Hand-foot-and-mouth disease commonly affects young children. The disease can be contracted through direct contact with discharges of the nose and throat, saliva, fluid from blisters or infected stool. This viral infection presents with sores inside the mouth, fever and a rash on the hands and feet. No specific treatment exists to combat Hand-foot-and-mouth disease, but individual symptoms can be treated.
Fever
Fever from hand-foot-and-mouth disease can be treated with over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen. The Mayo Clinic warns against giving children aspirin to lower fevers as it may trigger a rare disorder called Reye's syndrome. Physicians also recommend rest and ingestion of fluids to combat fever.
Sore Throat
Treatment for a sore throat as a result of hand-foot-and-mouth disease includes drinking warm liquids with honey, like hot tea, ingesting cold liquids or popsicles to numb the throat and soothing the throat with lozenges or hard candies. However, physicians warn against giving small children hard candies because of the potential for choking. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, gargling with warm salt water throughout the day may prove effective as may using a vaporizer or humidifier to improve air quality. Over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen may also be helpful to ease the pain of a sore throat.
Mouth Sores
According to Medline Plus, mouth sores, even without treatment, generally last ten to fourteen days. Mouth sores may affect all areas inside the mouth, including the inner cheeks, gums, tongue, lips or palate, but these symptoms of hand-foot-and-mouth disease are treatable. Effective options for treatment include the use of pain relievers like acetaminophen or nonprescription numbing creams, as well as gargling with cool water and avoiding spicy foods.
