10 Foods To Eat If You Have Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (And What To Avoid!)

Is your little one battling Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD)? Knowing what to feed them can make a huge difference. We've compiled a list of comforting foods to help your child feel better faster. Plus, get the scoop on what foods might aggravate their symptoms and should be avoided.

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Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD), a common childhood illness most commonly seen in the summer and fall, should be avoided. It is not the same as the foot and mouth disease that affects animals; this one gets its name from a distinct rash that appears on the hands, feet, and mouth.

If you (yes, adults can get it too!) or your child are down with HFMD, it can cause fever, a sore throat and mouth ulcers inside your mouth or around the sides of the tongue, which will make it quite painful to eat and will also cause a lack of appetite.

What Does HFMD Look Like?

Image source: iStock

Tiny red bumps or blisters appear on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, fingers, and toes. The rash appears in the mouth as painful sores or ulcers, mostly in the back of the throat. However, the rash does not always appear in all three areas and can appear on the arms, legs, and buttocks.

In addition to rashes, children frequently have fevers during the first few days of illness. Some people have loose stools as well. The skin rash can be a minor annoyance, but the mouth sores can be so painful that children refuse to eat or drink.

How Does HFMD Spread?

The hand, foot, and mouth disease is extremely contagious. Sneezing, coughing, or touching the fluid inside blisters spreads it. The virus can also be found in the faeces of infected children.

Children suffering from hand, foot, and mouth disease are highly contagious until their blisters have healed. Even after symptoms have subsided, the virus can still spread if children come into contact with the faeces of children who have had hand, foot, and mouth disease.

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HFMD Symptoms

Hand-foot-and-mouth disease can cause all or some of the following signs and symptoms. They are as follows:

  • Fever
  • Throat discomfort
  • Feeling ill
  • Red, painful blister-like lesions on the tongue, gums, and inside of the cheeks
  • A red rash, without itching but occasionally with blistering, on the palms, soles, and buttocks.
  • Infant and toddler irritability
  • Appetite loss

The typical incubation period is three to six days from the time of initial infection to the onset of signs and symptoms. A fever is frequently the first symptom of hand-foot-and-mouth disease, followed by a sore throat, a loss of appetite, and a general feeling of being ill.

Stages of Hand Food and Mouth Disease

Figuring out if your child has just started with Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD) and knowing what stage they’re in can be tricky. Let’s break it down in easy steps:

  1. Just Caught the Virus (4-6 Days After Infection): It takes about 4 to 6 days after catching the virus for any signs to show up.

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  2. Early Signs – Mild Fever (1-2 Days): The first thing you might notice is your child having a mild fever. This usually lasts for a day or two.

  3. Painful Mouth Sores (1-2 Days After Fever): After the fever starts, your child might get painful sores in their mouth or throat, usually within a day or two.

  4. Rash Time (1-2 Days After Sores): Next, a rash or small blisters can pop up on their hands, feet, and sometimes their bottom. This happens about a day or two after the mouth sores.

  5. Mouth Ulcers: Small ulcers often show up first on the cheeks, gums, and sides of the tongue. Your child might say their throat or mouth hurts, or they might not want to eat or drink much.

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  6. Other Symptoms: They might also get a headache, sore muscles, a bit of tummy pain, or feel queasy.

  7. Rash on Hands and Feet: You’ll see small blisters or a rash, mainly on their palms and soles. The rash looks different depending on skin colour – it might be brown, grey, or purple on darker skin, and red on lighter skin.

  8. Healing Time (7-10 Days): The good news is, that the blisters and ulcers usually get better in about 7 to 10 days.

How Long Does HFMD Last?

It is difficult to determine when children with hand, foot, and mouth disease are no longer contagious, as it is with most childhood viruses.

We know that children can spread hand, foot, and mouth disease beginning the day before the rash appears and continuing for several days afterwards. Hand-foot-and-mouth disease symptoms usually go away in 7 to 10 days.

It is important to remember that children with HFMD are most contagious during the first week of their illness. But the virus can stay in their body for weeks after the symptoms are gone, which means they can still spread it to others.

So, keeping up with good hygiene, like washing hands and avoiding close contact, especially with little ones and pregnant women is crucial to stop the virus from spreading.

