In the past month or so, Bach Mai Hospital has recorded a clear increase in the number of hand, foot and mouth disease cases coming for examination at the Pediatric Center, averaging 5-6 cases per day, higher than the same period last year. Doctors warn that this is the time when the disease enters the season, the risk of spreading and severe progression may increase if not detected early.
According to Dr. Tran Trang Anh - Center for Pediatrics, Bach Mai Hospital, hand, foot and mouth disease is a viral infection, common in children under 5 years old, especially in the group under 3 years old. The main agents belong to the Enterovirus group, commonly Coxsackievirus A16 and Enterovirus 71 (EV71). The disease spreads quickly through the digestive tract or direct contact with the patient's secretions such as saliva, fluid from blisters or feces.
The nursery and kindergarten environment is an easy place for epidemics to break out if not well controlled. Typical symptoms include mild fever, sore throat, mouth ulcers and blisters on the palms of hands, feet, buttocks or knees. Most cases progress mildly and can recover on their own after 7-10 days, but there is still a potential risk of dangerous complications, especially when infected with EV71 strain.
Worryingly, EV71 is a virus strain commonly circulating in Vietnam and can cause serious complications such as encephalitis, respiratory failure, circulatory failure. The disease is divided into 4 levels for monitoring and timely treatment.
At level 1, children only have a mild fever, fatigue, and scattered blisters, and can be cared for at home if there are no abnormal signs. However, when transitioning to level 2, children may have a prolonged high fever, fuss, restless sleep, vomiting or startling. This is a stage that needs special attention because the risk of complications begins to increase.
Doctors recommend that if children have symptoms of frequent startling, high fever that does not respond to medication, rapid heartbeat, tremors in limbs, staggering gait, difficulty swallowing or changing voice, parents need to take their children to a medical facility immediately. At levels 3 and 4, the disease can cause consciousness disorders, respiratory failure, shock or acute pulmonary edema, directly threatening life if not treated promptly.
Currently, hand, foot and mouth disease does not have specific treatments and there is also no vaccine to prevent the disease. Therefore, prevention is still the most important solution. Parents need to wash children's hands regularly with soap, clean toys, disinfect contact surfaces and limit children's contact with suspected patients.
In case the class has a case of illness, it is necessary to let children take leave from school, implement isolation according to the instructions of the health sector to avoid spreading. At the same time, families need to closely monitor the child's symptoms, re-examine on schedule and absolutely not be subjective.
According to experts, most children with hand, foot and mouth disease will recover completely if properly cared for. However, early detection of signs of worsening and timely taking children to the doctor is a decisive factor in helping to limit complications.
Hand, foot and mouth disease is a common seasonal disease, but cannot be underestimated. Parents' proactiveness in the hospital room, recognizing symptoms and handling them correctly will be an important "shield" to protect young children from the risk of epidemics.
