Foot hand mouth virus toddlers

Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website. You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link. CDC is not responsible for Section compliance accessibility on other federal or private website. Cancel Continue. Wash Your Hands. Wash your hands often for at least 20 seconds to stop germs from spreading.

Related Links. Links with this icon indicate that you are leaving the CDC website. Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website. The usual period from initial infection to the onset of signs and symptoms incubation period is three to six days.

A fever is often the first sign of hand-foot-and-mouth disease, followed by a sore throat and sometimes a poor appetite and feeling unwell. One or two days after the fever begins, painful sores may develop in the front of the mouth or throat. A rash on the hands and feet and possibly on the buttocks can follow within one or two days. Sores that develop in the back of the mouth and throat may suggest that your child is infected with a related viral illness called herpangina.

Other features of herpangina include a sudden high fever and in some instances, seizure. Sores that develop on the hands, feet or other parts of the body are very rare. Hand-foot-and-mouth disease is usually a minor illness causing only a few days of fever and relatively mild signs and symptoms. Contact your doctor if mouth sores or a sore throat keep your child from drinking fluids. And contact your doctor if after a few days, your child's signs and symptoms worsen.

The most common cause of hand-foot-and-mouth disease is infection with the coxsackievirus A The coxsackievirus belongs to a group of viruses called nonpolio enteroviruses.

Other types of enteroviruses sometimes cause hand-foot-and-mouth disease. Oral ingestion is the main source of coxsackievirus infection and hand-foot-and-mouth disease.

The illness spreads by person-to-person contact with an infected person's:. Hand-foot-and-mouth disease is most common in children in child care settings because of frequent diaper changes and toilet training, and because little children often put their hands in their mouths. Although your child is most contagious with hand-foot-and-mouth disease during the first week of the illness, the virus can remain in his or her body for weeks after the signs and symptoms are gone.

That means your child still can infect others. Wash Your Hands. Wash your hands often for at least 20 seconds to stop germs from spreading. Related Links. Links with this icon indicate that you are leaving the CDC website.

Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website. You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link. CDC is not responsible for Section compliance accessibility on other federal or private website. Cancel Continue.