Bokaro doctors report spurt in hand, foot and mouth disease in children

Bokaro: Doctors and clinics in the district are reporting a rise in hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) among children in recent days.
The number of patients in the OPD of the pediatric ward of Bokaro General Hospital (BGH) has also reported a surge. The Bokaro unit of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) has also alerted doctors in the district about the growing number of cases in Bokaro.
Secretary, Bokaro unit of IAP and pediatrician Dr L K Thakur, said, “We are treating so many patients here for the first time. Last year, the cases were only a handful. Currently, I am getting a minimum of 20 cases among children with symptoms of the disease in my clinic. Children aged between one and 10 are mostly affected.”
HFMD is a contagious infection common in young children. Its symptoms include sores in the mouth and rashes on the hands and feet. This disease is most commonly caused by a coxsackievirus. “There’s no specific treatment for hand, foot and mouth disease,” said Dr S C Munsi, another prominent pediatrician.
“Last year, I came across only two cases of HFMD. This year, I am flooded with cases. In the past 15-20 days, I have treated more than 100 children with HFMD symptoms,” Dr Munsi added.
There are seven pediatricians in BGH and all are treating HFMD patients every day in their OPDs. Dr Indranil, a pediatric at BGH, said, “Almost 70-80 children come for treatment in OPD of the hospital every day. Of them, 40% have symptoms of HFMD.”
Pediatricians stated that fever and sore throat are usually the first symptoms of HFMD.
The characteristic blisters and rashes show up after a couple of days. The rash usually looks like flat red spots. Most children with HFMD also have painful sores in the mouth and find it difficult to eat.
“Young children have the highest risk for getting HFMD if they attend day care or school where someone is infected. Practising good hygiene is the best defense against HFMD. Regular hand washing can reduce your risk of getting infected,” said Dr Thakur.