Hand-foot-and-mouth disease natural history

Prognosis
Generally, complete recovery occurs in 5 to 7 days.

Complications

 * Complications from the virus infections that cause HFMD are not common, but if they do occur, medical care should be sought.
 * Viral or aseptic meningitis can rarely occur with HFMD. Viral meningitis causes fever, headache, stiff neck, or back pain. The condition is usually mild and clears without treatment; however, some patients may need to be hospitalized for a short time.
 * Other more serious diseases, such as encephalitis (swelling of the brain), a polio-like paralysis, result even more rarely. Encephalitis can be fatal.
 * There have been reports of fingernail and toenail loss occurring mostly in children within 4 weeks of their having hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD). At this time, it is not known whether the reported nail loss is or is not a result of the infection. However, in the reports reviewed, the nail loss has been temporary and nail growth resumed without medical treatment.