Wichita sees seasonal spike in common (but icky) virus in children younger than 5
The Wichita area is nearing the end of a seasonal spike of a virus most commonly spread among children younger than 5 years old.
Hand, foot and mouth disease is most known for painful sores that develop in the mouth, as well as a rash on the palms and soles of the feet. The virus also brings a fever, sore throat and sometimes a low appetite, according to Sedgwick County’s website.
“I think we’re kind of starting to get on the back end of our little local spike,” Dr. Amy Seery, a pediatrician at Ascension Via Christi, told The Eagle Wednesday. “It’s still just a pretty typical spike that we see this time of year.”
Adrienne Byrne, director of the Sedgwick County Health Department, said while hand, foot and mouth disease is not a reportable virus, — meaning the agency doesn’t require health care providers to report cases — the department has heard about cases this fall in the area.
“We have heard from a couple elementary schools that there is hand, foot and mouth in the school,” Byrne said.
The highly contagious virus is most commonly spread in daycare and school settings through bodily fluids.
“[It] most commonly spreads amongst children less than five, who are notorious for putting things in their mouth or touching surfaces,” Seery said. “It can be very difficult to prevent a child from getting this.”
That contact is critical to the spread.
“After we sneeze, cough, talk, sing, and those droplets fall to a surface, and then we touch the surface, touch the pen, whatever it is, and then touch our face [the virus can spread],” Byrne said.
It’s rare for adults to catch hand, foot and mouth disease, but they can, and when they do, the symptoms are typically more severe.
Lesions tend to appear on the hands, feet and mouth, as the name indicates, but Seery said sometimes they can spread elsewhere.
“The classic lesions that appear can appear on other parts of the body, as well. So it’s not uncommon to see it in the buttock area, on the trunk, sometimes on the arms and legs, as well,” Seery said.
Typically, cases will resolve on their own, but Byrne said you should seek medical attention in severe cases and especially when the patient is an infant younger than 6 months.
“If the symptoms seem severe, and if the baby is under six months of age, contact a pediatrician,” Byrne said. “If the child cannot drink well and the caregivers worry that they’re dehydrated, that would be important to reach out to their health care provider if they have a fever that lasts longer than three days.”
Other concerning symptoms that might prompt medical attention include signs of confusion, difficulty walking or if a child seems to have “intense neck pain,” Seery said.
This year, much like previous years, officials haven’t seen many cases that require hospitalization, Seery said.
How to treat hand, foot and mouth disease
Hand, foot and mouth disease can be treated from home in the majority of cases, both Byrne and Seery emphasized.
A top issue that can arise when recovering is dehydration.
“One of the most important things for parents of young children [to do] is to make sure that their child is not getting dehydrated, because the child might be reluctant to drink anything or eat anything with sores in their mouth,” Byrne said.
Be sure to encourage fluid intake, Seery said. While numbing gels may seem like a good option if children are experiencing painful mouth sores, she does not recommend them.
“We don’t actually recommend numbing gels in this age group. We want them to be able to protect their airway and swallow effectively,” Seery said.
Ibuprofen and Tylenol can help mitigate symptoms, the pediatrician said, and most children recover within a week.
“Children can usually return to school or daycare once they’re about 24 hours symptom-free, and they’re not starting to show any new blisters forming and the existing ones are starting to show healing,” Seery said.
To prevent spreading the virus, Byrne emphasized not touching your face.
“It’s really important for people to wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after changing diapers, using the bathroom, coughing, sneezing,” Byrne said. “It’s important to help kids wash their hands and to keep their fingers away from their face as much as possible. And we did see during COVID that that is possible.”
The fall spike in the area usually occurs in September and October, but the months can vary by year. A spring spike usually happens in the April to June time period.
With holiday — and flu — season approaching, Byrne reminds people of the importance of taking precautions to stay healthy.
“It typically starts to get cold around Thanksgiving, and we’re inside enjoying our families or friends. So it’s really important to remember to stay home if you don’t feel well and wash those hands. That is one of the best prevention methods that any of us can do,” Byrne said.
