Most children with hand, foot, and mouth disease don’t need prescription medication. The illness runs its course in 7 to 10 days, and treatment focuses entirely on keeping your child comfortable, hydrated, and eating enough to get through it. Here’s what actually helps.
Pain and Fever Relief
Over-the-counter children’s acetaminophen or ibuprofen (for children over 6 months) will bring down a fever and take the edge off the pain from mouth sores. These are the most important things you can give because the mouth ulcers are usually the worst part of the illness. When a child’s mouth hurts too much to eat or drink, everything else gets harder. Staying ahead of the pain with regular doses makes a real difference in how much fluid they’ll take in.
Cold Foods and Drinks for Mouth Sores
Cold temperatures temporarily numb the mouth, which is why ice pops, ice chips, ice cream, sherbet, and smoothies are go-to recommendations. These aren’t just comfort foods. For a child who’s refusing to eat because swallowing hurts, a popsicle can be the difference between staying hydrated and falling behind on fluids. Cold water and chilled milk work too.
Soft foods like yogurt, pudding, and mashed potatoes are easier to get down when the sores are at their worst. Avoid anything hot, acidic, or carbonated. Orange juice, lemonade, tomato sauce, and sodas will sting the open sores and make your child less willing to eat or drink at all.
Magic Mouthwash for Oral Pain
For older children who can swish and spit, you can make a simple coating rinse at home. Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital recommends mixing equal parts liquid diphenhydramine (the allergy liquid) and a liquid antacid. Lightly coat the mouth sores with this mixture. The antihistamine helps numb the area while the antacid creates a protective barrier over the ulcers. For younger children who can’t reliably spit, skip this and stick with cold foods and pain relievers.
Treating the Skin Rash
The blisters on hands, feet, and sometimes the buttocks usually bother children less than the mouth sores, but they can still itch or feel uncomfortable. Calamine lotion applied directly to the rash can soothe the skin. There’s no cream or ointment that will speed up the rash itself. It has to go through its full cycle on its own.
Don’t use exfoliation products or scrubs on the blisters. These irritate the skin and slow healing. Keep the area clean with gentle soap and water, and let the blisters dry and crust over naturally. Some children lose fingernails or toenails weeks after the illness, which looks alarming but is harmless. The nails grow back.
Preventing Dehydration
Dehydration is the main complication to watch for, especially in toddlers and babies. Children sometimes refuse to drink because their mouth hurts so much, and they can fall behind on fluids quickly. Offer small, frequent sips of cold water or milk rather than asking them to drink a full cup at once. A syringe aimed at the inside of the cheek (away from sores) can help get fluids into a reluctant toddler.
Signs that your child isn’t getting enough fluid include fewer wet diapers than usual, no tears when crying, a dry mouth, and unusual sleepiness or fussiness. If your child can’t drink well and you’re worried about dehydration, that’s the point to call your pediatrician. A fever lasting longer than three days, symptoms that don’t improve after 10 days, or a child younger than 6 months with symptoms also warrants a call.
What Not to Give
Antibiotics won’t help. Hand, foot, and mouth disease is caused by a virus, and antibiotics only work against bacteria. There’s no antiviral medication for it either. Aspirin should never be given to children due to the risk of a rare but serious condition called Reye’s syndrome. Numbing gels meant for teething can be risky in young children and aren’t recommended for widespread mouth sores.
How Long Recovery Takes
Most children start feeling noticeably better within a few days, even though the full illness lasts 7 to 10 days. The fever typically breaks first, followed by gradual improvement in the mouth sores. The skin rash is usually the last thing to clear up completely. Your child may still be somewhat contagious as symptoms improve, and many schools and daycares ask that children stay home until the fever is gone and any open skin sores have crusted over. The virus can linger in stool for weeks after recovery, so thorough handwashing after diaper changes remains important even after your child looks and feels fine.