15/04/2025
✋🏻🦶🏻👄 Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFM) – “Hands” down one of the most irritating infections your child can catch (pun intended)! 😅
Feared by daycare staff and dreaded by parents, this mild but highly contagious viral infection can spread fast among little ones—especially in summer and autumn. It’s caused by the Coxsackie virus and usually affects kids under 5, though adults can get it too.
👀 What to Look For:
Painful red blisters in the mouth (tongue, gums, cheeks)
Red rash or sores on hands, feet, and sometimes diaper area
Fever, sore throat, fatigue, headache
Loss of appetite
🤒 It spreads through:
Coughs, sneezes, and saliva
Blister fluid or contact with p**p (yep, that too)
Shared toys or surfaces 😬
🛑 Is it treatable?
There’s no cure, but it usually clears in 7–10 days. Home remedies can help:
✅ Paracetamol/Ibuprofen (no aspirin!)
✅ Cold drinks, frozen lollies, numbing sprays
✅ Saltwater gargles for sore throats
✅ Keep blisters clean and dry—don’t pop them!
📞 Call the doctor if:
Your child isn’t drinking or peeing enough
Fever lasts more than 3 days
Sores look infected
🧼 Prevention Tips:
Wash hands often
Disinfect toys, surfaces, and pacifiers
Don’t share cups/utensils
Keep sick kiddos home until blisters heal and fever is gone
Let’s stop the spread and keep our little ones happy and healthy! 💪
