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Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...ears-its-head-in-city/articleshow/4846366.cms
Hand, foot and mouth disease rears its head in city
Darshana Chaturvedi, TNN 1 August 2009, 10:34pm IST
VADODARA: Fever, cold and cough followed by painful and non-itching rashes and body ache? If you find these symptoms in your child, better
consult the doctor immediately. Chances are that your child may be suffering from hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), a viral illness that is usually seen in children below five years.
Paediatric doctors in the city are getting cases of children suffering from HFMD looking at the rashes and symptoms. HFMD usually affects infants and children and such cases were last reported in 1990s. It's moderately contagious and spreads through direct contact with the mucus, saliva or faeces of an infected person. The common incubation period (the time between infection and onset of symptoms) is from three to seven days. It's a self limiting disease and warning signs begin with a small fever and then lesions
and blisters around the mouth and rashes on the feet and hands.
"We are getting many cases of patients suffering from HFMD these days. The disease is not life threatening, but causes problem as it's mostly seen in small children whose immunity level is low," said paediatrician Dr Jayant Shashtri.
Another paediatrician Dr Paresh Majmudar said, "I did get four such cases in last 10 days and one can identity it from the rashes and its distribution. There is no medication for this viral disease, but it subsides within 10 days."
This viral disease in not common and parents are not aware about such a viral infection. "I thought it was a mosquito bite that would heal by itself. Then I saw similar boils on my child's whole body, including his mouth. My son would feel hungry, but could not eat and used to be cranky all the time," said Sonal Senai, whose five-and-a-half-year child was suffering from HFMD. Senai did not know there was a viral disease called HFMD before she consulted a doctor.
Mitu Goel had a difficult time when her two-and-half-year old son caught this virus. "It all started with fever then slowly there were boils on his hands and within two hours it spread on his entire body, including his mouth. He could not eat and drink for 72 hours," said Goel, adding that the doctor treating her child was treating at least 10 such cases in a day.
Hand, foot and mouth disease rears its head in city
Darshana Chaturvedi, TNN 1 August 2009, 10:34pm IST
VADODARA: Fever, cold and cough followed by painful and non-itching rashes and body ache? If you find these symptoms in your child, better
consult the doctor immediately. Chances are that your child may be suffering from hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), a viral illness that is usually seen in children below five years.
Paediatric doctors in the city are getting cases of children suffering from HFMD looking at the rashes and symptoms. HFMD usually affects infants and children and such cases were last reported in 1990s. It's moderately contagious and spreads through direct contact with the mucus, saliva or faeces of an infected person. The common incubation period (the time between infection and onset of symptoms) is from three to seven days. It's a self limiting disease and warning signs begin with a small fever and then lesions
and blisters around the mouth and rashes on the feet and hands.
"We are getting many cases of patients suffering from HFMD these days. The disease is not life threatening, but causes problem as it's mostly seen in small children whose immunity level is low," said paediatrician Dr Jayant Shashtri.
Another paediatrician Dr Paresh Majmudar said, "I did get four such cases in last 10 days and one can identity it from the rashes and its distribution. There is no medication for this viral disease, but it subsides within 10 days."
This viral disease in not common and parents are not aware about such a viral infection. "I thought it was a mosquito bite that would heal by itself. Then I saw similar boils on my child's whole body, including his mouth. My son would feel hungry, but could not eat and used to be cranky all the time," said Sonal Senai, whose five-and-a-half-year child was suffering from HFMD. Senai did not know there was a viral disease called HFMD before she consulted a doctor.
Mitu Goel had a difficult time when her two-and-half-year old son caught this virus. "It all started with fever then slowly there were boils on his hands and within two hours it spread on his entire body, including his mouth. He could not eat and drink for 72 hours," said Goel, adding that the doctor treating her child was treating at least 10 such cases in a day.