Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease

Key points about hand, foot and mouth disease

• hand, foot and mouth disease is a common viral illness in tamariki (children)
• they may get red or fluid-filled blisters on their hands and feet or other parts of their body
• tamariki may also get painful red blisters in and around their mouth
• keep your child at home until they are well again and all the blisters have dried

What is hand, foot and mouth disease?

Hand, foot and mouth disease is a common viral illness in tamariki.

Human hand, foot and mouth disease is not related to foot and mouth disease in animals.

What puts my child at risk of getting hand, foot and mouth disease?

Anyone can get hand, foot and mouth disease, but it is most common in tamariki under 10, and particularly in pre-school tamariki.

Hand, foot and mouth disease is more common in warm weather - usually in the summer or early autumn. But it can happen at any time of year.

How does hand, foot and mouth disease spread?

Hand, foot and mouth disease spreads easily between people - it is very easy to catch.

It spreads from person to person by coughing or sneezing or by contact with mucus, saliva, blisters or the poo of an infected person. Tamariki can also easily catch the disease by touching things like toys and then putting their hands or toys in their mouth.

Tamariki with hand, foot and mouth disease are most likely to spread the disease in the first week - before all the blisters have dried.

What are the signs and symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease?

Symptoms start around 4 to 6 days after infection with the virus.

Your child may have a mild fever for 1 to 2 days before other symptoms appear. 

Blisters

Small blisters usually appear first around the mouth and on the gums and sides of the tongue. Your child may complain of a sore mouth or throat, or they may go off their food and refuse fluids. 

Small blisters can appear on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. Some tamariki may also get a rash around their bottom. The rash can appear elsewhere on your child's body. These blisters are not usually itchy or painful.

The blisters and ulcers usually go away after 7 to 10 days.

The photos below show examples of blisters in the mouth and on the hands and feet of a child with hand, foot and mouth disease. 

Other symptoms

• loss of appetite
• a sore throat
• headache
• a general feeling of weakness or tiredness

Hand, foot and mouth disease is usually mild and lasts about 3 to 7 days.

Very rarely (in an outbreak or with certain types of the virus), the hand, foot and mouth virus causes a more severe rash involving more of the body or a more serious illness, including inflammation of the brain or heart.

Can hand, foot and mouth disease happen more than once?

Yes, hand, foot and mouth disease can occasionally happen more than once as there are different types of the virus that cause it.

How is hand, foot and mouth disease diagnosed?

A health professional can usually diagnose hand, foot and mouth disease by examining your child.

Hand, foot and mouth disease can sometimes be confused with:

• chickenpox - but the chickenpox rash is usually all over the body
• cold sores (herpes) in a child's mouth

When should I seek help for my child's hand, foot and mouth disease?

Take your child to a health professional if:

• they haven't been able to drink because of a painful mouth
• they have had fewer than 4 wet nappies in 24 hours
• they seem to be getting worse or are not getting better after a few days

Call Healthline on 0800 611 116 if you are unsure what you should do.

How do I prevent hand, foot and mouth disease spreading?

Keep your child at home if they are unwell or have blisters. It is important that your child does not go back to childcare, kura or school until all the blisters have dried.

Frequent hand washing helps decrease the chance of spreading the infection. This is because the virus is found in poo, blisters and saliva, and from a runny nose.

Take special care to wash hands:

• after using the toilet
• when changing nappies - the virus can be found in poo for several weeks
• when touching objects and toys that tamariki hold or put in their mouths

Staying away from others who have hand, foot and mouth disease helps prevent the spreading of it. 

Make sure to clean toys and avoid sharing toys during the infection.

How can I care for my child with hand, foot and mouth disease at home?

If your child's mouth is sore, don't give them sour, salty or spicy foods.

Make sure they have plenty to drink to stop them getting dehydrated.

If your child is miserable with hand, foot and mouth disease, you can give them paracetamol. Follow the dosage instructions on the bottle. It is dangerous to give more than the recommended dose. Never give your child aspirin as this may increase the risk of Reye syndrome, which is a rare and serious illness.

Is there any treatment for hand, foot and mouth disease?

No, there is no specific treatment for hand, foot and mouth disease.

What should I do if I'm pregnant and I'm exposed to hand, foot and mouth disease?

Hand, foot and mouth disease is rare in healthy adults, so the risk of infection during pregnancy is very low. And if a pregnant woman gets the disease, the risk of complications is also very low.

But if you catch the virus shortly before you give birth, the infection can be passed on to your baby. Most pēpi (babies) born with hand, foot and mouth disease have only mild symptoms.

In very rare cases, it is possible that catching hand, foot and mouth disease during pregnancy may result in miscarriage. For this reason, if you have contact with hand, foot and mouth disease while you're pregnant, or if you develop any kind of rash, see your doctor or lead maternity carer - just to be safe.