Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease
Your child is required to remain home.
Cause/Symptoms
Transmission
Incubation
Period of Communicability
- Virus
- Sudden onset of fever, sore throat, rash on palms of hands, fingers, and on soles of feet with or without painful sores inside the mouth
- Usually occurs in children, particularly in the summer months
Transmission
- Person to person by direct contact with fluid from sores, respiratory secretions and fecal-oral route
- Although most common in young children, asymptomatic adults can also spread infection
Incubation
- Usually 3 to 5 days
Period of Communicability
- Most infectious during the first week of illness while experiencing symptoms
- Transmission via stools and throat secretions may persist for several weeks
We can discuss your child's return to daycare once all the following criteria has been met:
- All sores/blisters are dried up, including the ones hidden under clothing and diapers
- Your child can participate in all activities
- Your child is eating and drinking normally
- All symptoms are done and your child is no longer contagious
- The daycare fever policy has been followed
- The daycare runny nose policy has been followed
- The daycare sore throat policy has been followed
- Your child is no longer in any pain
- At least 7 days have passed since the onset of symptoms/diagnosis
Your child is required to remain home for at least seven (7) days, if not longer.