Parents urged to keep an eye out for hand, foot and mouth disease

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Parents urged to keep an eye out for hand, foot and mouth disease

TRANG, 15 July 2014 (NNT)- Public health office has warned parents and educational centers against hand, foot and mouth disease in children. Proper hygiene is required to avoid affliction.

The Public Health officer, Dr. Witoon Learngdilok said, as Thailand entered the monsoon season of the year, many different diseases could easily arise, especially the worrying hand, foot,and mouth disease, which can mostly be found in children. So far the number of people infected with the disease is on the rise.

According to the department of epidemiology, from 1st January to 29th June 2014 a total of 23,571 were afflicted with the disease. The office has, therefore, issued warnings to all schools nationwide.

Measures need to be taken seriously. Firstly, all schools need to make sure the whole campus is clean, including classrooms, kitchens, restrooms, and all equipment in the school.

Teachers also need to check students’ health regularly, especially looking for blisters and rashes on students’ hands and feet, and in mouths. And teachers and students need to be educated and informed about the viral infection.

Parents should take care and keep an ill child at home. Those who have hand, foot, and mouth disease and experience high fever, fatigue, and seizures should be taken to the hospital immediately.


-- NNT 2014-07-15

[djjamie]

With 2 small children in school it is disconcerting to read this OP. Though at least I can keep an eye out for any symptoms and take appropriate action.

Thanks TV for sharing this news story for concerned parents as myself.

[ChrisY1]

It's pretty bad, considering.. some 23500 people affected with this disease...poor hygeine most likely

[BOOKEMDANO]

There is currently no cure for hand, foot and mouth disease, so treatment involves making your child feel as comfortable as possible while waiting for the infection to take its course.

Possible treatment options include:

using paracetamol, ibuprofen and mouth gels to relieve the pain of mouth ulcers

drinking plenty of fluids to help relieve a high temperature

[UbonRatch]

Would be rather helpful to educate parents about the signs, and teachers too for that matter. Little more need be said, apart from few parents know what to look out for if they don't receive any distributed info about such, and one can't assume parents here even know what the disease entails when asking them to 'be aware'.

[ScouseTommy]

With 2 small children in school it is disconcerting to read this OP. Though at least I can keep an eye out for any symptoms and take appropriate action.

Thanks TV for sharing this news story for concerned parents as myself.

I teach in Thailand and this has been an ongoing problem for the last couple of years. The schools are pretty good tbh. Cleaning everywhere and having professional companies coming in after hours to treat the classroom and office area's. Unfortunately when the kids are really young they put their hands everywhere. When they get it, their older siblings usually follow suit. All you can do is ensure they are washing their hands every chance they get. Especially after removing shoes to go in to a class/home etc. Also consider the child friendly hand sanitizer. They are easy for the kids to carry and can be used frequently (the alcohol free version). FYI its not fun as an adult when you get it, or its little cousin Herpagina, either!

[ScouseTommy]

Teachers do know what to look out for, and the parents are regularly given letters (with colour pictures) to increase awareness. Further to that children with any sort of (overly) runny nose or even the mildest fever are sent home. They cannot return without a medical certificate. We also check the mouths of students daily, as well as temperatures. The school also has a body temperature scanner in the entrance which shows up students entering who have a fever. Schools are doing everything they can (with what resources they have). Unfortunately this disease is on the rise and very easily spread, particularly with very young children.

[UbonRatch]

Teachers do know what to look out for, and the parents are regularly given letters (with colour pictures) to increase awareness.

How to get into an XR3 holding 2 VCRs, is that?

[ScouseTommy]

Teachers do know what to look out for, and the parents are regularly given letters (with colour pictures) to increase awareness.

How to get into an XR3 holding 2 VCRs, is that?

OI, abusing scousers is just plain nasty!! Lucky we have more of a sense of humour than the average TV poster!!

Edited July 15, 2014 by ScouseTommy

[UbonRatch]

Teachers do know what to look out for, and the parents are regularly given letters (with colour pictures) to increase awareness.

How to get into an XR3 holding 2 VCRs, is that?

OI, abusing scousers is just plain nasty!! Lucky we have more of a sense of humour than the average TV poster!!

Get down Blackler's grotto you, an touch up Santa, AN nick his beard while ur at it. On ur way back there laa, go down Hillfoot and divvie a Halewooder with a tramline Stanley... ...ger iz XR4 an swop it fer a Lada... the Buzzies never look for Lada's.. ............... Respect!

[claffey]

Nurseries and schools in Thailand are, generally, spotless. Floors are mopped daily and disinfected.. My son contracted this in the UK recently.His nursery here is hoovered daily but only washed sporadically.His symptoms were minor and he recovered quickly...Its a nasty infection with no known cure...

[Head Snake]

Interesting.

Is this more prevalent in the rural farming communities? Is Bangkok private schools also affected?

Does having pets increase the prevalence?

Does leaving your shoes outside the house help with the cleanliness?

[ScouseTommy]

Interesting.

Is this more prevalent in the rural farming communities? Is Bangkok private schools also affected?

Does having pets increase the prevalence?

Does leaving your shoes outside the house help with the cleanliness?

It's in all schools across Thailand Gov'/private and International

Pets doesn't seem to increase prevalence

Leaving shoes outside is hygienic for older people. When really young kids take off shoes they tend to touch the floor/soles of the shoe and everywhere else. Hands then naturally go to mouths! If they are going to take off shoes they need to be closely watched and then told to wash their hands straight away (and watched whilst they do this as well)

[Pii Kate]

Hygiene has nothing to do with H,F,M dz. It's a virus and one of the five viruses most children get. The only concern is if the child is around a pregnant woman. The incubation period and contagious period is before the child even has symptoms. Rarely do adults get it and once gotten, rarely does anyone get it again. I worked with children (as a nurse) in the states and it is so common, I lost count. Why not educate the people on real, serious health problems. This is a stupid, scary scare tactic. Sorry folks but speculating on something you have no experience with further complicates this simple issue.

[Pii Kate]

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Nurseries and schools in Thailand are, generally, spotless. Floors are mopped daily and disinfected.. My son contracted this in the UK recently.His nursery here is hoovered daily but only washed sporadically.His symptoms were minor and he recovered quickly...Its a nasty infection with no known cure...

Again, it is not a nasty infection, just a simple childhood virus infection. Most of us had it when we were young. Not every episode involves hand, mouth or foot. It's easy to miss and dangerous only to pregnant women.

[Garry]

Teachers do know what to look out for, and the parents are regularly given letters (with colour pictures) to increase awareness.

How to get into an XR3 holding 2 VCRs, is that?

OI, abusing scousers is just plain nasty!! Lucky we have more of a sense of humour than the average TV poster!!

Get down Blackler's grotto you, an touch up Santa, AN nick his beard while ur at it. On ur way back there laa, go down Hillfoot and divvie a Halewooder with a tramline Stanley... ...ger iz XR4 an swop it fer a Lada... the Buzzies never look for Lada's.. ............... Respect!

My google translate is not working

[arthurwait]

Interesting.

Is this more prevalent in the rural farming communities? Is Bangkok private schools also affected?

Does having pets increase the prevalence?

Does leaving your shoes outside the house help with the cleanliness?

My sons school in Chonburi city had just been closed for about 2 weeks because of it. 40K a term for a 2 year old.

He's not contracted it and we've got 2 cats.

I think 7 kids had got it when they closed the school.

Half the school had been off with flu, temperatures, sore throat and cough for a few weeks before that.

[watso63]

Sadly a10 month old infant died of this last week in the village next to me.