Infectious Diseases: Hand, foot and mouth disease

Symptoms

It may cause fever, headache, sore throat, loss of appetite, lack of energy, a skin rash and small, painful ulcers in the mouth. The rash usually appears on the hands and feet, but may also be on other parts of the body.

Cause

An infection found in saliva (not the same as the hand, foot and mouth disease found in animals.

Treatment

If symptoms appear, call your doctor to confirm the diagnosis. There is no treatment; the infection will go away on its own after seven to 10 days. Outbreaks are morelikely to occur in the summer and fall.

Transmission/prevention

It spreads from person to person through the air or by touch, similar to colds. The incubation period is about 10 to 14 days. Children may remain infectious for one to two weeks after getting ill. Your child can go to daycare or school if he feels well enough.