A hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD), with the symptoms of skin rashes and ulcers in the mouths is spreading among children from the last 15 days in Rajasthan. This communicable disease, caused by the Coxsackie virus is spreading at such a fast pace that at the JK Loan Hospital at Jaipur, 200 to 250 children, aged between 5 to 9 years of age, are visiting daily. In private hospitals as well, 25 children out of every 100 visiting are suffering from this disease.
The doctors believe that it the first time that HFMD is spreading at such a high rate, and its symptoms have turned even more severe than earlier. Even the recovery, which earlier used to take place in 3 days, is now taking 7 to 8 days. Some children are also being admitted to hospitals. As per Dr. Sanjeev Gupta, earlier, the symptoms of this disease could be seen in a few children only, but it has spread at a fast pace this year.
The children who contract the virus suffer from small pimples developing all over their bodies, with water oozing out of them, and within 3-4 days, ulcers in the mouth develop and fever is recorded. Many a times, the patient suffers from itching all over the body.
It is crucial that parents of infected children do not send them to school, as the disease takes up to 7 days to be transmitted from one to another, and hence, one doesn’t get to know about the same instantly, and multiple children fall prey to the virus at the same time. Hygiene plays a crucial role and hence, cleanliness needs to be maintained.
The disease has developed itself. Earlier, there used to develop pimples on exposed body parts, but now, pimples are developing in areas around knees and elbows as well, and while children recovered in 3 to 4 days earlier, it now takes 7-8 days for the same. The ulcers in the mouth were smaller, while now, the size has increased.
Pediatrician Dr. Ashok Gupta says that for quite a long time, children have been inside of their homes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and therefore, immunity could not develop in young children. Children with low immunity levels are the most vulnerable to fall prey to the disease. He added that it is the most important to consult a doctor as soon as possible after symptoms are noticed. If treated on time, the child can recuperate within 8 to 10 days.
