Hand, foot and mouth disease: common in young children.

Hand, foot and mouth disease is a common viral infection that mainly affects children under 5. It is highly contagious and regularly appears in nurseries, nursery schools and group settings, especially in summer and autumn.

The first signs are usually a mild fever and unusual tiredness, followed by small spots or blisters on the hands, feet and in the mouth. These can make eating painful for the youngest.

The illness is usually mild and clears up on its own within a week to ten days. A few simple measures help limit its spread:

• wash your hands regularly;
• do not share cutlery, glasses or toys;
• make sure the child drinks enough;
• see a health professional in case of high fever, dehydration or persistent symptoms.

So far, no official health alert has been issued for the Apach – Perl – Schengen area. However, as every year, isolated cases may occur.

Radio Tripoint advises families to stay alert, pay attention to good hygiene and not to worry: in the vast majority of cases, hand, foot and mouth disease heals well with rest, enough fluids and treatment to relieve the symptoms.

Radio Tripoint – the cross-border radio.