Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease: What Parents Need to Know — From First Sores to Full Recovery

6 days ago

10 min read

Updated: 2 days ago

Medically reviewed by Dr. Baraa Alnahhal, MD · Last reviewed: September 2026

Source currency note: This guide reflects clinical content reviewed and dated December 12, 2023. Medical guidance changes over time; always confirm current recommendations with a licensed healthcare professional.

TL;DR

Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is a common, contagious viral illness that mostly affects children younger than 5. It causes mouth sores and a rash on the hands and feet, along with fever and a general feeling of being unwell. It spreads easily through close contact, coughing, sneezing, and contact with stool, and there is no vaccine or specific treatment — the virus has to run its course, usually in 7 to 10 days. Home care focuses on comfort: pain relief, cool soft foods, and plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration, which is the most common complication. Most children recover fully with no lasting problems, but call the doctor if your child cannot keep fluids down, has signs of dehydration, or a fever that lasts more than 3 days.

Quick Answer

Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is a common viral infection causing mouth sores and a rash on the hands and feet; it mainly affects children under 5 but can occur at any age.
It is caused by viruses in the enterovirus family, most often coxsackievirus A16, and spreads through close personal contact, coughing and sneezing, contact with feces, and contact with contaminated surfaces or objects.
Symptoms usually appear 3 to 6 days after exposure and include fever, sore throat, feeling unwell, painful mouth sores, and a rash on the hands, feet, and sometimes buttocks and legs.
There is no specific treatment or vaccine; the illness typically clears on its own within 7 to 10 days, and care focuses on relieving symptoms.
Dehydration is the most common complication, since mouth sores can make swallowing painful; rare complications include viral meningitis and encephalitis.
Call the doctor if your child shows signs of dehydration, has a fever lasting more than 3 days, or symptoms that do not improve after 10 days.
Good hand hygiene, disinfecting shared surfaces, and keeping sick children home are the best ways to prevent it from spreading.

What Is Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease?

Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is a common viral illness that usually affects infants and children younger than 5 years old. However, it can occasionally occur in older children and adults. Signs and symptoms include mouth sores and a rash on the hands and feet.

Hand, foot and mouth disease is caused by a virus. There is no specific treatment. Simple self-care measures can help ease signs and symptoms while your child's body fights off the virus, which usually happens within 7 to 10 days.

Hand, foot and mouth disease is contagious and spreads from person to person through direct contact with unwashed hands or surfaces contaminated with feces, and through respiratory droplets released when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Careful hand-washing and avoiding close contact with people who have hand, foot and mouth disease can help reduce your child's risk of infection.

Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease: Key Facts at a Glance

Question	Answer
What is it?	A common, contagious viral illness causing mouth sores and a rash on the hands and feet
Who gets it most?	Children younger than 5, though older children and adults can get it too
What causes it?	Viruses in the enterovirus family, most commonly coxsackievirus A16
How long does it last?	Usually clears on its own within 7 to 10 days
Is there a vaccine or cure?	No; there is no specific treatment or vaccine — care focuses on comfort
How is it prevented?	Frequent hand-washing, disinfecting surfaces, and avoiding close contact with sick people

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease may include: fever; sore throat; a feeling of being unwell (malaise); painful, red, blister-like lesions on the tongue, gums and inside of the cheeks; a red rash, without itching but sometimes with blistering, on the palms, soles and sometimes the buttocks; and irritability in infants and toddlers.

The most common signs and symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease are fever and mouth sores, which typically appear 3 to 6 days after your child is initially exposed to the virus that causes the disease. A sore throat and a general feeling of being unwell may precede the mouth sores or skin rash by 1 or 2 days.

The mouth sores often begin as small red spots, usually on the tongue and inside of the mouth, that blister and can become painful. The skin rash, if it occurs, develops over 1 or 2 days with flat or raised red spots, sometimes with blisters.

