6 recommendations to prevent severe hand, foot and mouth disease and dangerous complications in children

6 khuyến cáo phòng chống bệnh tay chân miệng nặng, biến chứng nguy hiểm ở trẻ em

Most children with hand, foot and mouth disease have mild symptoms. (Source: SK&DS)

Severe hand, foot and mouth disease, dangerous complications

At the Tropical Disease Center - National Children's Hospital, since the beginning of the year, there have been more than 100 cases of children hospitalized due to hand, foot and mouth disease, with 37 cases hospitalized from March 13-29 alone.

Most cases are mild. However, in some cases, the disease progresses rapidly, becomes severe, and causes dangerous complications.

Hanoi Department of Health said that so far, the city has recorded 248 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease (while in the same period last year there were only 2 cases).

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), hand, foot and mouth disease is a common disease in many Asian countries and occurs every few years in many different regions of the world.

According to the Department of Preventive Medicine, Ministry of Health , in Vietnam, the number of cases of this disease tends to increase from March to May and from September to December. The disease is most contagious in the first week after a patient is infected and can last for several weeks because the virus resides in feces.

Who is susceptible to hand, foot and mouth disease?

Hand, foot and mouth disease is mainly caused by Coxsackievirus A16, which has few complications and usually resolves on its own. However, the disease can also be caused by viruses from the Enterovirus group, including Enterovirus 71 (EV71), which has many dangerous complications and can lead to death.

Hand, foot and mouth disease mainly occurs in children under 10 years of age, usually in children under 5 years of age. The younger the child, the more severe the symptoms.

However, anyone who has never had the disease is at risk of infection through contact with contaminated objects or surfaces touched by an infected person, but not everyone infected with the virus will show symptoms of the disease.

Children are at higher risk of contracting the virus and getting sick because they have weaker immune systems than adults. Most adults are immune, but cases of teenagers and adults getting infected with the virus are not uncommon.

Pregnant women need to prevent the disease and should not come into close contact with infected people because they can be infected and transmit the virus to their children right before or during birth.

It is worth noting that a person can be infected with hand, foot and mouth disease many times because each time infected, the body only produces antibodies to a certain type of virus.

Therefore, even if infected, the patient can still get sick again if infected with another virus in the Enterovirus group.

What to do to prevent hand, foot and mouth disease?

There is currently no specific treatment for hand, foot and mouth disease. When sick, patients should drink plenty of water and can take medication to treat symptoms such as reducing fever or pain from ulcers.

The risk of infection can be reduced by regular hygiene measures and prompt medical intervention when the patient has severe symptoms.

To actively prevent and minimize the impact of hand, foot and mouth disease on health, especially children, the Department of Preventive Medicine, Ministry of Health strongly recommends that people proactively implement the following disease prevention measures:

Personal hygiene

Wash hands regularly with soap under running water many times a day (both adults and children), especially before preparing food, before eating/feeding children, before holding children, after using the toilet, after changing diapers and cleaning children.

Food hygiene

Food for children must ensure adequate nutrition; cooked food and water; eating and drinking utensils must be washed thoroughly before use (preferably soaked in boiling water); use clean water in daily activities; do not feed children; do not let children eat with their hands, suck their fingers, or suck on toys; do not let children share napkins, handkerchiefs, eating and drinking utensils such as cups, bowls, plates, spoons, and toys that have not been sterilized.

Clean toys and living areas

Households, kindergartens, and home childcare providers need to regularly clean surfaces and objects that are in daily contact such as toys, school supplies, doorknobs, stair handrails, table/chair surfaces, and floors with soap or common detergents.

Collection and disposal of children's waste

Use hygienic toilets, children's feces and waste must be collected, treated and dumped into hygienic toilets.

Early detection monitoring

Children must be regularly monitored for their health to promptly detect, isolate, and treat cases of illness, avoiding the spread of disease to other children.

Isolate and treat promptly when the disease occurs

Nursery schools, kindergartens, child care groups and households with children under 6 years old need to proactively monitor their children's health to promptly detect and take them to medical facilities for timely treatment.

Sick children must be isolated for at least 10 days from the onset of the disease. Children showing symptoms of the disease must not be allowed to attend class or play with other children. Children must be taken immediately to medical facilities for examination and treatment.

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