ONE mother allowed her son to play in a condo swimming pool.

Another took her daughter to Malaysia on holiday.

Both could have been suffering from Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) at the time.

Some parents have been bochap (Hokkien for don't care) in allowing kids with HFMD into places where they can spread the highly contagious disease.

A check with six doctors revealed that some parents had approached them to seek 'clearance' to allow children with HFMD to travel.

And all this even as the Ministry of Health (MOH) continues to caution parents to keep their infected children away from public or crowded places.

An MOH spokesman told The New Paper: 'There is no law that penalises the parents but they should be more socially responsible.' (See report on facing page.)

Administrative executive Rachel Koh, 39, said she was upset when she saw her 6-year-old son's classmate at their condominium's swimming pool last week.

It was a day after her son had returned home with the news that the classmate was down with HFMD.

Said Madam Koh, who also has a 3-year-old daughter: 'The boy was playing in the pool with four others.

'I learned from the maid later that the child's mother had organised a party to cheer her son up.

'It's really ridiculous and there's nothing we can do about it, except keep our own kids away.'

The 6-year-old girl who travelled to Malaysia with her mother was given medical leave and told to stay home after the preschool centre suspected she could have HFMD.

A teacher said: 'During our regular checks (on 23 May), we noticed that the student had rashes on the palms of her hands.

'While there were no other symptoms, we chose to send her home as a precautionary measure.'

The centre was among those that had earlier closed voluntarily for 10 days because of HFMD. It also extended its school term by another three days.

TOLD TO STAY HOME

The girl was given two days' medical leave and advised to stay home for observation.

She also had to return to the doctor for a review.

Said the teacher: 'On Monday, when the girl did not come to school, we called her home to check on her condition.'

It was then she found out that the girl was in Malaysia with her mother.

'When we questioned her father (who did not travel with them), he said they were quite sure their daughter was not down with HFMD,' said the teacher.

But the father also admitted that they did not obtain any confirmation from the doctor.

When the school holidays started a week ago, some parents approached doctors to seek clearance for their infected children so the family could travel.

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General practitioner C P Tan said: 'They plead and say things like they don't want to disappoint their child or how it would be a waste of money for them to drop their holiday plans.

'However, unless the child's illness has completely resolved, I will turn them down.'

Another GP, Dr L H Wong, said her clinic assistant had called a sick boy's home for an update on his condition.

Dr Wong said: 'The assistant was shocked when the maid told her the family had gone to Disneyland (in Hong Kong).

'When I called the mother, she told me she was sure her son had recovered, before adding that he still had some ulcers in the mouth.'

Dr Wong said that HFMD is spread from person to person by direct contact with nasal discharge, saliva, faeces and fluid from the rash of an infected person.

The disease can also be spread through the air.

Paediatrician Benjamin Lim advised parents of sick children to postpone or cancel holiday plans.

'It's a question of responsibility. The incubation period of HFMD is three to five days.

CONTAGIOUS

'A child infected with HFMD is contagious throughout the duration of the illness,' he said.

Housewife Yeo Bee Geok, 44, who has a 7-year-old daughter, said: 'Now that it's the school holidays, there'll be no one (like teachers) to monitor the situation.

'What happens if irresponsible parents allow their children to go out?'

Dr Tan said: 'As it is, other children living in the same household may also get infected.

'Parents should check these children daily before they are allowed to go to school or childcare centres.'

And while the child remains at home, proper hygiene should be practised to prevent transmission to other family members.

Dr Lim said: 'Despite the Ministry's efforts and constant reminders, some parents still choose to ignore the advice that contact with other children should be avoided until the child recovers.'

This year so far, a total of 13,401 HFMD cases have been notified to MOH.

In the week ending 24 May, the number of notified cases came down by 22 per cent to 729 from 940 in the previous week.

Emergency measures

• Parliament in April gave Health Minister sweeping powers if country faces disastrous health threat. 
• This includes authority to close shopping centres, take over private hospitals and arrest suspects without warrant. 
• Powers are for use only when the country faces health threat with potential to kill many people. 
• In 2003 Sars outbreak, when some disobeyed quarantine orders, surveillance cameras were used in their homes and wrist-tags slapped on repeat offenders.

This story was first published in The New Paper on June 31, 2008.