Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease is common in children under the age of 5, but anyone can get it. It is most commonly caused by a coxsackievirus, which belongs to a group of viruses called nonpolio enteroviruses. The illness is usually not serious, but is very contagious. It spreads quickly at schools and daycare centers. It spreads through person-to-person contact when an infected person’s nose secretions or throat discharge, saliva, fluid from blisters, stool or respiratory droplets are sprayed into the air after a cough or sneeze Symptoms Patients usually develop fever, sore throat, painful blister-like lesions on the tongue, gums and inside of the cheeks. The children may develop ulcers inside their mouths. Also, rashes are noticed on the palms, soles and sometimes the buttocks. Children are mostly treated with anti-allergic medicines and ointments. The lesions usually disappear in five to six days. “Drink enough liquids. Mouth sores can make it painful to swallow, so your child may not want to drink much. Make sure they drink enough to stay hydrated,” stated the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).