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Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease: Mouth Ulcers, Rash and Care at Home

Hand, foot and mouth disease is a common viral illness in young children that causes painful mouth ulcers and a rash or blisters on the hands and feet. It usually clears in 7 to 10 days. Here is how to ease it and when to get help.

Updated September 2026·By the OHA editorial team·7 min read·How we write
Key takeaways
  • Hand, foot and mouth disease is a common viral illness, mostly in young children. It causes painful mouth ulcers and a rash or blisters on the hands and feet, and usually gets better on its own in 7 to 10 days.
  • It is very contagious. It spreads through coughs and sneezes, poo and the fluid in blisters. Handwashing helps.
  • Cool drinks, soft foods and paracetamol or ibuprofen can ease a sore mouth. Painful mouth sores can stop a child drinking enough, so watch for signs of dehydration.
  • Do not give aspirin to children. The NHS says not to anyone aged 15 or under.
  • School and childcare advice differs: UK guidance says children can go back once they feel well, while Australian guidance says to stay home until all blisters have dried.

The NHS describes hand, foot and mouth disease as a common childhood illness that can also affect adults and usually clears on its own in 7 to 10 days. healthdirect Australia says it mainly affects children under 10, and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says it is most common in children under 5. It is not the same as foot and mouth disease in farm animals (NHS).

healthdirect and Better Health Channel (Victoria) say it is most often caused by a coxsackievirus, one of a group of viruses called enteroviruses. Because several viruses can cause it, you can get it more than once (NHS, Raising Children Network).

What are the symptoms?

The NHS describes two stages:

  1. First: a sore throat, a high temperature and not wanting to eat.
  2. A few days later: painful mouth ulcers, and a raised rash of spots on the hands and feet, sometimes also the groin and bottom. The spots can look pink, red or darker than the surrounding skin, depending on skin tone, and can turn into blisters.

The mouth ulcers

NHS inform (Scotland) says red spots appear on the tongue and inside the mouth, then can become larger yellow-grey ulcers with red edges. They can make eating, drinking and swallowing difficult, and should pass within a week. Raising Children Network says they usually appear first inside the cheeks, on the gums and on the sides of the tongue.

The CDC says signs that swallowing hurts include not eating or drinking, drooling more than usual, or only wanting cold drinks. For other causes of mouth sores, see mouth ulcers and cold sores.

How does it spread, and for how long?

The NHS says it is easily passed on through coughs, sneezes, poo and the fluid in the blisters. Symptoms start a few days after catching it, but sources give different ranges: 3 to 5 days (UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Australia's National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), CDC), 3 to 7 days (healthdirect, Better Health Channel) or 4 to 6 days (Raising Children Network).

Sources also describe the infectious period differently:

  • NHS: from a few days before symptoms start, and most likely in the first 5 days after they start.
  • UKHSA: most infectious in the first week, and infectious until a few weeks after symptoms stop.
  • NHMRC: for as long as the blisters contain fluid, while poo can stay infectious for several weeks.

To reduce the spread, the NHS, NHS inform and healthdirect advise washing hands often with soap and water (especially after nappy changes, Better Health Channel adds), catching coughs and sneezes in a tissue and binning it, not sharing cups, cutlery or towels, and washing soiled bedding and clothing on a hot wash. Do not pop the blisters: healthdirect says the fluid is infectious, and Raising Children Network says popping them raises the risk of skin infection.

Looking after a sore mouth at home

There is no specific treatment, and antibiotics will not help because it is a virus (NHS, healthdirect). Most people can be looked after at home.

  • Keep up drinks. The NHS suggests cool fluids, avoiding acidic drinks such as fruit juice. healthdirect suggests sips of water or an oral rehydration fluid. Raising Children Network says ice blocks might numb the pain and make drinking easier.
  • Offer soft foods such as yoghurt (NHS). Avoid hot, salty, spicy (NHS) or tangy foods such as tomatoes and citrus fruit (Raising Children Network).
  • Ease pain and fever with paracetamol or ibuprofen (NHS, healthdirect). Ask a pharmacist about the right product and dose for your child (healthdirect).
  • Ask a pharmacist about mouth ulcer gels, sprays and mouthwashes. The NHS says they can tell you which are suitable for children.

Do not give aspirin to children

The age limits differ:

  • UK: the NHS says do not give aspirin to children aged 15 or under, because in rare cases it can cause Reye's syndrome, a serious illness.
  • Australia: Raising Children Network says not to children under 12 unless a doctor prescribes it, and to check other medicines do not contain it. healthdirect says not to give aspirin to children.
  • US: the CDC says never give aspirin to children.

Can my child go to school or childcare?

This is where advice differs most.

