Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is a viral infection that can affect young children.
It doesn't usually pose a serious threat to a child's health, but it can be be an unpleasant condition, particularly if it affects younger children.
Typical symptoms of hand foot and mouth disease include:
- cold-like symptoms, such as loss of appetite, cough and a moderately high temperature of around 38-39°C (100.4- 102.2°F)
- a non-itchy red rash that develops on the hand and the feet; sometimes the rash can develop into painful blisters
- painful mouth ulcers
Read more about the symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease.
When to see your GP
Hand, foot and mouth disease is what is a self-limiting condition, which means that it will get better by on its own without treatment. The symptoms will usually pass within seven days.
However, speak to your GP or call NHS Direct (0845 46 47) if you are unsure whether your child has hand, foot and mouth disease.
You should also contact your GP if your child isn’t drinking any fluid or their symptoms last longer than seven days.
Treating hand, foot and mouth disease
There is currently no cure for hand, foot and mouth disease, so treatment involves making your child feel as comfortable as possible while waiting for the infection to take its course.
Possible treatment options include:
- using paracetamol, ibuprofen and mouth gels to relieve the pain of mouth ulcers
- drinking plenty of fluids to help relieve a high temperature
Read more about treating hand, foot and mouth disease.
What causes HFMD?
Hand, foot and mouth disease is caused by a group of viruses known as enteroviruses. The two most common types of viruses that can cause the condition are the:
- coxsackievirus A16
- enterovirus 71
Enterovirus 71 carries a higher risk of causing serious complications (see below).
Read more about the causes of hand, foot and mouth disease.
How the infection spreads
A person with hand, foot and mouth disease is highly contagious until about a week after the symptoms begin. The infection can be spread if:
- an infected person coughs or sneezes; contaminated droplets can either be inhaled by another person or can contaminate surfaces, leading to the spread of infection when someone touches the surface before touching their mouth or nose
- an infected person doesn't wash their hands properly after going to the toilet and then contaminates surfaces or food (the viruses can live for up to four weeks in a person’s stools)
- you come into contact with the fluids of an infected person’s blisters or saliva
Due to the way the infection is spread, outbreaks of HFMD can occur in places where there are groups of small children who need to have their nappies changed or use a potty, such as a nurseries or childcare centres.
You should keep your child away from school or nursery while they are unwell. However, there's no need to wait until the last blister has gone before your child can return to school or nursery, provided they are otherwise well. The same advice applies to adults and the workplace.
However, some schools and nurseries may reserve the right to refuse admission to your child until the condition has cleared up completely.
It is possible to get HFMD more than once, although not during the same outbreak. As they get older, most children will develop immunity to the viruses that cause the condition.
Complications
It’s important to make sure that anyone with hand, foot and mouth disease keeps drinking fluids to avoid becoming dehydrated.
Dehydration can often occur because the mouth ulcers can make drinking fluids painful.
Life-threatening complications, such as brain infections (encephalitis), have been reported during epidemics of HFMD that are known to be caused by the enterovirus 71. However, the rate of these types of complications is very low.
Read more about the complications of hand foot and mouth disease.
