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Officials issued guidelines to schools and parents, cautioning them to be alert to symptoms such as fever, rashes on the hands and feet, blisters in the mouth, and sore throat
The initial symptoms are high fever, followed by painful and itchy blisters in the mouth, hands and feet.
A viral infection known as Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) is spreading rapidly among children across Delhi and neighbouring Haryana, prompting health experts and schools to issue advisories. The infection, which primarily affects children under the age of 10, has no specific treatment available in the market, and doctors have advised that only preventive measures and careful home care can help manage the condition.
The Directorate of Education in Delhi recently issued guidelines to schools and parents, cautioning them to be alert to symptoms such as fever, rashes on the hands and feet, blisters in the mouth, sore throat, and irritability. The circular also directed parents not to send affected children to school.
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Explaining the situation, Dr Neeraj Gupta of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi, an internationally recognised allergist, pediatrician, and chairperson of the IAP Allergy Chapter, said, “There is no medicine for this disease in the market.” He added that in the last two months, his OPD has been reporting 10-12 cases of HFMD each day.
As its name suggests, this disease affects the hands, feet and mouth. The initial symptoms are high fever, followed by painful and itchy blisters in the mouth, hands and feet. These blisters often make it very difficult for children to eat or drink, Dr Gupta explained.
According to him, the surge in cases is linked to the monsoon season. “This disease is spreading due to rain. Often, many types of viral infections occur in the rainy season. This too is a viral infection, which gets cured on its own within five to seven days. There is no specific medicine for it yet. In case of fever, only fever tablets can be given to children,” he noted.
Doctors have advised parents to immediately isolate children showing symptoms. “If the child has fever and blisters appear in his mouth, hands and feet, then immediately isolate the child. Take care of its cleanliness,” Dr Gupta said. He recommended homemade food over packaged or outside items.
“If the child does not feel hungry, then definitely give him whatever he asks for. Avoid giving outside junk food or open juice. Bring fruits home yourself, extract juice and feed the child only homemade food. Keep his clothes and toilet completely separate. Because this disease spreads from one person to another, so the more you keep the child away from others, the less he will get any other disease. The child will also recover that much faster,” he added.
The doctor further stressed that vomiting often accompanies fever in such cases, and parents must exercise extreme caution before allowing children to step outside. Parents should be very careful and send the child out only after he recovers, he said.
September 16, 2025, 15:55 IST
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Author: News18
