By Joseph Varghese/Staff Reporter

Avoiding contact with children suffering from the hand-foot-mouth disease is the best way to prevent the spread of the disease, leading paediatricians have suggested as more cases are reported.
Of late, there has been a surge in the number of children suffering from the disease. One paediatrician told that he sees around 30 children suffering from this disease weekly. When the national communicable disease centre was contacted through its hotline, Gulf Times was directed to contact paediatric doctors.
Speaking to Gulf Times, a paediatrician explained that the disease is generally caused by a virus called Coxsackievirus A16 and spreads through physical contact. It is a minor disease, commonly found among children up to the age of eight and adults are generally not affected by the disease.
Dr V Mohamed Basha of Aster Medical Centre said that the disease is mainly spread through sneezing, touching or through saliva. “The symptoms are ulcers at the back of the mouth, red rashes around the lips as well as rashes on the palm or at the foot. These are very similar to Chicken Pox."
“However, the major difference between Chicken Pox and Hand –foot–mouth is that while the former spreads all over the body the latter does not appear on the body at all. Moreover, there is no vaccination for this disease,” he added.
Dr Vinoo Rajagopal, another paediatrician, said that on an average, he treats around 30 children, suffering from this disease per week. “There is no specific medicine available for this disease which lasts for seven days. Initially the child will have fever for three to four days. Paracetamol and some lotions to apply on the rashes are the only medicines that can be prescribed for the disease.”
The physician pointed out that the hand-foot-mouth disease will cause itching and body ache. Saliva might be drooling out of the mouth as there are rashes in the mouth and children cannot eat much.
“It is not a serious disease. But children should not be sent to school or nurseries during the infected period as it is highly contagious. Proper hygiene as well a hand-wash can limit the spread of the disease.”
Dr Rajagopal also said that the nails of the affected children can become brittle or disfigured after a month or so. The physician also highlighted that the disease can be repetitive. “Children can suffer from the hand-foot-mouth more than once. Secondary attack is very common.”