Be careful with hand, foot and mouth disease

Currently, the Outpatient Department of Lao Cai Province Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital receives and examines more than 100 patients every day. Of these, about 20 children are found to have hand, foot and mouth disease. Most of the children are in mild condition, a few have to be hospitalized for treatment when they show symptoms of fever, fatigue, fussiness and many blisters on their hands, feet and mouth.

Doctor Hoang Trung Uy, Deputy Head of the Examination Department, Lao Cai Province Maternity and Pediatrics Hospital said: "Viral diseases do not require antibiotics. Children must be isolated, monitored, and given fever reducers to avoid high fever and convulsions. Monitor for complications. If the condition progresses to high fever, lethargy, and severe convulsions, the child needs to be hospitalized."

Many children visiting the Provincial Maternity and Pediatrics Hospital were diagnosed with hand, foot and mouth disease.

Hand, foot and mouth disease is common in children under 5 years old, the disease is transmitted through the digestive tract, direct contact with sick people or through the surface of objects containing the virus. When infected, children have symptoms such as sore throat, mild fever, fussiness, loss of appetite, diarrhea... especially blisters.

According to doctors, over 90% of children with hand, foot and mouth disease can recover on their own. A small number of cases can progress to serious complications affecting the nervous, cardiovascular and respiratory systems, and even death. Therefore, children need to be monitored for early warning signs of serious illness so that they can be examined and treated promptly.

Dr. Hoang Tung, Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases, Lao Cai Province Maternity and Pediatrics Hospital, added: "This year, the hand, foot and mouth disease is still the same as last year, that is, caused by the EV71 strain, mainly hand, foot and mouth disease level 1, some children with level 2A had to be hospitalized, no children with level 2B or level 3 were recorded. Hand, foot and mouth disease has many complications, the most serious of which can be fatal. To best prevent it, we must improve the physical condition and supplement enough micronutrients for children; if a child is found to have hand, foot and mouth disease, we must have measures to isolate the child to avoid spreading it to the community."

Children with hand, foot and mouth disease need to be monitored for timely treatment if the disease becomes severe.

Currently, there is no vaccine to prevent hand, foot and mouth disease, so proactive prevention and proper implementation of the "3 clean" recommendations: clean food, clean living, clean hands are still the optimal solutions for children to prevent the disease.

Van Anh - Ngoc Duong

Source