Does my child have hand, foot and mouth disease?
“A doctor visit is necessary when a child has a fever higher than 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit, significant throat pain or is refusing to drink fluids,” Dr. Kasetty said.
“Sometimes, fluid intake can be difficult for children due to mouth sores. However, it’s absolutely essential because they’ll become dehydrated if they don’t drink enough fluids. If that happens, they may have to go to a hospital emergency department or be admitted to a hospital to receive fluids through an IV.”
Symptoms of dehydration include excessive thirst, dry mouth, lack of tears, not urinating for eight to 10 hours, sunken eyes and fatigue.
Eating can also be difficult due to the mouth sores, so it’s important to avoid citrus fruits and juices as well as salty, spicy foods. Instead, a soft diet is recommended, which includes food like:
- Applesauce
- Cheese
- Chicken
- Cottage cheese
- Deli meats
- Fresh fruit
- Refried beans
- Scrambled eggs
- Soft, cooked vegetables
- Tuna
- Turkey
- Yogurt
How long to quarantine?
It’s not practical to wait until a child is 100% free of the virus before allowing them to resume their normal daily routine around other children.
“The virus is present in stool for six weeks to a few months and in oral and respiratory secretions for up to four weeks. So, it’s just not possible to avoid sending a child to school or daycare for that entire amount of time,” Dr. Kasetty said. “The best rule of thumb is a child can return to activities around other kids once they have no fever for 24 hours, have no open sores and don’t excessively drool.”
