Can a child get hand, foot, and mouth disease more than once?

After a child has contracted hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD), he or she will develop a certain level of resistance, but there remains a risk of reinfection. This is because HFMD is caused by various types of enteroviruses, and there is no cross-immunity among different viruses. After infection and recovery, the child mainly develops immunity to the specific virus that caused the infection, but may still be susceptible to other types of enteroviruses. Additionally, the recurrence rate of HFMD ranges from 0.57% to 7.54%, which is considered relatively high. This means that even if a child has previously had HFMD, reinfection is still possible if proper personal hygiene and preventive measures are not followed. Therefore, parents should continue emphasizing personal hygiene and protective measures for their children to reduce the risk of reinfection. During peak HFMD seasons, it is also advisable to avoid taking children to crowded and poorly ventilated places to lower the risk of infection.