How to prevent hand, foot and mouth disease

Hand, foot and mouth disease is an infectious disease caused by enterovirus, which mostly occurs in infants and young children under 5 years old. It can cause fever and rashes and ulcers on the hands, feet, mouth and other parts of the body. Some patients may develop complications such as myocarditis, pulmonary edema, and aseptic meningoencephalitis. There are more than 20 types of enterovirus that cause hand, foot and mouth disease, among which Coxsackievirus A16 and enterovirus 71 are the most common.

1. Prevention of hand, foot and mouth disease:

1. Pay attention to personal hygiene and wash your hands before and after meals;

2. For family hygiene, ventilate the room more often by opening windows; and frequently air quilts and clothes at home;

3. Avoid contact with patients with hand, foot and mouth disease;

4. Avoid going to crowded public places;

5. If a child is found to have hand, foot and mouth disease, he or she needs to be isolated and treated in time;

6. Get vaccinated against hand, foot and mouth disease.

Hand, foot and mouth disease is common in children, so they must be kept separate from other healthy children at home and not allowed to play or eat together. Direct contact or eating together may lead to infection.

A small number of adults can be infected with hand, foot and mouth disease, but the incidence is very low. Another way of transmission is indirect contact between adults. If an adult comes into contact with a patient with hand, foot and mouth disease and does not wash his hands or clothes, and then comes into contact with another healthy child, he can also infect the healthy child with the virus.

2. How to eat for hand, foot and mouth disease

Children with hand, foot and mouth disease usually have a poor appetite. Because of the pain in their mouths, they are unwilling to eat, so they mainly eat light food. Spicy, sour, and heavy-tasting food should not be eaten. We generally recommend eating liquid food, such as porridge, noodles, steamed buns, etc.

Therefore, there are many ways for hand, foot and mouth disease to spread, and infants and children are generally susceptible. Maintaining good hygiene for children, families and childcare institutions is the key to preventing infection with this disease.

Popular science doctor: Chen Xiaoli, Xiyangdian Town Health Center, Pingyu County