Oct. 1, 1999
Clusters of what is called hand-foot-mouth disease are showing up in some Salt Lake area schools.
The State Health Department says while the annoying disease is highly contagious among kids, it's not serious.
Science Specialist Ed Yeates shows us why.
Mariah Lohse is back in school. Blisters which appeared in her mouth and on her hands and feet have all disappeared.
Several weeks ago, Mariah and several other kids in her school came down with a viral infection called hand, foot and mouth disease.
While the name sounds terrible - like the more serious disease in animals -- the small sores are quite harmless in humans and usually last for only four days.
Carolyn Cox, Mariah's Mother: "THEY REALLY DIDN'T HURT HER OR PAIN HER. SHE JUST SHOWED ME - THEY WERE VERY TINY, MAYBE AN EIGHTH OF AN INCH AND THEY LITERALLY LOOKED LIKE A LITTLE BLISTER, LIKE IF YOU HAD WORN A NEW PAIR OF SHOES AND GOTTEN A BLISTER FROM THEM."
Mariah's brother has not picked up the disease, even though his preschool is also dealing with the infection.
The State Health Department says the illness is common in kids and shows up all most every year, especially when school begins.
The blisters are caused by the coxsackie virus. If too many occur in the mouth and tongue kids may lose their appetite or not want to talk a lot.
But none of the cases here at Bonneville Elementary were that serious.
Once it showed up, students and teachers followed some standard guidelines.
Nan Mead / SLC School District Nurse: "WE TRY TO GET THEM TO WASH AFTER THEY USE THE BATHROOM AND BEFORE THEY EAT ROUTINELY. BUT THEY NEED TO WASH THEIR HANDS PRETTY REGULARLY AND DISINFECT THEIR DESKS."
Ed Yeates, Science Specialist: "THE KIDS HERE AT BONNEVILLE AND OTHER SCHOOLS KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO DO. ON ALL OF THE DESK TOPS, THEY DISINFECT, DOUBLE RINSE, THEN DRY."
The same happens on countertops. Even chair seats are washed.
The State Health Department advises parents to teach good hand-washing practices, since this infection - as with many others - often spread faster in the home than it does in the schools.
