Common Viral Infection Afflicting County’s Children

COURT HOUSE — An unpleasant side effect of the warm summer weather may include hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) for some of the county’s youngest residents. Several childcare facilities in Cape May County have advised the county Department of Health that they are seeing children with HFMD in their facilities.
HFMD is a common viral infection in infants and children that is caused by an enterovirus and usually affects children in the summer and early fall months. Symptoms begin three to seven days after exposure and usually start with a fever, poor appetite, a general feeling of being sick, and a sore throat.
One to two days later, painful mouth sores may develop and a rash with blisters may form on the hands and feet. HFMD is very contagious in the first week but can be spread for weeks after symptoms subside. HFMD is usually a mild illness that resolves in seven to 10 days.
The most common complication is dehydration because the mouth sores can make swallowing difficult and painful. In rare cases, a serious form of the virus may cause viral meningitis or encephalitis which can be life-threatening.
HFMD is spread from person-to-person through contact with nose and throat discharges (coughing, sneezing), saliva, fluid from blisters, and stool of infected persons. HFMD mostly affects children under 10, although others may get sick as well.
HFMD is most common in childcare settings where diaper changing and potty training are constant and little hands are often in and out of the mouth frequently.
County Health Officer Kevin Thomas recommends practicing good hygiene to help prevent HFMD.
“Parents and caregivers should wash their hands and children’s hands often with soap and warm water, particularly after coughing and sneezing, diaper changes, and using the bathroom,” stated Thomas in a release. “Contaminated surfaces and soiled items (including toys) should be washed with soap and water and then disinfected with a mild bleach solution. Encourage your children to cough and sneeze into their sleeve or a tissue, not their hand, and try to avoid close contact with infected children,” Thomas added.
Physicians can usually diagnose HFMD upon visual examination. Although there is no specific treatment for HFMD, a physician may recommend medications to relieve fever, aches, or pain from mouth sores, as well as advise increased fluids to maintain hydration.
There are no specific recommendations for excluding children with HFMD from childcare settings, although parents or guardians should keep the child home if he or she has a fever. There may also be some benefit in keeping your child at home if the child has blisters in the mouth and is drooling or has weeping blisters on the hands.
Childcare providers may recommend that a child stay home if the child is not able to participate in activities or if the provider feels that they are unable to care for your child and the other children.
Keep hands and household surfaces clean and enjoy the summer. For information on HFMD visit www.cmchealth.net or www.cdc.gov