Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease, (HFMD), is caused by different viruses which are contagious. It is seen in infants and children who younger than 5 years old, as they don’t have developed immunity. Moreover, older children and adults can also get affected by hand foot and mouth diseases (R). It spreads easily from one person to another. It is possible to contract the virus more than once, but the symptoms will be less severe.
Hand foot and mouth is usually not serious and nearly all people recover in 7 to 10 days without medical treatment. Rarely, an infected person can develop viral meningitis (R) and may need to be hospitalized for a few days. Other even more rare complications (R) can include polio-like paralysis or encephalitis (brain inflammation) which can be fatal.
In this article, we will focus on what is hand foot and mouth diseases in infants and the various natural remedies for hand foot and mouth diseases. Let’s go through the topic in details with its sign, symptoms, causes and home remedies to fight with hand foot and mouth diseases.
What is Hand Foot and Mouth Diseases?
Hand, foot, and mouth disease is a highly contagious infection caused by a virus. It’s caused by viruses from the Enterovirus genus and most commonly the coxsackievirus.
These viruses can spread from person to person through direct contact from certain kinds of activities like unwashed hands or surfaces contaminated with feces. Through contact with an infected person’s saliva, stool, or respiratory secretions, the HFMD get transmitted.
Hand, foot, and mouth disease are more of like blisters or sores in the mouth and a rash on the hands and feet as studies have been proved. The infection can affect people of all ages and infants but it usually occurs in children under the age of 5. It is generally a mild condition that goes away on its own within several days without any medical treatment.
Check Out These Home Remedies For Hand Foot And Mouth Diseases For Kids.
Home Remedies For Hand Foot and Mouth Diseases:
Some of the Natural Home Remedies For Hand Foot and Mouth Diseases are as Follows:
1. Coconut Water:
Keeping the body hydrated is one of the best techniques of curing the virus that causes hand foot and mouth diseases for toddlers. The child should get enough fluids. The best way to relieve the pain and discomfort, coconut water plays an important role to get rid of the problem associated with Hand foot and mouth diseases.
Coconut water contains a high level of potassium and high electrolytes in it, that helps the infant to protect from dehydration. Coconut water also contains lauric acid which fights the virus of HFMD. You can also freeze coconut water as ice cubes and give your child as chewing it so that it will reduce the pain of mouth sores.
2. Oil Pulling:
One of the natural remedies for hand foot and mouth diseases is oil pulling. The oil pulling has two beneficial effects. First, it helps to reduce the number of bacteria and virus in the mouth, and the other way it helps is by soothing the mouth sores and reduce pain as well as discomfort.
The lauric acid fights the bacteria in the mouth and provides a detoxing effect. It creates an environment that is hostile to viruses which are responsible for HFMD. Take a tablespoon of any oil such as peanut, sesame or coconut, and swish it around the affected area of the mouth in your child for 5 to 10 minutes and then spit it out. Make sure that your child does not swallow the oil after swishing.
3. Epsom Salt Bath:
Nothing is better than a bath that relaxes a tried, sick child. A relaxing bath always helps to heal a child. The Epsom salt bath is used to soothe skin and detoxify the body of an infant that is affected by the virus of HFMD. A long soak of bath promotes healing and provide relief from pain and discomfort. Make your child rinse his mouth with warm salt water for at least 3-4 times a day. Add some Epsom salts to the bathwater that can soothe the rashes on the body of your child and help a child heal faster from the HFMD symptoms and virus. You can also add a few drops of lavender or lemon essential oil to the Epsom salt bathwater that will get immense relief to your child.
4. Ginger Root Tea:
Ginger has been used for 1000 years that helps in wounds and ulcers. Ginger contains several anti-viral chemicals in it. It also has sedative and pain-relieving effect.
For a drink, you can take a 1-inch piece of peeled and bruised ginger root, and simmer it with water for about 20-30 minutes. Strain and cool to room temperature. Then, to add some sweetness, mix a teaspoon or two of raw honey in it as it will give a healing property. Ginger root tea has an ample number of health benefits on health such as balancing stress level, soothing the digestive system, curing a cold and cough, etc.
5. Rooibos Tea:
One of the best home remedies for hand foot and mouth diseases is rooibos tea. Rooibos tea is known as a potent natural anti-inflammatory compound. It can help to speed healing while fighting the virus that causes hand, foot and mouth disease. In fact, a wide range of research studies shows that quercetin, a compound in rooibos tea inhibits the IAV (influenza A), EBV (Epstein-Barr), Enterovirus and the coxsackievirus.
A cup of tea a day may help to speed healing while fighting the virus. You can give rooibos tea to your child by putting the Rooibos tea in a teapot and pour some boiling water over the tea and leave to stand for 5 minutes. Strain the tea through a sieve and serve by sweetening with sugar and flavor with a few drops of lemon juice.
6. Astragalus:
Astragalus is a flowering plant that has numerous health benefits that prevent viral infection from spreading to myocardial heart tissue. The root is usually prepared as a tea or tincture. It is also helpful because it has anti-inflammatory properties and helps to boost the immune system.
Astragalus is found in form of in tinctures, capsules, teas and topical applications at many health food stores and Chinese markets. You can make your own astragalus by simmering a teaspoon of grated astralagus root in water. Strain this root and give this refreshing drink to your child after adding honey to it.
7. Coconut Oil:
The home remedies for hand foot and mouth diseases that work wonder to fight the virus is coconut oil. Coconut oil has antiviral properties. You can apply coconut oil to your child where he has rashes. By using coconut oil, you will soon see that the rashes disappearing.
