Three-year-old Lannie Derringer’s parents noticed a few red spots on her feet, but they didn’t think much of it until the red spots began to spread. Eventually, the three-year-old was covered head to toe in painful red spots that stayed on her body for an entire week.
According to KAKE News, Derringer’s father said that his daughter’s rash spread from her feet to her hands and face. He noted that it also came with a fever and sore throat.
Derringer’s parents suspected that she was suffering from Hand Foot and Mouth Disease(HFMD), and the child’s pediatrician made an official diagnosis that confirmed their suspicions.
Her father said that the spots started on her feet and gradually progressed, but they became concerned when she developed a fever and would not eat.
A website called Momtastic reported that HFMD is caused by a coxsackie virus, and it is extremely contagious.
Anyone can contract the disease, but most often, young children are the ones who get it. Doctors have said the disease spreads quickly through child care centers because it can be contracted from bodily fluids, such as saliva and mucus.
Dr. Mark Gettleman, who is a pediatrician in Scottsdale, Ariz., said that, when children have HFMD, they stop swallowing their saliva because it hurts. As a result, they drool more and saliva gets on their hands and the toys they are playing with.
Symptoms of HFMD include, a rash, fever, and sore throat. The rash typically begins as just small red or white dots, but eventually, these will grow and possibly turn into ulcers.
In addition, the virus is usually present in the body up to a week before symptoms start appearing, which makes it hard to stop it from spreading.
Since HFMD is a viral illness, there are no medicines that will clear up the symptoms. There are, however, ways to treat the symptoms of the illness.
Once children have the virus, it is important to keep them hydrated, but keep them away from any drinks that are salty or acidic. These types of drinks can cause the sores in the mouth to become irritated.
Dr. Amy Baxter, who is a pediatrician in Atlanta, recommends using Maalox just as you would mouthwash in order to alleviate the pain from the mouth sores.
The fever that comes with the illness can simply be treated with over-the-counter pain relievers like Tylenol.
Doctors have said that this illness is most contagious the first week it is contracted, but the possibility of infecting others is generally slim after the sores are gone.
Additionally, since the virus thrives in warm weather, it can be especially contagious in the summer months. The best way to prevent your children from contracting the disease is to wash their hands frequently and disinfect toys they have been using if you suspect that they have it.
Lannie Derringer’s parents shared their daughter’s story on social media, and they realized it is extremely helpful to become aware of outbreaks of the disease in your area. This awareness can help keep the disease from spreading too much.
