an exanthematous eruption in small children usually consisting of small, pearl-gray vesicles of the fingers, toes, palms, and soles, accompanied by often painful vesicles and ulceration of the buccal mucous membrane and the tongue and by slight fever; the disease lasts 4-7 days, and is usually caused by coxsackie virus type A-16, but other types have been identified. SYN: hand-foot-and-mouth syndrome.