Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsTransmissionQuarantiningTreatment in ChildrenTreatment in Adults
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Transmission
Quarantining
Treatment in Children
Treatment in Adults
Signs of HFMD include a fever and a painful rash of smallblistersthat appear on the hands, feet, and inside of the mouth, among other potential areas on the body.
This article discusses the symptoms of hand, foot, and mouth disease, how it spreads, and its treatment options.
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Do You or Your Child Have Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease?
Visible symptoms of hand, foot, and mouth disease usually show up within three to six days after contracting the virus, so you might not always know immediately if you have it.
The most common telltale signs of HFMD to watch for include:
Other symptoms can include:
Here’s a typical timeline of how HFMD can develop:
Days one and twoafter contracting the virus, you might notice a mild fever and sore throat. Sometimes, children also complain of stomach pain and might have a loss of appetite.
Starting on day threeafter contracting the virus, those initial viral symptoms should start to go away. Around this time, you’ll notice the mouth sores,rash on the hands and feet, and swollen necklymph nodes.This can last until day seven or longer.
Keep in mind that all HFMD signs may not be present, even if you’ve contracted it. Some people only develop a couple of symptoms, while other people may experience each one.
Hand, foot, and mouth disease is completely different from foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), which is a contagious viral illness in certain animals.
How Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease Spreads
Hand, foot, and mouth disease is highly contagious, particularly in kids ages 5 and younger. Once the HFMD virus is contracted, it lives in the following bodily substances:
As with other viruses, HFMD spreads quickly in the following ways:
In rare cases, it may also be possible to contract an HFMD virus from swallowing pool water that’s been contaminated with infected feces and hasn’t been adequately treated with chlorine.
Studies show that symptoms typically take four to six days to become noticeable after being infected with HFMD.And while HFMD is usually most contagious during the first week of the illness, it’s still possible to transmit the virus days after the symptoms have disappeared or if there weren’t any noticeable symptoms.
In the United States, thepeak seasonsfor transmitting HFMD viruses are spring, summer, and fall. Around the world, research has also shown that warmer temperatures and higher humidity levels are linked to a higher incidence of HFMD.
Quarantine With Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease
The key to avoiding transmitting HFMD to other people is staying home from school, work, and other activities until symptoms are completely cleared.
With HFMD, experts recommend that children and adults quarantine and avoid contact with others outside the household for seven to 10 days. Before you venture out, make sure that:
Remember that HFMD transmits quickly in part because children often have closer contact with one another than adults do, sharing toys, playing games, and touching common surfaces. If you or your child has contracted HFMD, let the school or daycare know if they need to control an outbreak.
Drool Rash vs. Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD): What Are the Differences?
Treatment for Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease in Children
There are not any specific treatment options for HFMD. Many cases of HFMD are mild and go away on their own within a week to 10 days.
For painful or bothersome symptoms, experts recommend over-the-counter (OTC) treatments and at-home remedies to make your child feel more comfortable. These include:
Be sure to thoroughly wash and sanitize toys (in addition to other surfaces in your home).
While most HFMD cases will go away on their own without any issue, see a healthcare provider right away if you notice the following in your child:Severe or worsening symptomsA feverlasting longer than three daysSigns of dehydrationYou should also seek medical treatment if your child is younger than 6 months or has a weakened immune system.
While most HFMD cases will go away on their own without any issue, see a healthcare provider right away if you notice the following in your child:
You should also seek medical treatment if your child is younger than 6 months or has a weakened immune system.
Treatment for Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease in Adults
For adults, recovering from HFMD will also focus on treating uncomfortable symptoms. In addition to OTC remedies for a headache, sore throat, or an itchy rash, you might also consider:
In addition, adults will want to consider other prevention tactics as they recover, such as:
Summary
Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a highly contagious viral infection common in children younger than 5, though adults can contract it, too. It’s transmitted through bodily contact with saliva, feces, and contaminated surfaces.
Suppose you have any telltale signs of HFMD (including a painful, bumpy rash on the hands, feet, and mouth). In that case, staying home and avoiding contact with others until symptoms are gone (usually seven to 10 days) is essential to avoid transmitting the virus. In the meantime, treatment options focus on relieving symptoms with OTC therapies.
13 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Hand-foot-mouth disease.American Academy of Dermatology.Hand-foot-and-mouth disease: Overview.American Academy of Dermatology.Hand-food-and-mouth disease: Signs and symptoms.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Foot-and-mouth disease.American Academy of Family Physicians.Hand, foot, and mouth disease.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.HFMD: causes and how it spreads.Yang Z, Zhang Q, Cowling BJ, Lau EHY.Estimating the incubation period of hand, foot and mouth disease for children in different age groups.Sci Rep. 2017 Nov 28;7(1):16464. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-16705-7Coates SJ, Davis MDP, Andersen LK.Temperature and humidity affect the incidence of hand, foot, and mouth disease: a systematic review of the literature.Int J Dermatol. 2019 Apr;58(4):388-399. doi:10.1111/ijd.14188Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.HFMD: prevention.American Academy of Dermatology.Hand-foot-and-mouth disease: Diagnosis and treatment.American Academy of Pediatrics.Hand, foot and mouth disease: Parent FAQs.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.HFMD: treatment and recovery.American Academy of Dermatology.Hand-foot-and-mouth disease: Tips for preventing.
13 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Hand-foot-mouth disease.American Academy of Dermatology.Hand-foot-and-mouth disease: Overview.American Academy of Dermatology.Hand-food-and-mouth disease: Signs and symptoms.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Foot-and-mouth disease.American Academy of Family Physicians.Hand, foot, and mouth disease.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.HFMD: causes and how it spreads.Yang Z, Zhang Q, Cowling BJ, Lau EHY.Estimating the incubation period of hand, foot and mouth disease for children in different age groups.Sci Rep. 2017 Nov 28;7(1):16464. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-16705-7Coates SJ, Davis MDP, Andersen LK.Temperature and humidity affect the incidence of hand, foot, and mouth disease: a systematic review of the literature.Int J Dermatol. 2019 Apr;58(4):388-399. doi:10.1111/ijd.14188Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.HFMD: prevention.American Academy of Dermatology.Hand-foot-and-mouth disease: Diagnosis and treatment.American Academy of Pediatrics.Hand, foot and mouth disease: Parent FAQs.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.HFMD: treatment and recovery.American Academy of Dermatology.Hand-foot-and-mouth disease: Tips for preventing.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
MedlinePlus.Hand-foot-mouth disease.American Academy of Dermatology.Hand-foot-and-mouth disease: Overview.American Academy of Dermatology.Hand-food-and-mouth disease: Signs and symptoms.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Foot-and-mouth disease.American Academy of Family Physicians.Hand, foot, and mouth disease.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.HFMD: causes and how it spreads.Yang Z, Zhang Q, Cowling BJ, Lau EHY.Estimating the incubation period of hand, foot and mouth disease for children in different age groups.Sci Rep. 2017 Nov 28;7(1):16464. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-16705-7Coates SJ, Davis MDP, Andersen LK.Temperature and humidity affect the incidence of hand, foot, and mouth disease: a systematic review of the literature.Int J Dermatol. 2019 Apr;58(4):388-399. doi:10.1111/ijd.14188Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.HFMD: prevention.American Academy of Dermatology.Hand-foot-and-mouth disease: Diagnosis and treatment.American Academy of Pediatrics.Hand, foot and mouth disease: Parent FAQs.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.HFMD: treatment and recovery.American Academy of Dermatology.Hand-foot-and-mouth disease: Tips for preventing.
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