Harlingen, Texas – A routine family outing to a community splash pad turned alarming when a toddler began showing signs of illness after stepping into the water. Guadalupe Rodriguez visited the splash pad with her 1-year-old son at their apartment complex in Harlingen, noticing unusual behavior in her child shortly after their visit.
Concerned about her son’s health, Rodriguez decided to cut the outing short and take him home. It wasn’t until later that she noticed bumps appearing around his mouth and arms. Initially dismissing them as mosquito bites, the situation took a turn when the bumps spread all over his body, accompanied by rashes.
As the symptoms worsened, Rodriguez’s son developed a fever and lost his appetite. With pediatric clinics closed over the weekend, she took her son to Mexico for a checkup. By Sunday, his condition had deteriorated significantly, with severe rashes, mouth blisters, and difficulty breathing. Doctors in Mexico confirmed that he had contracted Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD).
The toddler began experiencing high fevers and even suffered febrile seizures, with his recovery ongoing since contracting the virus in mid-May. HFMD is caused by viruses such as Coxsackievirus and Enterovirus, common among children and known to cause rashes on the hands, feet, and blisters in the mouth.
Pediatric specialist Dr. Asim Zamir explained the disease and highlighted the importance of caution. HFMD symptoms vary based on age, immune system, and environmental factors, with higher transmission rates in warmer seasons. The virus spreads through person-to-person contact and is more severe in younger patients, especially infants and children up to five years old.
Symptoms to watch for include fever, rashes, blisters, fatigue, sore throat, and gastrointestinal issues. Zamir emphasized the need for handwashing, disinfection of public areas, and awareness of surroundings to prevent the spread of the virus. Rodriguez, unaware of HFMD until her son’s illness, urged parents to be vigilant about their children’s activities and hygiene practices to avoid similar situations.