  • UK: the NHS says keep your child off while they feel too unwell, but they can go back as soon as they feel better, with no need to wait until the blisters have healed. It says keeping them away longer is unlikely to stop the spread. UKHSA guidance for schools and nurseries says no exclusion is needed.
  • Australia: the NHMRC's childcare guidance says to exclude children until all blisters have dried, and to keep them home until their fever has stopped, they are eating and drinking normally and all blisters have dried. Better Health Channel, healthdirect and Raising Children Network agree.
  • US: the CDC says children can keep going if they have no fever, feel well enough to join in and have no uncontrolled drooling from mouth sores, though a local health department may require them to stay home during an outbreak.

Adults and pregnancy

The NHS says symptoms are usually mild and the same in adults and children. The NHMRC says it is rare in adults and may cause mild or no symptoms.

If you are pregnant, the NHS says there is usually no risk to the pregnancy or baby, but it is best to avoid close contact with anyone who has it, because catching it shortly before giving birth can mean your baby is born with a mild version. The NHMRC adds that in extremely rare cases it can cause miscarriage. Speak to a GP or midwife if you are pregnant and have been in contact with it (NHS, UKHSA). See pregnancy and oral health.

Complications

Complications are rare (CDC, healthdirect). The CDC says some people, especially young children, become dehydrated (lose too much body fluid) if painful mouth sores stop them drinking enough. healthdirect says eczema can get worse, and that nails may be lost for a while; the CDC says nail loss has been reported but there is no evidence the illness caused it.

Very rarely, the virus affects the lining of the brain or spinal cord (Better Health Channel). The CDC says a small number of people get viral meningitis, with fever, headache, stiff neck or back pain, and extremely rarely encephalitis (swelling of the brain).

When to see a GP or doctor
  • Symptoms have not improved after 7 to 10 days (NHS), or after 10 days (CDC).
  • You are pregnant and have it (NHS).
  • Your child is very young. The CDC says especially under 6 months.
  • A fever lasts longer than 3 days, or your child has a weakened immune system (CDC).
  • Blisters in the mouth make it hard to swallow food or drink, or symptoms are getting worse after a few days (healthdirect).
Get help urgently
  • UK: the NHS says ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if you or your child has a very high temperature or feels hot, cold or shivery, if your child is peeing less than usual (a sign of dehydration), or if you are worried about their symptoms. UKHSA says get medical advice quickly for a high temperature, headache, stiff neck or back pain.
  • Australia: Raising Children Network says go to an emergency department or call triple zero (000) straight away if your child refuses drinks as well as food, is very sleepy or generally unwell, has a headache, stiff neck or back pain, or has trouble walking or is dizzy. It lists signs of severe dehydration that need hospital: little or no pee, paler skin, weight loss, sunken eyes, cold hands and feet, drowsiness or irritability. healthdirect says see a doctor urgently for a fever of 38°C or above for 72 hours or more, jerking movements or fast breathing.
  • Anywhere: Better Health Channel says see a doctor immediately for a severe headache or a fever that will not go away; seizures, confusion, unsteadiness and weakness can be signs the virus has affected the brain or spinal cord.

Frequently asked questions

Can you get hand, foot and mouth disease more than once?

Yes. Several different viruses can cause it, so the NHS and Raising Children Network say you can get it more than once.

Does my child need to stay home until the blisters heal?

It depends where you live. The NHS says no: they can go back once they feel well. Australian guidance from the NHMRC says to stay home until all blisters have dried.

Do antibiotics help?

No. The NHS and healthdirect say antibiotics do not work on viruses.

Sources

  1. Hand, foot and mouth disease, NHS, accessed September 2026
  2. Aspirin for pain relief, NHS, accessed September 2026
  3. Hand, foot and mouth disease, NHS inform (Scotland), accessed September 2026
  4. A to Z of infectious diseases in children and young people's settings, UK Health Security Agency, accessed September 2026
  5. Public health exclusion periods in children and young people's settings, UK Health Security Agency, accessed September 2026
  6. Hand, foot and mouth disease, healthdirect Australia, accessed September 2026
  7. Hand, foot and mouth disease, Better Health Channel (Victoria), accessed September 2026
  8. Hand, foot and mouth disease fact sheet (Staying healthy), National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia), accessed September 2026
  9. Hand, foot and mouth disease: children, Raising Children Network (Australia), accessed September 2026
  10. About hand, foot, and mouth disease, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, accessed September 2026
  11. HFMD symptoms and complications, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, accessed September 2026

This article is general information about oral health. It is not a diagnosis or a substitute for advice from a dentist or doctor who knows your situation. If you have pain, swelling, bleeding that does not settle, or a problem that is getting worse, see a dental professional. In an emergency, contact your local emergency service.

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