DES MOINES, Iowa — Hand, foot, and mouth disease has seen an increase in case numbers over the past few months.

According to Courtney Huston, a pediatric nurse practitioner at UnityPoint Health, hand, foot, and mouth disease, caused by the Coxsackievirus virus, has recently seen case numbers rising in the metro.

“We know the hand, foot, mouth likes the warm weather,” Huston said.” It thrives in warmer temperatures. So we generally see an uptick in cases in late spring and then summer. And anecdotally, yes, we are seeing a lot more cases in the clinic right now. So when school starts, I think depending on, you know, how good they are with hygiene and everything, we’ll probably continue to see a steady flow of cases.”

Symptoms of hand, foot, and mouth disease include a visible rash on hands, feet, and inside and outside of the infected person’s mouth. Though anyone can contract the disease, it is most common for young children in preschool and kindergarten to contract the disease due to close spaces and lack of hygiene, according to Huston.

Huston said that if you think your child has the virus, keep them at home.

“If your kiddo does have a fever, which we define as over 100.4 (degrees), please keep them home from school,” Huston said. “Because sometimes in hand, foot, mouth, the fever does show up before the sores do, and during that time the child is still contagious. But that goes for any type of fever as well. Anything over 100.4 or please keep your child home because they are contagious for whatever they have.”

Currently, there is no vaccine or cure for hand, foot, and mouth disease. However, Huston says that the best way to treat symptoms includes staying hydrated and taking ibuprofen and Tylenol to help with the fever.

To avoid getting the virus, the best tip is to wash hands often and avoid those infected with the disease.

For more information on hand, foot, and mouth disease, click here.