Michigan Kids Facing Surge of Dangerous Virus

It’s back-to-school season here in Michigan, and with that comes germ central at many schools. Right now, several different viruses are making the rounds across the state.

One of the main culprits is hand-foot-and-mouth disease. This one’s especially frustrating because it tends to hit the little ones just as school and daycare are getting underway.

What Is Hand-Foot-and-Mouth Disease?

The virus is caused by enteroviruses like coxsackievirus A16 (and sometimes A6 or EV-71). It usually starts with general malaise, a fever, sore throat, and loss of appetite. A day or two later, unpleasant mouth sores show up, making eating or drinking tough.

Around the same time, a rash or small blisters often appear. These can pop up on the hands, feet, elbows, knees, and other extremities.

How It Spreads in Schools and Daycares

The spread happens quickly when kids are huddled, especially in daycares, playgrounds and even summer camps. Coughs, sneezes, saliva, and even contaminated surfaces can pass the virus. Many kids can shake it off within a week to ten days, dehydration is always a concern.

When to Keep Kids Home

If you want to help keep the little ones safe in your home, keep your kids home until they no longer have a fever. You should also disinfect doorknobs, counters, and shared spaces with bleach solutions, or cleaning sprays.

Cool drinks, popsicles, and soothing soft foods like yogurt and applesauce will help both the dehydration and the sores. Over-the-counter meds like ibuprofen or acetaminophen are okay, just skip aspirin with children.