Hand, foot and mouth disease

Hand, foot and mouth disease is a common illness. It causes mouth ulcers and spots on the hands and feet.

It’s most common in young children, particularly those under 10. But, it can affect older children and adults as well.

The infection is not linked to foot and mouth disease, which affects cattle, sheep and pigs.

Symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease

The signs of hand, foot and mouth disease can include:

a high temperature (fever)
feeling unwell
loss of appetite
coughing
abdominal (tummy) pain
a sore throat and mouth

Mouth ulcers

After 1 or 2 days, red spots appear on the tongue and inside the mouth.

These quickly develop into larger yellow-grey mouth ulcers with red edges.

The ulcers can be painful and make eating, drinking and swallowing difficult. They should pass within a week.

Spotty rash and blisters

Soon after the mouth ulcers appear, you may notice a rash made up of small, raised red spots on the skin.

These can develop on the:

fingers
back of the hands
palms of the hand
soles of the feet
buttocks
groin

The spots may then turn into small blisters with a grey centre.

The spots and blisters can sometimes be itchy or uncomfortable and usually last up to 10 days.

When to get medical advice

Seek medical advice if:

you or your child’s symptoms are getting worse or do not improve after 7 to 10 days
you or your child have a very high temperature, or feel hot and shivery
your child develops fits (seizures), confusion, weakness or a loss of consciousness
your child is under 3 months old and has a temperature of 38°C (101°F) or above, or is between 3 and 6 months old and has a temperature of 39°C (102°F) or above
the skin becomes very painful, red, swollen and hot, or there’s a discharge of pus
you’re worried about your child’s symptoms
your child is unable or unwilling to drink any fluids
your child is dehydrated (they’re not peeing as often as usual)
you’re pregnant and get hand, foot and mouth disease

Hand, foot and mouth disease can be spread to other people.
Check with your GP practice before going. They may suggest a phone consultation.

Pregnancy and hand, foot and mouth disease

Speak to your GP practice if you’re pregnant and you become infected within a few weeks of your due date. Infection in pregnancy is usually nothing to worry about. But, there’s a small chance it could make your baby ill if you’re infected shortly before you give birth.

Read more about the risks of hand, foot and mouth disease in pregnancy

Treatment for hand, foot and mouth disease

Hand, foot and mouth disease can be unpleasant, but it will usually clear up by itself within 7 to 10 days. You can normally look after yourself or your child at home.

There’s no cure for hand, foot and mouth disease.

Antibiotics won’t help as hand, foot and mouth disease is caused by a virus.

You should keep your child away from nursery or school until they’re feeling better. Adults with the condition should stay away from work until they’re feeling better.

Things you can do to help your symptoms

Do

rest at home
drink lots of water
eat soft foods like yoghurt or soup if swallowing is uncomfortable
take paracetamol or ibuprofen to ease a sore throat or fever
use mouth gels, rinses or sprays for mouth ulcers

How is hand, foot and mouth disease spread?

Hand, foot and mouth disease is easily passed on to other people. It’s spread through coughs, sneezes, poo and the fluid in blisters.

The infection is caused by many different viruses so you can get it more than once. Most people develop immunity to these viruses as they get older.

How to prevent hand, foot and mouth disease

It’s not always possible to avoid getting hand, foot and mouth disease. But, following this advice can help stop the infection spreading.

Do

stay off work, school or nursery until you or your child are feeling better
use tissues to cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze
put used tissues in a bin as soon as possible
wash your hands with soap and water often
disinfect any surfaces or objects often
wash any bedding or clothing on a hot wash