There have been some cases of an illness that has hit the youngest population.

Dallas County Health Department Public Information Officer Ann Cochran says Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease typically infects kids under the age of five, however those individuals older than that have been known to contract it as well.

“Usually, Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease isn’t serious, but it is very contagious. And it spreads like wildfire in daycare centers and schools.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the common causes of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease is from peoples’ hands that have human feces on them. Cochran says symptoms include a fever, mouth sores and a skin rash of raised red spots on palms of the hands that are not itchy and could blister. 

Cochran notes that this is a virus and you should consider taking a child to a health care professional if the fever last longer than three days or if the child doesn’t drink fluids normally because of the mouth sores in order to prevent the child from dehydrating. She says while technically kids that don’t have a fever are well enough to go back to daycare or school, it can still be a risky move.

“However a teething toddler with mouth sores, even without a fever, is going to spread this disease. And it’s really difficult, even for a four-year-old, to understand prevention measures, such as not touching others with a blistered hand.”   

Cochran says prevention measures include always washing hands with soap and water after using the toilet or changing diapers. She adds if the child is less than six months old and has any of the symptoms of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease to immediately seek medical assistance.