The hand-foot-mouth disease, which mainly affects the under five years oldusually has two peaks or outbreaks throughout the year, in spring and autumn, Therefore, it is not unusual for an increase in cases to be recorded at this time.
This is how he explains it Dr. Carlos Quiñones Vegapediatrician and head of teaching, training and research at the O’Horán Hospitalwho corroborates that there is an increase in the disease in the state.
Although this is noticeable in the consultation, there is no precise data on what percentage the cases have increased, since It is not a disease that is mandatory to report.
As specified, hand-foot-mouth is a common disease in five-year-old childrenthe highest peak occurs in the minors between one and two years, although this is variable and is more common in infants who attend daycares, who generally have a two or three times higher risk of any infection.
What causes the hand-foot-mouth virus?
Hand-foot-mouth is caused by the enterovirus, of which there are many serotypes, but the most common is A71, and the virus Coxsackie A16.
The doctor points out that It is a very contagious disease among very young children, although also Adults, adolescents and primary school children can be infectedsomething that was not very common.
The contagion rate is very highhighlights, so a baby can infect the whole family or to your entire classroom or daycare.
There is a period of incubation of two or three days before the disease occurs.
What are the symptoms of hand-foot-mouth disease?
The symptoms begin with a febrile stage which can last two or three days. It is a fever that is difficult to control because it goes down, but only slightly, and children can have 38.5 or 39 degrees.
Despite the medications, the fever only goes down a little and then increases again.
“This often makes parents desperate, but they should know that it is normal.”
Some pimples or rashes appear around the mouth, “like a clown’s mouth, with little red dots.”
Vesicles are also generated that later rupture and inside the mouth there are red dots that become hot flashes or canker sores.
This makes The child is irritable, does not want to eat and drools a lot.
When the fever starts, you can see red dots on the soles of the feet and the palms of the hands, “like when you stand on pebbles.”
Also pimples or vesicles appear with a certain amount of liquids that break and leave a scab.
“It is very annoying,” says the pediatrician, but it is not a disease that usually gets worse.
The treatment is symptomatic, since medications are given to control fever and relieve pain, he points out. You have to keep the baby in comfortable clothes and take care of injuries.
Although there are antiviral drugs, none has shown that it works for this diseasehe assures.
The duration of the condition is 4 to 5 days, although in some cases it can be prolonged.
The pediatrician indicates that something that was not observed many years ago, and is now more common, is the appearance of pimples around the genital area and on the buttocks, In addition, it sometimes extends to the legs.
After The two or three days of fever should subside, If the child has been fever-free for two days and the high temperature returns then it is not normal and there may be a added infectionso it is important to go to the doctor again.
The high fever that causes the condition, especially in babies, can cause nail losswhich may occur a week or two weeks after the disease outbreak.
This should not worry parents, as the nails grow again.
Given this, the most important way of prevention is hygiene and hand washing.