Do not self-treat hand, foot and mouth disease

(Baonghean) - Recently, the number of children coming to Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital for examination and treatment of hand, foot and mouth disease has increased. According to statistics, in September there were 328 patients, 81 children had to be hospitalized for inpatient treatment... Doctor Nguyen Van Son - Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases, Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital shared and gave recommendations about the disease.

Children with hand, foot and mouth disease are treated at Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital. Photo: Thanh Chung

Hand, foot and mouth disease is an acute infectious disease caused by intestinal viruses, commonly found in children under 5 years old. The main causes are coxsackie virus groups A16, A10 and Enterovirus 71 (EV71). The disease is mostly benign and resolves itself within a week. However, if caused by EV71, it can cause large epidemics, which can quickly cause death in children, especially young children.

Previously, hand, foot and mouth disease was common in the South. However, recently the disease has become widespread in the North, including Nghe An. In Nghe An, the disease is spread all year round but mainly breaks out from May to July and September to December. Patients are concentrated in the plains such as Vinh city, Nghi Loc district, Nam Dan, Hung Nguyen, Dien Chau, Yen Thanh...

Hand, foot and mouth disease has very different clinical manifestations, from asymptomatic, mild fever, rash to very severe, causing rapid death due to complications such as pulmonary edema, circulatory and respiratory failure with various neurological manifestations.

Generally, after 2 - 4 days of infection, children have the following symptoms: The disease usually begins with a fever of 38 - 39⁰C, poor appetite, fatigue, often sore throat; After 1-2 days of fever, pain often appears in the mouth, red blisters can be seen that can cause ulcers. Lesions are often seen on the tongue, gums and inside of the cheek mucosa. At the same time, red rashes appear on the skin, not itchy, there may be blisters localized on the palms, soles, sometimes on the buttocks... When children show the above symptoms, they need to be examined and monitored by medical facilities.

Currently there is no specific medicine to treat hand, foot and mouth disease. Treatment is mainly symptomatic and active measures to maintain vital functions in severe cases, especially those with circulatory and respiratory failure...

Special note: Hand, foot and mouth disease is an infection caused by an intestinal virus, so conventional antibiotics are ineffective. Mothers who see their children have hand, foot and mouth disease immediately use antibiotics without knowing that hand, foot and mouth disease is caused by a virus, so using antibiotics not only has no effect on the disease but also harms health, makes the disease worse and creates drug resistance in the community, making it difficult to treat the disease in general and hand, foot and mouth disease in particular.

Since there is no vaccine to prevent the disease, the most effective preventive measure is still good hygiene widely applied in the community. Caregivers and children need to wash their hands properly and regularly with soap, especially before eating and after using the toilet; clean stains and toys with soap or antiseptic solution; avoid contact (kissing, hugging, sharing utensils or cups) with people with hand, foot and mouth disease; medical facilities and epidemic prevention must detect and promptly notify cases of the disease.

Thanh Chung