Tomato flu :Do we need to worry?
Do's and dont's

Hand foot mouth disease or tomato fever is a self-limiting disease caused by the coxsackie group of viruses. 

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Symptoms could be high grade fever, skin rashes, oral ulcers , skin irritation, cough, diarrhoea, vomiting and dehydration. 

 

It's a contagious disease via orofecal and respiratory routes.

 

Children under five are the most commonly affected among the general population.

 

The diagnosis is primarily clinical by the characteristic distribution of cutaneous lesions over hands, feet and buttocks along with oral lesions, which mostly fades within a week.

 

Most HFMD patients need only symptomatic treatment and reassurance in view of its self-limiting benign clinical course.

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Certain cases do require admission if some complications happen.

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The most important thing you can do to prevent the spread of this infection is to wash your hands often with soap and water, even after the child is feeling better. Teach children to wash their hands often, especially after using the bathroom

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If a child has hand, foot, and mouth disease or Herpangina , keep them out of school or day care if they have a fever or don't feel well enough to go.

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You should call the doctor or nurse if the child is drinking less than usual and hasn't had a wet diaper for 4 to 6 hours (for babies and young children) or hasn't needed to urinate in the past 6 to 8 hours (for older children). You should also call if the child seems to be getting worse or isn't getting better after a few days.

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Dr Poorvi Gupta

Little Heart and Tiny Tummies Child Clinic

242,Patliputra Colony