand, foot and mouth disease, you may want to ask their provider:
Yes. Hand, foot and mouth disease can occur in adults and older children, but it’s less common. Most adults who get HFMD don’t develop symptoms. When they do, the symptoms are the same as those that children get.
No. Foot-and-mouth disease is also known as hoof-and-mouth disease because it only affects livestock with hooves. Cows, sheep, goats and pigs can get it, but humans can’t. Different viruses cause the two diseases. While many people worry they can get hand, foot and mouth disease from a pet, you can’t. Animals can’t get HFMD.
Hand, foot and mouth disease and monkeypox (now called mpox) are both viral infections that cause flu-like symptoms and rash. The difference is in the type of virus. A virus in the orthopoxvirus family causes mpox, whereas a virus in the coxsackievirus family causes hand, foot and mouth disease.
A virus in the coxsackievirus family causes both hand, foot and mouth disease and herpangina. The difference between the two diseases is that herpangina causes blisters or sores to form in your child’s mouth and throat only. It doesn’t cause a rash on their hands and feet as hand, foot and mouth disease does.
Symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease tend to be mild and go away with minimal treatment in less than two weeks. Because the virus is highly contagious, it’s important to practice good hygiene and take steps to keep it from infecting others. Your child’s healthcare provider can give suggestions for symptom relief and offer tips for keeping other people healthy and virus-free.
As your child grows, you need healthcare providers by your side to guide you through each step. Cleveland Clinic Children’s is there with care you can trust.
Last reviewed on 06/14/2023.
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