Go to the hospital quickly. Isn’t it so serious and dangerous?

Hand, foot and mouth disease is an infectious disease caused by enteroviruses. There are more than 20 types of enteroviruses that cause hand, foot and mouth disease. (types), of which coxsackievirus A16 (Cox A16) and enterovirus 71 (EV 71) are the most common. It mostly occurs in children under 5 years old and manifests as mouth pain, anorexia, low fever, small herpes or small ulcers on hands, feet, mouth and other parts of the body. Most children heal on their own in about a week. A few children can cause myocarditis, pulmonary edema, asepsis, etc. complications such as meningoencephalitis. The condition of some severely ill children develops rapidly and leads to death. Currently, there is a lack of effective therapeutic drugs, mainly symptomatic treatment.

1. Symptoms of common cases

Acute onset, fever, mouth pain, anorexia, scattered herpes or ulcers on the oral mucosa, mostly on the tongue, buccal mucosa and hard forehead. , can also affect the soft palate, gums, tonsils and pharynx. Maculopapular rashes appear on the hands, feet, buttocks, arms, and legs, and later turn into herpes. There may be inflammatory redness around the herpes, and there is less fluid in the blisters. There are more on the hands and feet, and on the back of the palms. The number of rashes ranges from a few to dozens. It fades away leaving no trace and no pigmentation. Some cases present only with rash or herpangina. Most cases recover within a week, and the prognosis is good. In some cases, the rash has atypical manifestations, such as a single site or only a maculopapular rash.

2. Manifestations of severe cases

In a few cases (especially those younger than 3 years old), the condition progresses rapidly, with meningitis and encephalitis (mainly in the brainstem) appearing within 1 to 5 days of onset. Encephalitis is the most dangerous), encephalomyelitis, pulmonary edema, circulatory disorders, etc. A few cases are critically ill and can lead to death, and surviving cases may have sequelae.

(1) Nervous system manifestations complicated by central nervous system diseases: poor mental status, drowsiness, irritability, headache, vomiting, delirium and even coma; limb shaking, myoclonus, nystagmus, *** Dysphagia, eye movement disorders; weakness or acute flaccid paralysis; convulsions. Physical examination showed signs of meningeal irritation, weakened or disappeared tendon reflexes, and positive Pap sign. Symptoms of the central nervous system are more common in children under 2 years old.

(2) Respiratory system manifestations complicated by pulmonary edema: shallow shortness of breath, dyspnea or rhythm changes, cyanosis of the lips, coughing, and coughing up white, pink or bloody foamy sputum; Wet rales or phlegm.

(3) Symptoms of circulatory system complicated by myocarditis: pale complexion, patterned skin, cold limbs, cyanosis of fingers (toes); cold sweats; prolonged capillary refill time. The heart rate increases or slows down, the pulse is shallow or weakened or even disappears; the blood pressure increases or decreases.

1. Wash children’s hands with soap or hand sanitizer before eating, using the toilet, and after going out. Do not let children drink raw water or eat raw or cold food, and avoid contact with sick children.

2. Caregivers should wash their hands before coming into contact with children, changing diapers for young children, and after handling feces, and properly dispose of dirt.

3. Bottles and pacifiers used by infants and young children should be fully cleaned before and after use.

4. During the epidemic period of this disease, it is not advisable to take children to public places where crowds gather and the air circulation is poor. Pay attention to maintaining a hygienic home environment. The room should be ventilated frequently and clothes and quilts should be dried frequently.

5. Children should go to a medical institution promptly if they develop relevant symptoms. Children should not come into contact with other children. Parents should dry or disinfect the children's clothes in time, and disinfect the children's feces in a timely manner. Children with mild symptoms do not need to be hospitalized and should be treated and rested at home to reduce cross-infection.

6. Clean and disinfect toys, personal hygiene utensils, tableware and other items every day.

7. Child care units conduct morning inspections every day. When suspicious children are found, measures are taken to promptly send them to the hospital and rest at home; items used by the children must be disinfected immediately.

8. When the number of sick children increases, report to the health and education departments in time. Based on the needs of epidemic control, local education and health departments may decide to take holiday measures for daycare institutions or primary schools.