Hand-foot-mouth disease

Etiology / Pathophysiology

• Enteroviruses such as coxsackievirus spread through respiratory secretions, blister fluid, stool, and surfaces.
• Viral illness causes fever, painful mouth sores, and rash or blisters on hands, feet, buttocks, or other areas.

Medications

No specific medication class was seeded for this card.

Signs / symptoms

• Mouth sores plus hand and foot rash.
• Dehydration from mouth pain is priority.
• Highly contagious in child care.

Nursing actions

• Assess hydration, mouth pain, fever, rash, and daycare/school exposure.
• Teach hand hygiene, surface cleaning, avoiding shared cups/utensils, and comfort fluids.
• Escalate dehydration, lethargy, stiff neck, persistent fever, or neurologic symptoms.

Complications

• Dehydration
• Secondary infection
• Viral meningitis rarely

NCLEX cues

• Mouth sores plus hand and foot rash.
• Dehydration from mouth pain is priority.
• Highly contagious in child care.

Memory hooks

• HFMD: mouth pain makes hydration the priority.

Labs / Diagnostics

• Clinical exam
• Hydration assessment

Review notes

• Supplemental wife-requested study card. Use for NCLEX review only and verify against school materials, ATI/NCLEX review sources, current orders, and facility policy.