Hand, foot and mouth disease spreading among children

The hand, foot and mouth disease is spreading among the children in the country, Consultant Paediatrician at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital, Dr. Deepal Perera says.Addressing the media in Colombo, he said patients had fever, sore throat and painful, blister-like lesions in the mouth, on hands and legs and buttocks.

Dr. Perera said it was like to chickenpox but in the case of chickenpox the blisters usually appeared on the chest and the back.

“Once a child gets better his or her nails might fall off. But they will grow back. This is highly contagious so don’t send your children to school if your child has developed these symptoms,” he said. (RK)