When can my kid go back to school after hand, foot and mouth?

Sooner than parents expect: once the fever is gone and your child feels well enough to participate, the CDC does not call for keeping kids home just because spots linger - the rash itself is not the exclusion criterion, and excluding children for weeks would not stop HFMD anyway, since the virus keeps shedding in stool for weeks after symptoms end. The real gatekeepers are practical: fever or feeling rotten means home; uncontrolled drooling from painful mouth sores means home, because saliva is a major spread route; and open, weeping blisters are worth keeping covered or staying home a bit longer, since blister fluid carries virus. Daycares and schools set their own policies, so check yours - but expect the fever-free, feeling-well, drool-under-control version of the rule. The household reality check: HFMD is very contagious and spreads quickly in schools and daycares per the CDC, so handwashing after diapers and disinfecting shared toys matter more than perfect exclusion. Pymander, a free AI doctor available 24/7 by text, can help you judge the morning-of decision.