How to tell if it's hand, foot and mouth disease

Hand, foot and mouth disease is a common infectious disease in children. There are several aspects to determine whether you have hand, foot and mouth disease, including observing symptoms, onset time, contact history, laboratory tests, complications, etc. The details are as follows:

1. Observe the symptoms: Typical symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease include fever, oral mucosal herpes or ulcers, and rashes on the hands, feet, buttocks and other parts. Fever is usually low-grade or moderate, with a body temperature between 37.5℃ and 38.5℃. Oral herpes or ulcers often appear on the tongue, buccal mucosa, hard palate and other parts, and the pain is obvious, affecting the child's eating. The rash is mostly small herpes that are not painful, itchy, scabbed or scarred, with a red halo around it. Some children will refuse to eat and cry because of oral pain; rashes on the hands may appear on the palms, sides of the fingers and other parts.

2. Onset time: Hand, foot and mouth disease often occurs in summer and autumn. The temperature is high in these two seasons and the virus is easily spread. If a child shows the above symptoms in these two seasons, you should be highly alert to the possibility of hand, foot and mouth disease. In collective places such as kindergartens or schools, hand, foot and mouth disease is prone to clustered outbreaks in summer and autumn.

3. Contact history: Ask the child whether he has a history of close contact with people with hand, foot and mouth disease, such as playing together, sharing tableware, etc. If there is such contact, the risk of contracting hand, foot and mouth disease will increase.

4. Laboratory examination: Through routine blood tests, it may be found that the white blood cell count is normal or decreased, and the lymphocyte ratio is relatively increased. Pathogenic examination, such as enterovirus nucleic acid detection and serological examination, can help to clarify the diagnosis.

5. Complications: Some children with severe hand, foot and mouth disease may experience neurological symptoms, such as drowsiness, headache, vomiting, convulsions, etc.; respiratory symptoms, such as shortness of breath, dyspnea, etc.; circulatory system symptoms, such as pale complexion, cold limbs, cold sweats, etc. If these complications occur, seek medical attention immediately.

Once parents find that their children have suspected symptoms, they should take their children to the doctor in time for early diagnosis and treatment to promote their children's speedy recovery.