HFMD Treatment

Image Source: iStock

Hand-foot-and-mouth disease has no specific treatment. 

A topical or oral anaesthetic may be used to alleviate the pain of mouth sores. Other than aspirin, over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, etc.) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, etc.) may help relieve general discomfort.

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Certain foods and beverages can cause blisters on the tongue, in the mouth, or the throat. Try the following suggestions to make blister soreness less bothersome and eating and drinking more bearable:

  • Eat ice pops or ice chips.
  • Have some ice cream or sherbet.
  • Sip cold beverages like milk or ice water.
  • Limit your intake of acidic foods and beverages, such as citrus fruits, fruit drinks, and soda.
  • Avoid foods that are salty or spicy.
  • Consume soft foods that do not necessitate much chewing.
  • After eating, rinse your mouth with warm water.
  • Swishing with warm salt water may be soothing if your child is able to rinse without swallowing. Allow your child to do this several times a day, or as often as needed, to help reduce the pain and inflammation caused by hand-foot-and-mouth disease mouth and throat sores.

Doctors frequently recommend the following to help alleviate discomfort:

  • Get some rest.
  • Fluids to drink — milk-based fluids may be easier to tolerate than acidic liquids like juice or soda.
  • Taking over-the-counter pain relievers other than aspirin, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, etc.) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, etc.) in an age- and weight-appropriate form and dosage, if necessary. However, they are not necessary for low-grade fevers and will not hasten your child’s recovery.
  • Using mouthwash or an oral spray to relieve pain.

What Foods To Give Toddlers With HFMD?

So what kinds of foods to eat if you are infected with HFMD, and what exactly should you avoid? Here are some foods to eat with hand. 

  • Eggs

When you’re feeling poorly, your appetite will usually suffer as well and having a horrid sore throat will probably make eating a literal pain!

But your body needs enough fuel and nutrients to help you get better, so it’s good to try and eat some nutritious food such as eggs, which are high in protein, iron, vitamins and minerals.

Best way to eat it: Soft-boiled, poached, scrambled, steamed (chawan mushi)

  • Coconut water

Image courtesy: istockphoto

Put down that cup of coffee or tea which could make your mouth and tongue ulcers worse and pour yourself a tall glass of refreshing coconut water that contains electrolytes to help keep you hydrated in this hot and humid weather instead.

According to KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, it is important to have enough fluid intake when you are recovering from HFMD to prevent your body from dehydration. It is also better to wash your hands properly. 

Best way to eat it: Fresh, chilled, ice-blended with watermelon, infused with cucumbers, frozen as popsicles

  • Soup (with noodles)

There’s no need to deprive yourself of a hearty meal just because you are sick and most probably on a liquid diet.

Although it’s recommended to stick to room temperature liquids such as milk or barley water, you can also try a cold soup that is a more substantial meal to last you the rest of the day.

Best way to eat it: Cold soba noodle soup, chilled pureed vegetables soup (pumpkin, cucumber, pea, avocado, corn)

  • Papaya

We’re lucky to be living in a tropical country where papaya is easily available all year round because this sweet and soft fruit is not only delicious to eat but it is also believed to help boost your immunity, aid digestion and even reduce stress — so hopefully you won’t feel too down about being sick!

However, you probably have to hold off on ordering your favourite Thai Papaya Salad for now though, because if you have HFMD, then it’s best to avoid spicy food.

Best way to eat it: Chilled, as a blended drink, in a fresh salad, in soup

  • Greek yoghurt with honey

Honey is not only a yummy sweetener but it is also known to have antibacterial properties which can help heal those pesky mouth ulcers and other lesions in your mouth.

Pair that up with some cool Greek yoghurt that’s chock-full of nutrients like protein, calcium, potassium, folate and various vitamins, and you’ll have a healthy afternoon snack to curb those hunger pangs.

Best way to eat it: Chilled with a drizzle of honey, blended with other fruits as a smoothie, frozen.