You can use a tablespoon of coconut oil to swish around the mouth and then spitting it to soothe the blisters in the mouth. The antimicrobial and antiviral compounds in coconut oil can provide relief and help to prevent the spread of the disease.
8. Tea Tree Oil:
Tea tree oil is widely recognized as a powerful antiviral, antiseptic, antifungal and antibacterial compound. By adding a few drops of tea tree oil to your favorite liquid hand soap can help you to prevent further spread and contamination of virus. This amazing essential oil, tea tree oil can help you in speed healing during a bout of hand, foot and mouth disease. Children and women who are pregnant should not use tea tree oil at all.
9. Echinacea:
One of the most powerful and effective herbs available today, echinacea is proven to boost the immune system, provide anti-inflammatory benefits, improve skin problems, and fight infections. Some studies also indicate that echinacea extracts, not capsules or pills, are most effective for immune system support. Echinacea can be consumed in the form of capsules or by boiling its leaves. you can also make tea by adding honey to it for its real taste.
10. Elderberry:
Elderberry is the tastiest herbs available with leading the pack of antiviral herbs. elderberry has been used for 1,000s of years to boost the immune system, fight viruses, aid in healthy glucose levels, and promote healthy skin as studies have been proved. It is best received by kids of all ages and is a potent antiviral compound. It increases the body temperature slightly, thus making it difficult for viruses to multiply and grow. For hand, foot and mouth disease, make a homemade elderberry syrup to soothe the pain and facilitate a speedy recovery for toddlers.
11. Bone Broth:
The bone broth is to ensure that adequate nutrition is making its way into the body, sip homemade bone broth. Bone broth’s high collagen content supports healthy skin. And, during and after an outbreak of Hand foot and mouth diseases, the skin can use the boost of collagen.
12. Apple Cider Vinegar:
Apple cider vinegar has an ample number of benefits for health. It acts as a great home and natural remedies for each and most of infection and diseases. Apple cider vinegar contains vitamins B and C. It also contains a chemical called inulin which helps in increasing our white blood cell (WBC) count. The white blood cell helps to fight viruses in our body. Mix 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in one glass of warm water and ask your child to gargle with it to soothe his throat.
13. Aloe-Vera:
Aloe Vera has antimicrobial properties. It also increases the immunity. Aloe Vera contains minerals, vitamins, and several other compounds that are beneficial for the skin and health. Apply Aloe Vera gel to the rashes and blisters for soothing relief and get rid of the pain. You can even give Aloe Vera juice to your kid to help him heal faster from hand foot and mouth diseases.
14. Clove Oil:
One of my favorite essential oils for a sore throat is clove oil which has strong antiviral, antifungal, antiseptic, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties.
Mix a few drops of clove oil with a teaspoon of coconut oil, and swirl in the mouth for 5-10 minutes to relieve the pain and discomfort in the mouth and throat. Do not use if you are pregnant or for even small children too.
15. Licorice Root:
Research shows that licorice root has broad-spectrum of antiviral activity, making it perfect for fighting a wide array of viruses, including HFMD. Research has indicated that triterpenoid, the active antiviral component, actually fights a wide range of viruses. Make a licorice root tea and enjoy it with warm or cool with a spot of raw honey.
What Causes Hand Foot And Mouth Diseases?
Hand, foot, and mouth disease is often caused by a strain of coxsackievirus and the most common coxsackievirus A16. The coxsackievirus is part of a group of viruses called enteroviruses. In some cases, another type of enteroviruses can cause hand, foot, and mouth disease. It is transmitted from one person to the other. You or your child may contract hand, foot, and mouth disease through contact with an infected person through:
- Saliva
- Fluid from blisters
- Feces
- Respiratory droplets sprayed into the air after coughing or sneezing
Hand, foot, and mouth disease can also be transmitted through direct contact with unwashed hands or a surface containing traces of the virus.
Sign and Symptoms of Hand, Foot and Mouth Diseases:
Symptoms usually start by three to seven days after becoming infected, by the virus and can last from seven to 10 days. If your child has HFMD, they may feel tired, have a fever, and have a rash. Depending on which virus your child has been affected with, the skin rash can look like:
- Small, oval, white blisters on the palms, soles of the feet, as well as in the mouth. Your child may have a sore mouth and throat, leading to poor appetite or risk of dehydration (drinking and eating can be painful because of the mouth blisters).
- A red skin rash with a brown scale on it. The rash appears on the outer arms, hands, legs, feet, around the mouth and upper buttocks. The trunk is usually relatively clear. Sometimes there are blisters present, but they are not usually in the mouth and your child can eat and drink as usual.
The blisters should not be itchy like chickenpox blisters. If your child has eczema, the HFMD can cause eczema, and in details, you can check on it to ensure it isn’t getting worse.
How does Hand Foot and Mouth Diseases Spread?
HFMD is caused by the coxsackie virus. The very main way by which HFMD spreads is through contact with the fluid from inside the blisters, or with the droplets spread from sneezing and coughing. The virus can also be present in bowel movements for up to several weeks after the person has recovered.
To prevent the spread of HFMD (R)
- Wash your hands thoroughly after touching your child’s bodily fluids. This includes touching their blisters, helping them blow their nose, and changing nappies or helping with toileting.
- Make sure your child doesn’t share items such as cutlery, drinking cups, towels, toothbrushes, and clothing.
- Keep your child home from school, kindergarten or childcare until all the fluid in their blisters has dried.
Hand-foot-and-mouth disease is an illness that causes sores or blisters in or around the mouth and on the hands, feet, and sometimes on the buttocks and legs. They may be painful. The illness usually doesn’t last more than a week or so. The necessary natural remedies for hand foot and mouth diseases provided above will surely help you get rid of the pain and discomfort of the infection and virus.
