What to do if your baby has herpetic pharyngitis and hand, foot and mouth disease at the same time

If your baby has both herpetic pharyngitis and hand, foot and mouth disease, you need to seek medical attention immediately. Both diseases are caused by viral infections and are usually highly contagious. When symptoms overlap, you need to pay close attention. Treatment includes viral infection control, symptomatic relief of discomfort, and home care to enhance immunity to help recovery.

1) Etiology analysis

The causative factors of herpangina and hand, foot and mouth disease are both enterovirus infections, such as coxsackievirus and enterovirus 71. The infection routes are close contact, droplet transmission or contamination of objects. The combination of the two diseases may be caused by high concentrations of viruses in the environment or low immunity of children.

2) Symptom observation and the need for medical treatment

Herpangina usually presents with sore throat, small blister-like ulcers, and fever. Hand, foot and mouth disease affects the hands, feet, mouth, etc., with red papules or blisters. If the baby is accompanied by severe symptoms such as persistent high fever (>38.5℃), mental depression, vomiting, muscle weakness, etc., seek medical attention immediately.

3) Treatment methods

-Viral infection control: The doctor will choose antiviral drugs such as ribavirin, or intravenous immunoglobulin as needed to suppress the spread of the virus.

-Symptomatic treatment: For fever, you can take acetaminophen or ibuprofen to reduce fever, but you must strictly follow the doctor's advice. When pharyngitis causes sore throat, you can use a mild spray containing local anesthetic ingredients for children to relieve discomfort.

-Home care: It is particularly important to replenish fluids to avoid dehydration. You can provide your baby with nutritious and easily digestible foods, such as warm or cool porridge, soup, and juice, and keep the skin clean to prevent blisters from breaking and becoming infected.

4) Avoid recurrence and enhance immunity

During the recovery period, we should strengthen virus isolation, wash hands frequently, avoid sharing tableware with others, and open windows regularly for ventilation. Parents can improve their children's resistance through proper diet, more sun exposure, and adequate sleep, and can also consult a doctor whether they need to take appropriate amounts of vitamins.

Once a baby shows symptoms of herpetic pharyngitis and hand, foot and mouth disease at the same time, timely treatment is required. Not only should the disease be controlled through professional treatment by a doctor, but careful care and preventive measures should also be taken to protect the child's healthy growth in all aspects.