Symptom	What You Would Notice
Fever	Often the first sign, appearing before mouth sores or rash
Sore throat	May come 1 to 2 days before mouth sores or rash appear
Feeling unwell	General malaise, low energy
Mouth sores	Painful, red, blister-like lesions on the tongue, gums, and inside of the cheeks
Skin rash	Red spots, usually without itching, sometimes with blisters, on palms, soles, and sometimes buttocks
Irritability	More common in infants and toddlers, often from mouth pain

Some people, especially adults, may become infected with the virus but have no signs or symptoms, or a rash that isn't obvious. Still, they can pass the infection to others.

Note: a related condition called herpangina, caused by a different strain of coxsackievirus, features sudden fever and blister-like sores at the back of the mouth or throat, without sores on the hands and feet.

How Does It Spread?

Hand, foot and mouth disease spreads from person to person by direct contact with unwashed hands or surfaces contaminated with feces, as well as through nose and throat discharge (saliva, sputum, or nasal mucus), fluid from blisters, and respiratory droplets sprayed into the air after a cough or sneeze.

How It Spreads	Example
Close personal contact	Hugging, kissing, or sharing utensils/cups with an infected person
Coughing and sneezing	Respiratory droplets released into the air
Contact with feces	Often during diaper changing, then touching the mouth before hand-washing
Contact with contaminated objects	Toys and surfaces touched by an infected child

You're most contagious during the first week of the illness, but the virus can remain in your body for weeks after signs and symptoms are gone — meaning you can still infect others.

Some people, particularly adults, may have no symptoms even though the virus is in their bodies, but they can still spread the virus. This is why it's common for hand, foot and mouth disease to spread within child care centers, preschools, and other places where groups of children are together.

Who Is at Highest Risk

Risk Factor	Why It Matters
Young age	Children in child care centers, preschools, and other places with groups of children are at greatest risk, because the disease spreads by person-to-person contact and children tend to have less immunity
Weakened immunity	The disease occurs most commonly in children, but healthy adults can also be at risk, especially those with weakened immune systems

Complications

The most common complication of hand, foot and mouth disease is dehydration. The illness can cause a sore throat and painful mouth sores that make it hard and painful to swallow, leading some children to become dehydrated from not drinking enough fluids.

Complication	Details
Dehydration	The most common complication — mouth sores make swallowing painful, so fluid intake drops
Viral meningitis	Rare; causes fever, headache, stiff neck, or back pain and requires hospitalization
Encephalitis	A rare, potentially life-threatening brain inflammation associated with certain enterovirus strains

When Should You Call the Doctor?

Situation	What to Do
Signs of dehydration (decreased urination, dry mouth, excessive sleepiness, no tears when crying)	Call your doctor promptly
Mouth sores or sore throat make it hard to swallow enough fluids	Call your doctor
Fever lasts more than 3 days	Call your doctor
Symptoms don't improve after 10 days	Call your doctor
Signs of a more serious infection in a child with a weakened immune system	Call your doctor

How Is It Diagnosed?

Your child's doctor can usually diagnose hand, foot and mouth disease by evaluating: the age of the person affected; the pattern of signs and symptoms reported; and the appearance of the rash or mouth sores. Your doctor may take a throat swab or stool sample and send it to a laboratory to test for the virus, though this is not always needed to make a diagnosis.

How Is It Treated?

No specific treatment exists for hand, foot and mouth disease. Signs and symptoms usually clear up on their own in 7 to 10 days.

Topical mouth medications may sometimes be used to relieve pain from mouth sores. Over-the-counter pain relievers, other than aspirin, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, may help relieve general discomfort.

Never give aspirin to children or teenagers with a viral illness, because aspirin use in these situations has been associated with Reye's syndrome, a rare but potentially fatal condition.

Treatment Option	Notes
Acetaminophen or ibuprofen	Helps relieve fever and general discomfort; never give aspirin
Topical mouth medication	May relieve pain from mouth sores; ask your doctor or pharmacist about age-appropriate options
Lozenges or throat sprays with benzocaine	Not recommended for young children due to the rare but serious risk of methemoglobinemia; ask your doctor before using in children

Home Care

Home Care Step	Why It Helps
Offer cold items: ice pops, ice cream, or a cold drink	Cold soothes mouth sores and encourages fluid intake
Avoid acidic or spicy foods and drinks	These can irritate mouth sores further
Offer soft foods that don't need much chewing	Reduces pain while eating
Have your child rinse with cool water after eating	Keeps the mouth clean without irritating sores
Give pain relievers other than aspirin as needed	Eases fever and discomfort
Encourage frequent small sips of fluids	Prevents dehydration, the most common complication

Prevention

The risk of infection from the hand, foot and mouth virus can be lowered by following simple precautions to prevent exposure to the germs that cause it.

