HAND FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE
Hand foot and mouth disease(HFMD)is a contagious disease that spreads through direct contact with nasal discharge , saliva, faeces and fluid from the blisters. It can also be spread through contact with toys, books, eating utensils, clothes, bedlinen and other articles used by an infected person.The symptoms are:fever lasting 2-3 days , followed by sore throat and runny nose. Vesicles appear in the mouth which burst , leaving 5-10 painful oral ulcers usually on the tongue, gums and inside of the cheeks,at the same time, blister-like rash appears over the hands and feet , especially over the palms and soles. This rash also often appears on the buttocks and diaper areas.The child may be unable to eat, and sometimes may even vomit and have diarrhoea. The child is often tired and weak.There is no specific treatment for the infection other than relief of symptoms.Treatment with antibiotics is not effective, and is not indicated. Over-the-counter medicines, such as Tylenol (acetaminophen) can be used to treat fever. Aspirin should not be used in viral illnesses in children under age 12 years.Salt water mouth rinses (1/2 teaspoon of salt to 1 glass of warm water) may be soothing if the child is able to rinse without swallowing. Make sure your child gets plenty of fluids. Extra fluid is needed when a fever is present. The best fluids are cold milk products. Many children refuse juices and sodas because their acid content causes burning pain in the ulcers.You can practice avoiding sharing toys, books, bedlinen, clothes and eating utensils with others.Wash items handled by the infected child separately , and clean and disinfect surfaces and items used by the child with an effective detergent or by boiling the articles.Practise good personal hygiene such as washing of hands before and after using the toilet, and before and after preparing food and changing diapers.
~/`(0Wei.Wen0)/`~ from URL @ 8:23 PM
|