1. Identify Sores and Ulcers
Hand-foot-mouth disease is a common virus that generally affects children under the age of 10. It shares many of the more generic symptoms of viral illness, but its defining symptom is the appearance of sores and ulcers in the mouth and on the hands and feet. You will probably first notice a rash consisting of small red spots, and your child will likely find them to be painful. After a few days, the spots can start to blister and may eventually turn into ulcers.
The spots can be found on the tongue, roof of the mouth, inside of the cheeks, gums and lips. They may also appear on the palms of your child's hands or the soles of his feet. Less common, but also possible, is a rash in the diaper area.
2. Recognize General Viral Symptoms
Before the rash appears, your child might suffer other less specific symptoms. Hand-foot-mouth disease commonly starts as a sore throat. Your child might run a low fever and have swollen lymph nodes. Some children experience headaches and fatigue.
Infants and toddlers often seem very irritable when they have this condition. The discomfort is usually to blame. You may find that your child sleeps poorly and wakes up frequently in pain. Children with hand-foot-mouth disease can appear unwell but generally do not become severely ill.
3. Make a Diagnosis
Your doctor will use the medical history, age, symptoms and the appearance of the sores and lesions to diagnose hand-foot-mouth disease. One lesion is not enough for a diagnosis. Children with this condition usually have multiple sores in the mouth and on the hands and feet. Lesions that appear only in the mouth usually indicate Coxsackie virus. Children with hand-foot-mouth disease have the rash on other parts of the body as well. It is possible that your doctor will take a throat swab to rule out any bacterial conditions that might require antibiotics.
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