Prevention Step	Details
Wash hands well and often	Especially after using the toilet or changing a diaper, and before preparing or eating food
Disinfect common areas and shared items	Clean frequently touched surfaces and shared items first with soap and water, then with a diluted bleach solution
Teach good hygiene habits	Explain the benefits of good hygiene to help children understand why it's important not to put things in their mouths
Avoid close contact with infected people	Since hand, foot and mouth disease is highly contagious, avoid activities such as hugging and kissing, and sharing utensils or cups, with someone who is infected
Isolate those who are infected while contagious	Because the disease spreads easily, children with the disease should be kept out of child care or school until fever is gone and mouth sores have healed

Preparing for Your Appointment

You're likely to start by seeing your child's pediatrician or family doctor. Before your appointment, write down key information, including: your child's symptoms and when they began; recent exposures to other sick children, especially at child care or school; all medications, vitamins, or supplements your child takes; and questions to ask the doctor.

Some basic questions to ask the doctor include: What is likely causing my child's symptoms? What tests, if any, are needed? Is this contagious, and for how long? What treatments are available, and which do you recommend? What home care steps do you suggest? What signs would mean I should bring my child back in or seek urgent care? How long should my child stay home from child care or school?

Your doctor is likely to ask you questions too, including: When did symptoms begin? Has your child had a fever? Is your child eating and drinking normally? Has your child been around other children who were sick? Does your child attend child care, preschool, or school? Are your child's symptoms getting better, worse, or staying the same?

Conclusion: What to Do Next

Hand, foot and mouth disease is uncomfortable but almost always mild, and most children are back to normal within 7 to 10 days with nothing more than home care. The two things worth watching closely are hydration and fever: keep offering small, frequent sips of cool fluids even when your child resists eating, and track how many days the fever lasts.

Call your child's doctor if you notice signs of dehydration, if fever lasts more than 3 days, or if symptoms haven't started improving after 10 days. Otherwise, focus on comfort — cold soft foods, pain relief without aspirin, and good hand hygiene for the whole household to avoid spreading it further.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is hand, foot and mouth disease contagious?

You're most contagious during the first week of illness, but the virus can remain in the body for weeks after symptoms disappear, meaning it's still possible to infect others during that time.

Can adults get hand, foot and mouth disease?

Yes. It occurs most commonly in children, but healthy adults can be at risk too, especially those with weakened immune systems. Some infected adults have no symptoms at all but can still spread the virus.

What is the difference between hand, foot and mouth disease and herpangina?

Herpangina is caused by a different strain of coxsackievirus and causes sudden fever with blister-like sores at the back of the mouth or throat, but without the rash on the hands and feet seen in hand, foot and mouth disease.

Is there a vaccine for hand, foot and mouth disease?

No. There is currently no vaccine and no specific treatment. The illness typically clears on its own within 7 to 10 days with supportive home care.

Can my child go back to school with hand, foot and mouth disease?

Because the disease spreads easily, children should stay out of child care or school until the fever is gone and mouth sores have healed, to reduce the risk of spreading it to others.

Can you get hand, foot and mouth disease more than once?

Because it's caused by a group of different viruses, it's possible to get hand, foot and mouth disease more than once, since a previous infection doesn't necessarily protect against all the viruses that can cause it.

What is the most important complication to watch for?

Dehydration is the most common complication, since painful mouth sores can make it hard for a child to drink enough fluids. Watch for decreased urination, dry mouth, excessive sleepiness, or no tears when crying, and call your doctor if you notice these signs.

References

Health information, not medical advice. This article is for general education and is not a substitute for professional diagnosis or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider about your own health, and seek emergency care for urgent symptoms.