Hand-Foot-Mouth Disease (HFMD) is a common contagious viral infection that usually affects infants and young children. It is caused by viruses from the enterovirus family, most often the coxsackievirus.

Symptoms of Hand-Foot-Mouth Disease

• Fever
• Sore throat
• Painful red spots or sores inside the mouth
• Red rash, sometimes with blisters, on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, and sometimes on the buttocks or genital area
• Loss of appetite
• Irritability in infants and toddlers

How Is It Spread?

HFMD spreads through:

• Close personal contact
• Coughing and sneezing
• Contact with contaminated surfaces or objects
• Fecal-oral route (poor hand hygiene)

Duration and Recovery

• Symptoms usually appear 3–7 days after exposure.
• The illness typically lasts 7 to 10 days.
• Most children recover without complications.

Treatment

• There is no specific antiviral treatment.
• Management focuses on relieving symptoms:
  • Pain relievers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen
  • Plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration
  • Soft, bland foods if mouth sores make eating painful