Hand-foot-and-mouth disease may cause some or all of the
following signs and symptoms: - Sore throat - Feeling of being
unwell (malaise) - Painful, red, blister-like lesions on the
tongue, gums and inside of the cheeks - A red rash, without
itching but sometimes with blistering, on the palms, soles and
sometimes the buttocks - Irritability in infants and toddlers -
Loss of appetite The usual period from initial infection to the
onset of signs and symptoms (incubation period) is three to
seven days. A fever is often the first sign of hand-foot-and-
mouth disease, followed by a sore throat and sometimes a poor
appetite and malaise. One or two days after the fever begins,
painful sores may develop in the mouth or throat. A rash on the
hands and feet and possibly on the buttocks can follow within
one or two days. When to see a doctor Hand-foot-and-mouth
disease is usually a minor illness causing only a few days of
fever and relatively mild signs and symptoms. Contact your
doctor, however, if mouth sores or a sore