THE SEASON OF HAND- FOOT -MOUTH DISEASE – WHAT SHOULD PARENTS DO TO PROTECT CHILDREN?

The HCMC Centers for Disease Control (HCDC) recorded 628 hand-foot-mouth cases over the past week, nearly tripled in comparison with the average of last month.
 
Dr. Pham Cong Luan, Head of Pediatrics and Neonatology at the American International Hospital (AIH) said, in recent days, the hospital has received more than 50 cases of children who visited and were diagnosed with hand-foot-mouth disease, including 3 children must be hospitalized for monitoring. Although most children suffer from mild illness, parents should not be subjective and need to proactively prevent the disease for children.
 
Hand-foot-mouth disease is a dangerous and common acute viral infection, which is common in children under 5 years of age, sometimes occur in older children and adults. Pregnant women can also have hand-foot-mouth disease and usually do not affect the fetus.
 
Hand-foot-mouth disease occurs all year-round, with the annual peak season is usually in August, September, October and easy to form widespread outbreaks.
 
► Causes of hand- foot -mouth disease

Hand-foot-mouth disease caused by intestinal viruses, the most common are coxsackie virus and entero virus 71 (EV71). In particular, EV71 often causes dangerous complications, which can be fatal.
 
► Manifestations of hand- foot -mouth disease
 

 
Symptoms are sometimes unspecific, which may be mistaken for skin allergies, gingivitis caused by herpes or chickenpox…
 
► How does hand- foot -mouth disease transmit?
 

 
► Progression of hand -foot- mouth disease

Most patients with hand -foot- mouth disease will recover after the acute stage of the disease, mostly recover after 7-10 days without treatment needed and  complications leaved.
 
► Signs of severe hand foot and mouth disease:
 

 
Hand-foot-mouth disease progresses rapidly, many cases have cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological complications occur within a few hours, causing extremely high risk of death. The rate of complications of the disease depends on host factor and type of pathogenic virus, but the majority of acquired cases is less than 5%.
 
► Treatment of hand- foot- mouth disease at home
 

 
To take care of your children at home, parents should feed them normally, no diet restricted (for sufficient nutrition). Feed your children with dilute, soft, easy to digest foods, drink plenty of water. Avoid acidic beverages such as juice, and hot, spicy foods. If children have vesicles, do not abstain from bathing, must keep personal hygiene for children, do not apply any ointment on the vesicles. Use analgesics, antipyretics when having fever or mouth, throat soreness.
 
► When should children be hospitalized?

When there are any severe signs of hand-foot-mouth disease, children should be taken to the nearest medical facility to be assessed and hospitalized or transferred if necessary. Only children with complications grade ≥ IIb need treatment in the upper-level hospitals, this rate is about 5%.
 
► How can parents prevent hand-foot-mouth disease for their children?
 
Before taking care of children, parents need to wash their hands thoroughly. In particular, children's toys must be cleaned regularly, because children usually put toys in their mouth causing easily infected with pathogenic viruses.
 
Before entering the classroom and after school time, children should wash their hands with soap. If your children are caring for hand-foot and mouth disease at home, absolutely do not take them to school to avoid spreading to other ones.
 
Pediatrics-Neonatology, American International Hospital (AIH) provides a full range of pediatric medical examination and treatment services, including general health check-up; vaccination; monitoring children’s physical, mental development; advising on nutrition; and diagnostic and therapeutic services.
 
Outpatient pediatrics in the AIH is divided into two separate areas: one for athletic children and another for sick kids in the purpose of patient classification to avoid cross-contamination.  Especially according to Covid-19 screening procedure, newborns with suspected symptoms will be transferred to a separate consulting areas, thereby screening and isolation procedures are applied initially.