[Medical Q&A] What should we do if children with hand, foot and mouth disease have difficulty eating?

Planner: Chinese Medical Association

Reviewer: Huang Lei, deputy chief physician, Fifth Medical Center, PLA General Hospital

Hand, foot and mouth disease usually causes ulcers in the mouth, which can cause pain and affect eating. Here are some effective suggestions to help children with hand, foot and mouth disease overcome eating difficulties.

(1) Choose the right food

1) Soft food: Provide soft food that is easy to chew and swallow, such as boiled vegetables, cooked fruits, porridge, etc.

2) Cold food: Cold food can relieve the pain of oral ulcers, such as ice cream, yogurt, cold juice, etc.; or warm food, but do not eat hot food.

3) Liquid food: Liquid or semi-liquid food, such as soup, porridge, soy milk, etc., can reduce irritation to the ulcer area.

(2) Avoid irritating foods

1) Acidic foods: Avoid acidic foods such as citrus fruits, tomatoes, etc., which may aggravate the pain.

2) Spicy foods: Avoid spicy, salty or overly hot foods, which may irritate the ulcer area and increase pain.

3) Hard foods: Avoid hard foods such as nuts and biscuits, as these foods may scratch the oral mucosa during chewing.

(3) Improve the oral environment: Rinsing your mouth with warm salt water or an oral cleaning solution recommended by your doctor can help relieve pain and promote healing.

(4) Stay hydrated

1) Drink plenty of water: Make sure the child drinks enough water, which can be water, juice or electrolyte drinks to prevent dehydration. The evaluation criteria are that the child's urination frequency does not decrease and the color is transparent or light yellow.

2) Use a straw: Using a straw to drink water can reduce the contact between liquid and oral ulcers and relieve pain.