Local Daycares see Increase in Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease cases
BATON ROUGE, La. – Cases of hand, foot, and mouth disease are on the rise in the Baton Rouge area, prompting increased concern among parents and leading at least one school to advise families to seek immediate medical attention if symptoms develop.
Dr. Michael Wayne, a local physician, clarified that while the increase is noticeable, most cases do not necessitate a doctor’s visit. “Do you truly need to come to the doctor if your child has hand,foot,and mouth? No,” Wayne stated.”The only reason why I would bring them is if they have signs of dehydration or fever that lasts for five days or longer. Definitely, I would bring your child in if those symptoms are present. But other than that, this is something that we can treat with Tylenol or ibuprofen and just give it some time.”
Hand, foot, and mouth disease typically manifests as fever, sore throat, painful mouth sores, and a rash or blisters on the hands and feet. The rash,Wayne explained,generally resolves on it’s own and is not typically itchy. Children can return to school once they have been fever-free for 24 hours.
Wayne noted a trend of heightened caution since the COVID-19 pandemic, with some daycares implementing isolation protocols similar to those used during the height of the pandemic for this common childhood illness. “As the pandemic, lots of daycares are treating very common illnesses likewise they treated COVID during the pandemic,” he said. “They’re treating thes illnesses as if we need to isolate children and quarantine them and keep them out for seven to 10 days, and all of this is not necessary.”
he added that he’s observed an increase in appointments scheduled solely to obtain a doctor’s note for daycare re-entry. “If the daycare is insisting that the child be seen and get a note,that’s fine. Schedule an appointment with your provider, bring your child in to be seen, it’s fine. We’re happy to see them,” Wayne said. “But know and understand that what we’re gonna tell you is that this is a benign disorder. All children get it. Your child’s gonna be fine.”
Adults who were previously exposed to the disease as children are typically not susceptible.
