Question
Today is the third day, and there are small red spots on her mouth, hands, and feet. Today, she started taking ribavirin and applying vitamin B12. How should I treat my 4-year-old daughter’s hand, foot, and mouth disease?
Answer
The most effective treatment for hand, foot, and mouth disease is with traditional Chinese medicine. Generally, a combination of oral medication and mouthwash is used, and patients without complications can recover in about a week with good prognosis. Antiviral medications can also be used. It’s important to have the child rinse their mouth with warm water regularly; avoid eating cold or spicy and irritating foods, do not give salty food to prevent pain and refusal to eat; the diet should be easy to digest, consisting of light, soft, warm dishes, and drink plenty of warm water. Prevention measures mainly involve isolating the sick child, strengthening the health care of infants and young children to reduce the chance of infection. At the same time, pay attention to good air circulation in the living space and maintain an appropriate temperature.