RSV, COVID-19 & hand, foot, and mouth disease: Here’s what local pediatricians say is going around – WXYZ

(WXYZ) With kids back and school and cold & flu season setting in, there's a lot going around, and parents know it.

Related: State expecting a rise in RSV cases among kids; here's what to look out for & how to stay safe

What, what's going around is changing from community to community and also changes as we move through the year.

At Shelby Pediatrics in Shelby Township, they say Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and the common cold are two of the three issues bugging kids in Macomb County. RSV is a common childhood ailment. Most kids have had it by the age of two, but it can send children to the hospital.

The third issue bugging kids is an uptick in COVID-19, which they say may be tied to Halloween activities.

At Bloom Pediatrics in Birmingham, they're also seeing an uptick in RSV and COVID-19.

We're also seeing a lot of Coxsackievirus A-16, commonly known as hand, foot and mouth disease," Dr. Anna Groebe from Bloom Pediatrics said.

Groebe says hand, foot and mouth is a common virus that spreads easily from child to child through surfaces and respiratory droplets.

Symptoms include fever and other flu-like symptoms, three to six days after a child catches the virus.

"It does present with often low-grade fevers and headache, meaning the child's tire just doesn't feel good. Very commonly sore throat," she said.

That may start one or two days after the fever begins, along with painful mouth sores. These sores usually start as small red spots, often in the back of their mouth, that blister and can become painful.

Then there is the namesake rash that can appear anywhere on the body, including the palm of the hands and the soles of the feet.

"Some of the smaller children will refuse to bear weight on their feet, or if they're of crawling age, they won't want to crawl because their hands are painful," Groebe said.

The good news is that hand, foot and mouth usually goes away on its own and the rash only lasts a couple of days. It rarely leave scars.

Fluid in the blister and the resulting scab that forms as the blister heals may contain the virus that causes hand, foot, and mouth disease. Keep blisters or scabs clean and avoid touching them.

We also checked in with Universal Pediatrics in Midtown Detroit. They're also seeing a lot of common cold symptoms, RSV and a lot of hand, foot and mouth.

Again, the disease usually goes away on its own, but you'll want to see your healthcare provider if your child is not drinking enough to stay hydrated, their fever lasts longer than 3 days, your child has a weakened immune system, or your child is very young, especially younger than 6 months

Otherwise, just try to make sure your child is as comfortable as possible.

Additional Coronavirus information and resources:

View a global coronavirus tracker with data from Johns Hopkins University.

See complete coverage on our Coronavirus Continuing Coverage page.

Visit our The Rebound Detroit, a place where we are working to help people impacted financially from the coronavirus. We have all the information on everything available to help you through this crisis and how to access it.

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RSV, COVID-19 & hand, foot, and mouth disease: Here's what local pediatricians say is going around - WXYZ