Hand, foot and mouth disease is a common infection that causes
mouth ulcers and spots on the hands and feet.
It's most common in young children – particularly those
under 10 – but can affect older children and adults as well.
Hand, foot and mouth disease can be unpleasant, but it will usually
clear up by itself within 7 to 10 days. You can normally look after yourself or
your child at home.
The infection is not related to foot and mouth disease, which affects
cattle, sheep and pigs.
Symptoms of hand, foot
and mouth disease
The symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease usually develop between
three and five days after being exposed to the infection.
The first symptoms may include:
- a high temperature (fever), usually around 38-39C
(100.4-102.2F)
- a general sense of feeling unwell
- loss of appetite
- coughing
- abdominal
(tummy) pain
- a sore
throat and mouth
Mouth ulcers
After one or two days, red spots appear on the tongue and inside the
mouth.
These quickly develop into larger yellow-grey mouth ulcers
with red edges.
The ulcers can be painful and make eating, drinking and swallowing
difficult. They should pass within a week.
Spotty rash and blisters
Soon after the mouth ulcers appear, you'll probably notice a rash made
up of small, raised red spots on the skin.
These typically develop on the fingers, the backs or palms of the hand,
the soles of the feet, and occasionally on the buttocks and groin.
The spots may then turn into small blisters
with a grey centre.
The spots and blisters can sometimes be itchy or uncomfortable
and typically last up to 10 days.
What to do if you or your child has hand, foot and mouth disease
If you have hand, foot and mouth disease, the best thing to do is to stay at home until you're feeling better. There's no cure for it, so you have to let it run its course.To help ease your or your child's symptoms:
- drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration – water or milk are ideal; it may help to give a baby smaller but more frequent bottle or breast milk feeds
- eat soft foods such as mashed potatoes, yoghurt and soups if eating and swallowing is uncomfortable – avoid hot, acidic or spicy foods and drinks
- take over-the-counter painkillers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, to ease a sore throat and fever – aspirin shouldn't be given to children under the age of 16; paracetamol is best if you're pregnant
- try gargling with warm, salty water to relieve discomfort from mouth ulcers – it's important not to swallow the mixture, so this isn't recommended for young children
- alternatively, use mouth gels, rinses or sprays for mouth ulcers – these are available from pharmacies, but aren't routinely recommended, and some aren't suitable for young children; ask your pharmacist for advice and make sure you read the instructions first
When to get medical advice
You don't usually need medical attention if you think you or your child has hand, foot and mouth disease. The infection will usually pass in 7 to 10 days, and there isn't much your doctor can do.Antibiotics won't help as hand, foot and mouth disease is caused by a virus.
If you're unsure whether you or your child has hand, foot and mouth disease, you can call NHS 111 or your GP for advice.
You should also get medical advice if:
- your child is unable or unwilling to drink any fluids
- your child has signs of dehydration, such as unresponsiveness, passing small amounts of urine or no urine at all, or cold hands and feet
- your child develops fits (seizures), confusion, weakness or a loss of consciousness
- your child is under three months old and has a temperature of 38C (101F) or above, or is between three and six months old and has a temperature of 39C (102F) or above
- the skin becomes very painful, red, swollen and hot, or there's a discharge of pus
- the symptoms are getting worse or haven't improved after 7 to 10 days
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