Ask the doctor: Hand, foot and mouth is doing the rounds - how do I protect my young child?

"Dr Grant replies: Hand foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is a term given to the clinical syndrome characterised by a rash on the mucous membranes inside the mouth and a skin rash defined as maculopapular, or vesicular of the hands and feet (and possibly other locations). It is a highly contagious common childhood illness primarily caused by coxsackievirus A16 virus that affects children mostly younger than five years during the late summer/early autumn months."

"The classic presentation includes fever and systemic symptoms of headaches, sore throat, fatigue, muscles aches and pains, lack of appetite and abdominal pain, diarrhoea and/or vomiting. The classic rash, described as small oval red spots that develop into small blisters/vesicles affecting the palms of the hand and soles of the feet. The rash may also affect the calf muscle region, forearms, trunk (chest and abdominal region), and the face/neck."

Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is a highly contagious viral illness causing mucosal mouth rash and maculopapular or vesicular skin lesions on the hands, feet and other areas. Coxsackievirus A16 is the primary cause, with most cases occurring in children under five during late summer and early autumn. Incubation is usually three to five days. Symptoms include fever, headache, sore throat, fatigue, muscle aches, abdominal pain, diarrhoea and vomiting. Painful oral vesicles can impair eating and drinking and risk dehydration. The illness is usually mild and self-limiting, resolving within 7–10 days; treatment is supportive with rest, fluids and analgesia.

Read at Irish Independent