Scenario: Jeng - Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease

[emmakathrynn]

Case study 1
Jeng, a child age two, has a suspected case of hand, foot and mouth disease. Jeng’s mother has been contacted and has come to pick him up. She is very upset and wants to know why Jeng must be excluded – to her he seems well, and she cannot take time off from her job to stay home with him.

Question: Outline the points you should discuss with Jeng’s mother.
Answer: I would provide information on hand, foot and mouth disease and how it can quickly spread to other children. I would explain to Jeng’s mum that there is no actual treatment for hand, food and mouth disease. I would advise her to give him paracetamol. This will help the fever come down. I would also tell her to give him plenty of fluid but to avoid any acidic drinks, such as orange juice etc. Cold drinks and iceblocks are usually good to help ease the pain in the mouth. I would advise jeng’s mum to go to the doctor if headaches and fever persist. I would tell her that the blisters need to dry naturally.

Question: State what documentation could be referred to when discussing the situation with Jeng’s mother, and explain why this would be helpful in the discussion.
Answer: The documentation that could be discussed is one that has been put out by SA Health and it is called “Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease: Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention.” This documentation would be good to have on hand so as each stage of the disease could be discussed with Jeng’s mum.


Hey. I have no idea if I have answered the second question correctly. I'm not really sure what it's asking. Any help would be great, Thanks.

[Lorina]

Yes, your responses are good! For the second question you can also add the centre policy on regards to "Infection Control". This policy basically states that if a child has contracted an infectious disease that they need to be excluded from care until the child is cleared by a doctor. All centres should have this policy although it could be titled differently. You can Goggle it and find a sample of it to help you with the second part of this question.

Hope this helps,

,
Lorina