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Hand Foot and Mouth Disease
I have a simple question that I can't find an answer to online. Why does this disease manifest itself in these locations on the skin/mucous (I know it can be elsewhere too)? What is special about these areas that sores show here? Why not the elbow or forearm for example? There must be a reason.
Did my daughter have to touch her feet to get the virus from the hand to the foot?
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Welcome @rjlundy1, I know it must be frustrating trying to figure out how your daughter got the infection. The Centers for Disease Control has some information that possibly will answer any questions you might have.
"Common in Young Children -- Hand, foot, and mouth disease is common in children under 5 years old, but anyone can get it. The illness is usually not serious, but it is very contagious. It spreads quickly at schools and day care centers."
-- Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease | CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/hand-foot-mouth/index.html
Does your daughter go to a day care center or school where she might have gotten the disease?
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1 ReactionThe irony is that my daughter got it with symptoms (she’s the mom) but her daughter (my granddaughter) did not - at least showed no symptoms.
But my question still remains - what does preferentially show on the hands, feet etc? Wondering what’s different about those areas to these microbes…
Why does it preferentially show on the hands and feet etc…
I'm not expert on the topic but it's a highly contagious and just takes a small droplet from someone who is infected. Maybe your daughter is taking extra precautions so that your granddaughter doesn't catch it?
You can get hand, foot, and mouth disease by:
-- Contact with respiratory droplets containing virus particles after a sick person coughs or sneezes
-- Touching an infected person or making other close contact, like kissing, hugging, or sharing cups or eating utensils
-- Touching an infected person’s feces, such as changing diapers, then touching your eyes, nose, or mouth
-- Touching objects and surfaces that have the virus on them, like doorknobs or toys, then touching your eyes, nose, or mouth