Guidelines for prevention & care of children with hand, foot and mouth disease

Advised by: Gs.Ts. Bs. Pham Nhat An - Director of Pediatrics Center and Head of Pediatric Inpatient Department - Pediatric Center - Vinmec Times City International General Hospital. Dr An has 40 years of experience working in the industry and is former Deputy Director of the National Children's Hospital, Head of Pediatrics Department - Hanoi Medical University, Head of Infectious Diseases Department at National Children's Hospital, Head of Training Department Post-graduate training at Hanoi Medical University. His strength is examination, diagnosis and treatment of diseases in infants and young children, infectious diseases in children.

Hand, foot and mouth disease is an infectious disease caused by enterovirus 71 (EV71) and Coxsackievirus. The disease occurs all year round, increasing sharply in February to April and September to December every year, mainly in children under 5 years old, less common in older children. The following article will help caregivers know how to take care of their children and prevent them from getting hand, foot and mouth disease.

The virus that causes hand, foot and mouth disease is spread through contact, children are susceptible to infection if they come into contact with nasopharyngeal secretions, saliva, fluid from blisters, feces or vomit of sick children.

Incubation period: 3-7 days
Onset period: 1-2 days with symptoms such as mild fever, irritability, sore throat, anorexia, and diarrhea several times a day.
Full-fledged period: 3-10 days with typical symptoms of the disease:
Mouth ulcers: Red sores or blisters on the lining of the mouth, gums, and tongue causing mouth pain, stop feeding, stop eating, increase water secretion foamy, drooling profusely. Water burns: Appears on palms, soles, knees, buttocks; Lasts for about 7 days then leaves a bruise. Remission period: 3-5 days after the child recovers completely if there are no complications.
Complications of hand, foot and mouth disease:
Neurological complications: Encephalitis, meningitis. Cardio-respiratory complications: Myocarditis, acute pulmonary edema, hypertension, heart failure, cardiovascular collapse if not monitored and treated promptly.

Isolating by contact, limiting children to go out to avoid infecting other children. Combination of antibiotics and/or antipyretics as directed by medical staff. Wash hands before and after each child care. Clean the mouth and apply medicine to the child's mouth as prescribed by the doctor (usually 30 minutes before feeding the child). Give the child cold, soft, liquid, easy-to-digest food such as porridge, milk; split meals. Keep the skin clean, use blue - methylene to dab on the blisters. Wear soft, loose-fitting, sweat-wicking clothing. Change clothes and bathe the baby daily with warm water. Monitor the child's condition, detect early warning signs, severe signs for timely handling: Fast pulse, tremor, unsteady walking (if the child is already walking). Startled >2 times/30 minutes.

Wash your hands with soap before caring for a child and after coming into contact with a child's waste. Wash toys and clean floors with an appropriate disinfectant solution. Do not allow sick children to go to daycares, crowded places or contact with other children. When children with hand, foot and mouth disease have unusual symptoms, parents need to quickly take the baby to the nearest medical facility for timely examination and treatment.
As a key area of ​​Vinmec Health system, Pediatrics Department always brings satisfaction to customers and is highly appreciated by industry experts with:
Gathering a team of top doctors and nurses in Pediatrics : Consists of leading experts with high professional qualifications (professors, associate professors, doctorates, masters), experienced, worked at major hospitals such as Bach Mai, 108... All doctors are well-trained, professional, have a mind - range, and are knowledgeable about young psychology. In addition to domestic pediatric specialists, the Department of Pediatrics also has the participation of foreign experts (Japan, Singapore, Australia, USA) who are always pioneers in applying the latest and most effective treatment regimens. . Comprehensive services: In the field of Pediatrics, Vinmec provides a series of continuous medical examination and treatment services from Newborn to Pediatric and Vaccine,... according to international standards to help parents take care of their baby's health from birth to childhood. from birth to adulthood Specialized techniques: Vinmec has successfully deployed many specialized techniques to make the treatment of difficult diseases in Pediatrics more effective: Neurosurgery - skull surgery, stem cell transplantation blood in cancer treatment. Professional care: In addition to understanding children's psychology, Vinmec also pays special attention to the children's play space, helping them to have fun and get used to the hospital's environment, cooperate in treatment, improve the efficiency of medical treatment. To register for examination and treatment with Pediatricians at Vinmec International General Hospital, please click the "Contact Us" button on the website or register online HERE.