The superintendent for the Monessen City School District said it's aware of more than five cases of hand, foot, and mouth disease in the elementary school. 

It's that time of year when bugs and illnesses begin spreading in the halls at school, and kids, like Connie Francia's grandson, may come home from Monessen Elementary Center saying they don't feel well.

"You can't prevent that; that happens," Francia said. "When school starts and the kids are together, you're going to have that."

At the elementary school, the latest culprit is hand, foot, and mouth disease. Superintendent Robert Motte sent a letter to parents to notify them of the recent cases.

Doctor Sundeep Ekbote, regional chief medical officer and director of emergency medicine at Penn Highlands Southwest, said it's a viral condition that's common in children and is contagious, typically spread by direct touch.

"You might see patchy ulcerations in the mouth, and they could even be ulcers on the hands and the feet, but it's more likely a small, red, raised rash that you can feel," Dr. Ekbote said.

Besides the rashes, they could also have a low-grade fever. That's when Dr. Ekbote suggests calling your doctor, or if your child is having trouble eating or drinking. They'll normally treat the disease with Tylenol or Ibuprofen.

"It causes more anxiety than it being a serious problem," Ekbote said.

Motte told KDKA, "[They] are being proactive" and don't want "to scare the community." He said staff members are "deep cleaning and disinfecting" rooms and surfaces throughout the building, along with school buses and vans, daily.

Like Dr. Ekbote, Motte urges parents to encourage their kids to wash their hands and not to share food, drinks, or other items at school. They're steps, Francia said, her family takes all the time.

"That's all you can do for that. I mean, there's really nothing else that can be done," Francia said.

Dr. Ekbote said it's more likely for adults to transmit the disease than catch it, but if they do, they're usually not symptomatic.

Nearly a month ago, Allegheny Health Network reported an uptick in cases.