To investigate the clinical manifestations of children with hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) and the corresponding nursing strategies, and to provide the clinical basis for treatment of children with HFMD.

The data of 896 children with HFMD in our department were analyzed, retrospectively.

Total of 895 cases with HFMD after clinical treatment and careful nursing, all were recovered or improved, except only 1 case was dead after treatment in other hospital. Children with HFMD were mainly under the age of 5 years old, more male than female; mainly 1 to 2 years old children with HFMD (41.74%), followed by under the age of 1 year old. Rash of children with HFMD mainly distributed in the palm of the hand, foot and mouth mucosa, the proportion were 64.21%, 57.12% and 63.54%, respectively. All the 896 cases with HFMD had a skin rash, 691 cases (77.10%) were accompanied by fever. There were 263 cases with the heat peak higher than 39 ℃, accounting for 29.40%. There were 605 cases (67.50%) with increased white blood cell (WBC) count, the rest showed normal or decreased WBC. Patients with Coxsackie virus A16 (CoxA16) and enterovirus 71 (EV71) infection accounted for the major part, 444 cases (49.60%) and 34 cases (37.9%), respectively; the other 126 cases (14.10%) were infected with other enterovirus. Influenza virus infection among the complicated virus infection in the patients accounted for a higher proportion up to 51.2%.

The children with HFMD were young, the disease progresses rapidly, and the early clinical manifestations were occult, but with early detection, timely intervention and careful nursing, the prognosis would be good.