Ying Zhao,1 Hao Ju2 

1Department of Dermatology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, People’s Republic of China

Correspondence: Hao Ju, Email juhao1986@163.com

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of modified skin care intervention in pediatric Hand-Foot-and-Mouth Disease (HFMD) patients, focusing on its impact on skin recovery, pain management, and herpes healing.
Methods: Clinical data from 130 HFMD children (February 2023–June 2024) were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into a control group (n=65, routine care) and an observation group (n=65, modified care). Outcomes included herpes healing rate, symptom duration (fever, eating improvement, hospitalization), pain severity (Visual Analog Scale, VAS), skin condition (HFMD skin assessment tool), nursing compliance (medication adherence, skin protection, hygiene practices), and satisfaction (Newcastle Satisfaction with Nursing Services Scale, NSNS).
Results: Clinical Outcomes: The observation group achieved a higher herpes healing rate (95.38% vs 84.62%) and shorter recovery times for herpes relief, fever resolution, eating improvement, and hospitalization (all P< 0.05). Pain Management: Group-time interaction effects for VAS scores were significant (F=6.534, P< 0.05). Both groups showed reduced pain over time (P< 0.05), but the observation group reported lower VAS scores on day 3 and at discharge (P< 0.05 vs control). Skin Recovery: Skin scores improved significantly in both groups (time effect F=6.623, P< 0.05), with the observation group demonstrating superior skin condition on day 3 and discharge (P< 0.05 vs control). Compliance and Satisfaction: The observation group exhibited better adherence to medication, skin protection, and hygiene protocols (P< 0.05) and higher satisfaction rates (95.38% vs 81.54%, P< 0.05).
Conclusion: Modified skin care intervention outperforms routine protocols in accelerating recovery, reducing pain, enhancing skin integrity, improving treatment adherence, and boosting patient/family satisfaction. These findings support its adoption as a superior care model for pediatric HFMD management.

Keywords: modified skin care, hand-foot-and-mouth disease, pediatrics, herpes, pain, nursing outcomes