FHMD (Foot, Hand & Mouth Disease) in schools?
Wednesday3/3/2010March, 2010,
By Noimot Olayiwola
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=346370...
Many cases of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), a highly contagious common viral illness affecting children, have been reported in Qatar, Gulf Times has learnt.
Inquiries with a number of schools find that some of their students have been found with the infection.
One of the schools has sent a circular to parents to watch out for HFMD’s symptoms in their children and keep them away from the institution if they are sick with the virus.
And some parents have decided to keep their children away from school, fearing that they could contract it from infected classmates.
Paediatric Emergency Centres’ director Dr Khalid Mohamed al-Ansari told Gulf Times that the disease was common during the winter.
“This is a common viral disease which occurs mostly in children during late winter around the first few months of the year,” he said.
“The disease causes fever and blister-like eruptions in the mouth and/or a skin rash.”
Dr al-Ansari explained that the disease usually began with a fever, poor appetite, malaise (feeling vaguely unwell) and often with a sore throat.
“One or two days after the onset of fever, painful sores usually develop in the mouth. They begin as small red spots that blister and then often become ulcers. The sores are usually located on the tongue, gums, and inside of the cheeks,” he explained.
“HFMD is caused by viruses that belong to the enterovirus genus group, including polioviruses, coxsackieviruses, echoviruses, and enteroviruses and infection is spread from person to person by direct contact,” he said.
Dr al-Ansari said the affected person could also have rash usually located on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet: it might also appear on the buttocks and/or genitalia.
“The person may have only the rash or only the mouth sores,” he pointed out.
The virus is found in the nose and throat secretions, saliva, blister fluid, and stool of infected persons.
“The virus is most often spread by persons with unwashed hands and by contact with contaminated surfaces,” Dr al-Ansari explained.
He described the disease as a mild one. Infected persons are most contagious during the first week of the illness.
“HFMD caused by coxsackievirus A16 infection is a mild disease,” he said. “Nearly all patients recover in seven to 10 days without medical treatment as there is no specific treatment for HFMD.”
He added that symptoms could be treated to provide relief from pain from mouth sores and from fever and aches through over-the-counter medications, cautioning, however, that aspirin should not be given to children.
“Fluid intake should be enough to prevent dehydration and good hygiene practices like washing hands frequently and correctly and especially after changing diapers and after using the toilet can lower the risk of infection,” he advised.
He also said that cleaning dirty surfaces and soiled items, including toys, and avoiding close contact with persons having HFMD will reduce the risk of catching the bug.
According to the Centre for Communicable Diseases, HFMD is often confused with foot-and-mouth (also called hoof-and-mouth) disease affecting cattle, sheep, and
swine.
The centre explains that the viruses that cause HFMD can remain in the body for weeks after a patient’s symptoms have gone away.
“This means that the infected person can still pass the infection to other people even though he/she appears well. Also, some persons who are infected and excreting the virus, including most adults, may have no symptoms,” CDC says on its
website.
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