  • Watermelon

Image courtesy: istockphoto

Foods that are high in vitamin c will help prevent mouth ulcers if you have HFMD — but before you grab an orange, kiwi or tomato, take note that the natural acidity might make things worse! This is one of the most refreshing foods to eat when one has HFMD

According to Dr Andrew Weil, M.D, Director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, recommends you eat berries and melons such as cantaloupe, honeydew or watermelon instead.

Best way to eat it: Chilled, as a blended drink, as a sorbet, in a salad.

  • Porridge or congee

To most Singaporeans, a nice warm bowl of porridge or congee is probably considered comfort food — and rightly so, because it not only fills you up but also provides a good amount of calories to give you enough energy throughout the day.

Whether you choose sweet oatmeal porridge or savoury congee, feel free to add in a few toppings and other ingredients to jazz it up for additional nutrients and flavours.

Best way to eat it: Lukewarm congee with soft-boiled egg, lukewarm oatmeal porridge with honey and berries

  • Tofu

Image courtesy: Pixabay

Never before has soft tofu felt so good as when your mouth is full of icky ulcers and your throat feels like it’s on fire.

This popular bean curd is a versatile ingredient to add in many recipes and is a good source of protein and carbohydrates, which is also said to decrease the bad cholesterol in your body!

Best way to eat it: Steamed with egg and vegetables, cold tofu salad, in broth or congee, braised.

  • Ice cream

Are you surprised to see this guilty pleasure on the list of foods to eat when you are suffering from hand, foot and mouth disease?

Blisters in your mouth and on your tongue are no fun, so to help ease the soreness, feel free to indulge in this cold treat which will also hopefully lift your spirits up!

Just try to choose other flavours besides chocolate for now though, as that may trigger more ulcers to appear.

Best way to eat it: With fruit or berries as toppings, soft serve, a scoop on a milkshake, or just as it is!

  • Mashed potatoes

Skip the oily fried chicken and greasy fries which could aggravate those mouth and tongue ulcers and just chow down on some mashed potatoes instead for dinner.

According to some research, this humble vegetable is “a good source of vitamin c, vitamin b6, manganese, phosphorus, niacin and pantothenic acid.”

Best way to eat it: Creamy with milk or butter, whipped with chicken stock for extra nutrients, topped with sour cream for extra flavour.

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HMFD Recovery

Follow-up care is an essential component of your child’s treatment and safety. Make and keep all appointments, and if your child is having problems, call your doctor or the nurse call line. It’s also a good idea to be aware of your child’s test results and to keep a record of the medications he or she is taking.

How can you care for your child at home?

  • Be cautious when handling medications. Make sure your child takes his or her medications exactly as directed. If you suspect your child is having a medication reaction, contact your doctor or a nurse hotline.
  • Make sure your child gets plenty of rest when he or she is sick.
  • Encourage your child to drink plenty of fluids. If your child has kidney, heart, or liver disease and must limit fluids, consult with your doctor before increasing fluid intake.

To keep the virus from spreading,

  • If possible, keep your child out of group settings while he or she is sick. If your child attends daycare or school, talk to the staff about when he or she can return.
  • Ensure that everyone in the family understands the importance of good hygiene, such as washing their hands frequently. It is especially critical to wash your hands after changing diapers and before handling food. Wash your child’s hands after using the restroom and before eating. Teach your child to wash their hands frequently throughout the day.
  • Do not allow your child to share toys or kisses while infected.

When Should You Call A Doctor?

Keep an eye out for changes in your child’s health and contact your doctor or nurse call line if:

  • Your child has developed a new or worse fever.
  • Your child is suffering from a severe headache.
  • Your child is unable to swallow or drink enough due to throat pain.
  • Your child has dehydration symptoms such as dry eyes and tongue, only passing a small amount of dark urine, and being thirstier than usual.
  • Your child does not improve in 7 to 10 days.

Image Source: iStock

Updates from Matt Doctor

Mayo Clinic, My Health Alberta, Raising Children, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital

Here at theAsianparent Singapore, it’s important for us to give information that is correct, significant, and timely. But this doesn’t serve as an alternative for medical advice or medical treatment. theAsianparent Singapore is not responsible for those that would choose to drink medicines based on information from our website. If you have any doubts, we recommend consulting your doctor for clearer information.

Written by

Dew M. Chaiyanara