Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease in Kids
I often tell my parents that getting certain illnesses after entering daycare or starting preschool is like a rite of passage. Going through each illness is painful and exhausting, but it gets easier; trust me, I’ve been there.
Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is one of these illnesses. It’s caused by a virus and starts out like any other cold with cough, runny nose, and maybe some fever. But after 2-3 days, the infamous rash shows up. Kids break out with a blister-like rash on the palms, soles of the feet, and back of the throat. The rash can be on thighs and buttocks, too. The skin rash usually looks scarier than it is; it can be a little itchy, but it otherwise isn’t too painful. But the sores in the back of the throat – those really hurt!
How might my child get hand, foot, and mouth disease?
According to the CDC, the HFMD virus can be found in saliva, fluid from the blisters, and feces. That means your child might have been sneezed on, shared a toy that was licked by a friend, or perhaps contacted a caregiver who did not wash their hands thoroughly after changing a diaper.
What do I do if my child has been exposed to hand, foot, and mouth disease?
Stay calm and watch your child closely. Once exposed, it may take up to a week before your child shows any symptoms. Remember, HFMD is not a serious disease, and most kids get better without any treatment.
What do I do if my child gets hand, foot, and mouth disease?
The blisters are the telltale sign that it is what you think it is. As mentioned earlier, the blisters on the palms, feet and maybe the buttocks and thighs are more of a nuisance than anything. If they are itchy, you can apply some hydrocortisone lotion to help.
What’s most bothersome are the sores along the back of the throat and in the mouth. Your child may refuse to eat even their most favorite foods, but don’t panic. Offer them sips of any drink they may like. Keeping them hydrated is key to getting through this illness. You’ll know your child is hydrated when they are urinating at least once every 6 hours and have a moist mouth.
To keep them hydrated, you may need to get creative with what you’re offering them. If your child is refusing all sorts of liquids, try freezing their favorite fruit (aside from citrus, which may hurt their sores) and giving it to them like a popsicle, or try Pedialyte or other non-acidic popsicles. You can also give your child either children’s ibuprofen or acetaminophen to help with the pain or fever. In the end, if all else fails, you can even resort to small amounts of liquid squirted into their mouth through a syringe. If you are concerned that your child is becoming dehydrated, call your pediatrician.
When can my child go back to daycare if they’ve had hand, foot, and mouth disease?
Generally, we recommend waiting until your child is fever-free for 24 hours and able to tolerate liquids on their own. Also, it’s important to ensure that the blisters have dried up before sending them back to daycare or class.
How long do the HFMD blisters last?
The blisters can last from 5 to 10 days.
Can my child get HFMD again? And could I *gasp* potentially get it as well?
Yes and yes. Back in the day, if your child got HFMD once, it was highly unlikely that they’d get it again. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case, because the virus has found a way to mutate and evade our immune response. Therefore, it’s possible for your child to get it again, and there’s a slight chance that you might get it as well. You’ll get through it, too – just remember to keep hydrated. If you’re ever in doubt about your child staying hydrated, call or bring them in to see their pediatrician.
When to call your pediatrician:
- Your child is not able to drink normally and you’re worried they might be getting dehydrated. Signs of dehydration can include:
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- Dry mouth
- Eyes that look sunken
- Loss of energy
- Dry, cool skin
- Few or no tears when crying
- Dark urine or is urinating less
- Irritability
- Your child’s fever lasts longer than 3 days.
- Symptoms do not improve after 5-7 days.
- Your child has a condition causing a weakened immune system
- Your child is very young, especially younger than 6 months.
- Your child has a painful headache or neck ache
- Vomits repeatedly
Resources for Parents
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease
Featured Author
Elaine Yang, MD, MBA, is a pediatrician at Kaiser Permanente’s Garden Grove Medical Center in Southern California who thought she knew everything there needed to know about kids—until she had her very own. In many ways, she found being a parent to two rambunctious kids was harder than being a pediatrician! From then on, she had a newfound appreciation and respect for all her patients’ parents struggling to raise their children. She believes that there is no one way to parent; rather, there are many good ways to raise healthy, thriving children. Dr. Yang’s full biography can be found on her webpage. Disclaimer: If you have an emergency medical condition, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital. An emergency medical condition is any of the following: (1) a medical condition that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) such that you could reasonably expect the absence of immediate medical attention to result in serious jeopardy to your health or body functions or organs; (2) active labor when there isn't enough time for safe transfer to a Plan hospital (or designated hospital) before delivery, or if transfer poses a threat to your (or your unborn child's) health and safety, or (3) a mental disorder that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity such that either you are an immediate danger to yourself or others, or you are not immediately able to provide for, or use, food, shelter, or clothing, due to the mental disorder. This information is not intended to diagnose health problems or to take the place of specific medical advice or care you receive from your physician or other health care professional. If you have persistent health problems, or if you have additional questions, please consult with your doctor. If you have questions or need more information about your medication, please speak to your pharmacist. Kaiser Permanente does not endorse the medications or products mentioned. Any trade names listed are for easy identification only.