It appears that Hand-Foot-and-Mouth Disease is running its course in the Twin Ports with many cases being diagnosed.  But what exactly is it and how can you prevent it?

To get answers, we went to the source at the Mayo Clinic.

They suggest that these are the symptoms most-commonly associated with Hand-Foot-and-Mouth Disease:

  • Fever
  • Sore throat
  • Feeling of being unwell (malaise)
  • Painful, red, blister-like lesions on the tongue, gums and inside of the cheeks
  • A red rash, without itching but sometimes with blistering, on the palms, soles and sometimes the buttocks
  • Irritability in infants and toddlers
  • Loss of appetite

It usually takes somewhere within a week from the incubation period to the onset of symptoms.  Although it may be a minor illness, many people choose to contact a doctor for treatment.

How can you prevent it?  Like many illnesses, Hand-Foot-and-Mouth Disease is stymied by simple hand washing and avoiding the placement of your hands or fingers in your mouth.

 

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