Jan 4, 2017 3 min read

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Hand, foot and mouth disease seems to have been in the news more this year than in previous years, beginning in September with an outbreak at Florida State University. The mainly childhood disease is characterized by fever, sore throat and then blisters and sores on the hands, feet and mouth. Dr. Angela Hollis, area medical director for Med Express, says that the rash can also develop on other areas of the body, including the buttocks. “Sometimes, the rash will actually blister a little bit and it can be anywhere from painful to a little bit itchy,” she says.

While it isn’t exactly pleasant, hand, foot and mouth disease isn’t serious. “There’s actually not any treatment to make it go away faster,” Hollis says of the virus. “Treatment is mainly supportive – pain relief and making sure that kids stay well hydrated.”

Typically, this is an illness that only strikes once – unless a different strain comes through. “That’s why a lot of adults don’t get it, because they’ve had it before,” Hollis says. “But if a different strain comes through that you don’t have immunity to, you could actually get it a second time.”

She continues, “Traditionally, we see it in the summer or fall, but every once in a while, things get mixed up a little bit. Just like the year when H1N1 (swine flu) came through and it was so bad. It came through during an odd time, in the late summer, when we usually expect the flu in the winter time. So, people weren’t quite ready for it. I don’t think (what’s going on with hand, foot and mouth) is anything unusual, I think that we probably just have an off year.”

Hollis advises general good hygiene as a preventative measure, and not sharing utensils, cups and other objects that go in one’s mouth.

Because there aren’t serious effects from hand, foot and mouth disease, there is currently no vaccine in the works.

The time period between exposure and onset of symptoms is typically under a week, and the illness itself lasts from seven to 10 days. Most recommendations say to wait until the child is symptom free before returning to school or day care. “If the blisters open, they can be contagious, and the sores can also be contagious,” Hollis says.

When should you see a doctor? “Certainly if your child is running a relatively high fever and isn’t eating or drinking well, in general that’s a good reason to go in,” Hollis says. “The first signs of fever and sore throat can also be a sign of strep, so in a lot of those kids, we’re ruling out strep throat. I’m a big proponent that if a parent is concerned at any time with their child, please get them checked out.” n