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Hand, foot and mouth disease is back. For parents with previous experience of HFMD, this means...
IT IS the season of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) and the situation in Singapore is not a pretty picture.
According to the Ministry of Health, as of last week, there were 1,261 reported cases of HFMD, bringing the total number so far this year to about 20,200. That is almost double the number of about 11,000 cases during the same period last year.
 Mr Colin Smith understands the frightening figures very well as his household has been plagued by the infectious disease.
The 43 year old father of two young boys succumbed to HFMD two years ago and infected his elder son St John, then 5.
“I felt so sorry for him. He had a lot of ulcers and it hurt whenever he tried to eat,” Mr Smith recounted to The New Paper on Sunday.
“It was a mistake on my part. At that time, I didn’t know that adults could get HFMD. I always thought it’s something that affects only young children.”
Unthinkable
Then the unthinkable happened.
Mr Smith was again diagnosed with HFMD a few months ago.
Said Mr Smith, who runs a production company that does corporate videos and television commercials: “This time, I contracted the disease from one of the talent’s children during a location shoot.”
Also coping with the outbreak is local actor Darren Lim, 38.
His second son Jairus, 3, contracted HFMD last Sunday and subsequently infected his siblings, Kristen, 5, and Way, 1.
Thankfully, Lim said his children’s symptoms were very mild so he didn’t take them to the clinic.
He added that his kids don’t seem bothered by it, and have been more than happy “to stay at home and watch TV or play with the iPad than to go to school”.
Lim, who is married to actress Evelyn Tan, added that some kids in Kristen and Jairus’ school were also down with HFMD.
Both families say their experiences with HFMD has made them pay more attention to hygiene and make sure they set a good example for their young ones.
Said Lim: “We have been more diligent in taking our vitamins. We also try to have less physical contact with them, which means fewer hugs and kisses until they are well.
“To us, HFMD is seasonal like the flu. Children can catch it anywhere. We just need to reinforce the importance of good hygiene habits.”
For the Smiths, eating fruits after dinner is now a must.
Said Mr Smith: “We believe in getting all our vitamins from food. We don’t use sanitisers. We just wash our hands before we eat.”
But they know that sometimes, it all boils down to luck and no amount of care can keep the disease at bay.
The Smiths had erred on the side of caution and kept their younger son Randolph, aged 20 months, at home last week as “there were a couple of cases at his childcare centre”.
Ironically, when the Smiths took Randolph to his childcare centre on Friday, they were asked to take him home.
He had caught HFMD.
Said Mr Smith: “They found spots on his arms, stomach, hands and on the soles of his feet as well.
“What can we do? It’s just what it is.”
How to prevent the spread
1. Cover the mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing and throw the tissue away into a bin immediately.
2. Wash hands regularly and thoroughly with soap and water in between activities and before meals.
3. Consult your family doctor if your child shows any signs or symptoms of
HFMD.
4. Keep the affected child’s toys, books, eating utensils, towels and clothes separate from others.
5. Keep sick children away from public places such as schools, playgrounds, shopping centres and food outlets.
6. If only one of your children is sick, monitor the others closely and
practise the steps above.
7. Keep the house clean and sanitise toys on a regular basis.
Symptoms parents can look out for
PARENTS play a vital role in helping to contain the spread of HFMD.
In response to queries from The New Paper on Sunday, Ms Melissa Anne Manuel, senior corporate communications executive at the Health Promotion Board (HPB) said: “We can never stress enough that parents should check their kids for any symptoms of HFMD before sending their children to childcare centres or kindergartens.”
According to Dr Sonal Singhal from the youth health division at HPB, a child with HFMD may suffer from some of the following symptoms:
w Fever for two to three days
w Sore throat and runny nose
w Ulcers in the throat, mouth and tongue
w Rash with vesicles (small blisters measuring 3 to 7mm) on hands, feet and diaper area. The vesicles are
typically on the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet and are very characteristic in appearance. The rash may
also be present on the buttocks, arms and legs.
w Loss of appetite and irritability
w Vomiting and/or diarrhoea
More information and resources about HFMD can be found on the HPB website at www.hpb.gov.sg/infectiousdiseases.
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