Add Us On GoogleAdd as a preferred source on Google
Download the FREE FOX19 NOW news app for Android
CINCINNATI (WXIX) — A Northern Kentucky boy is home after being hospitalized with a serious skin infection his mother says followed a case of hand, foot and mouth disease
Chelsea Garland said all three of her children caught hand, foot and mouth disease this month at their daycare, which FOX19 NOW is not naming
The daycare is one of four reporting outbreaks this year. Garland said it made her son, Tate, more susceptible to staph scalded skin syndrome. There is no way to pinpoint where he contracted the bacteria
Garland believes Tate caught hand, foot and mouth disease from his brothers, and that it left him vulnerable to a second and more dangerous diagnosis
Garland described the morning she found Tate in pain
“He woke up, I could hear him screaming. He couldn’t open his mouth. Just the ‘aaahhh my skin hurts.’ He could barely walk. You could not touch him — it was bloody to the touch because his skin was falling off,” Garland said
Experts say staph scalded skin syndrome happens when bacterial toxins attack the skin, causing it to separate and shed, exposing raw skin underneath
“I had mothers reach out to me and say, ‘I promise girl it gets better,’ but to sit there and be helpless and listen to him scream and in pain…” Garland said
There is no way to pinpoint exactly where he was exposed. The NKY Health Department said it did not test the daycare for staph but has had no other reports
Hand, foot and mouth disease is common. Hamilton County reported 25 outbreaks last year and eight so far this year. Northern Kentucky has logged four outbreaks
Molly Frankel, with the NKY Health Department, said cases tend to rise this time of year
“Everyone is going back to school, mingling with other people — we are always going to see a spike with these illnesses just with the time of year. So we do expect to see some more cases as the school year starts up,” Frankel said
Garland, a single mother who relies on childcare, said she wants more precautions taken
“What do I do? If I keep them here — yeah, I know they’re better — but at what point do I know it’s safe to take them back?” Garland said
Garland said she does not yet have an answer to that question. But she said Tate was glad to be home
“I said, ‘Tate, we get to go home,’ and he said, ‘I get dressed?’ And I got him dressed, and he gave me a big old hug. And it was nice,” Garland said
Frankel said facilities can help prevent outbreaks by cleaning shared surfaces and encouraging children to cover coughs and blisters
Parents who notice cold symptoms or blisters on their children’s hands and feet are advised to keep them home if possible
See a spelling or grammatical error in our story?Please click here to report it
Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Sendit to us herewith a brief description
Copyright 2026 WXIX. All rights reserved
