SAN ANTONIO – The painful blisters that afflict children under the age of 5, as well as adults, with hand, foot and mouth disease are seen year-round in San Antonio, according to Dr. Sky Izaddoost, a primary care physician with the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio.
Even so, Izaddoost said, more HFMD cases are reported in the fall, when children return to school, and in the spring.
Several parents told KSAT 12 NEWS their children allegedly caught the virus after playing in the water recently at Pearsall Park.
In response, the city’s Parks and Recreation Department said it will daily monitor the system in place that regulates chlorine and pH levels at the new park.
“If a blister pops, it’s very easy to spread and then also in your poop,” Izaddoost said.
She said if children have an ‘accident’ in the water, and there isn’t enough chlorine, “You’re going to get it.”
The doctor said it also can be spread through droplets from coughing.
“It causes blisters on the hands and the feet and inside the mouth and down the throat. Small babies can have them on their bottom,” Izaddoost said.
Izaddoost said children with eczema, who are predisposed to skin problems, can have the blisters all over their bodies.
Since HFMD is a virus, there is no treatment, Izaddoost said.
“Just takes time for your immune system to fight it,” she said.
The healing process usually takes about a week.
“Your immune system is stronger than any other medication we have for it,” Izaddoost said.
She said HFMD usually starts with a fever before parents notice their children are having trouble eating and swallowing or even putting on their shoes and socks.
Izaddoost recommends frequent and thorough hand-washing to help avoid the spread of the disease. She also said anyone with HFMD should stay home and then check with their physician.
“You want to make sure that you are no longer contagious before you go back to work or back to school,” Izaddoost said.
She said people shouldn’t be surprised if they get HFMD again, because there are different forms of the virus.