Hand, Foot & Mouth

elly123

I think my 2 yr old might have Hand, foot & mouth. He started with high temps on Sunday afternoon, they were up and down, he's bn dribbling like crazy and saying his teeth are sore so we put it down to teething. I counted and he has his full set of teeth. We've had 4 very long days, he's been so irritable. I noticed spots on his bum this morning but again put it down to teething, this evening I noticed spots like blisters on his feet and one on his hand and the backs of his upper legs have a rash. We are going to doc 2moro to be sure that's what it is and to make sure he has no ear infection with it (gets ear infections all the bloody time)

Anyone have experience of this or have any ideas how I can help ease the discomfort for him. I'm giving him nurofen and calpol and bonjella, Sudo cream on his bum and giving him ice pops, yogurts, bananas, milk and water as that's as much as he'll take. He's having terrible tantrums due to the frustration of the pain he's in.

It's never ending, one thing after another. He had chicken pox at Easter and now this!!! Ahhhhhh we need a break from illnesses!

elly123

So my son does have HF&M and has ear infections in both ears. On an anti B for the ears, cant give anything for the HF&M other than what i have been given him. I'd imagine he got it in creche, seems to pick up everything. Poor little sausage!

Sligo1

elly123 wrote: »

So my son does have HF&M and has ear infections in both ears. On an anti B for the ears, cant give anything for the HF&M other than what i have been given him. I'd imagine he got it in creche, seems to pick up everything. Poor little sausage!

Poor little guy. U have my sympathy. My fella got it when he was 14 months old (I was 8 months pregnant at the time). And then I caught it from him. My hand were in bits and felt like they were burning! Avoid acidic things like juices etc as they can sting his mouth. My guy went totally off his food. We just allowed him lots of tv (He was never allowed tv before) on the couch and lots of cuddles. Basically anything that relaxed him as he was very distressed. Jelly and ice cream.

Hope he's feeling better soon.

IvyTheTerrible

My son got this 3 times last year. It's a virus so there are no antibiotics for it. We just used paracetamol for the fever, and a topical cream for the spots, rigourous hygeine as well to stop it spreading (I also got a mild dose of it the first time before I realised what it was), and just lots of TLC.

cyning

My almost 3 year old is after getting this now... 5 weeks after chickenpox. I'm terrified of my small lady getting it but there's nothing I can do at this stage: she's miserable with it so hoping it doesn't last long.

elly123

Ah cyning the poor the thing. Hope she feels better soon. I think we're in sync with the illnesses. My little guy had chicken pox week before yours. With the HF+M he was miserable for pretty much 5-7 days. Its just so unfair that they get sick so often. I asked gp about having bloods done because he is always sick, just to check his immune levels and she said no way, that all his illnesses are just child hood illnesses.

cyning

My 14th month old had immune tests at 6 months and is been referred on to an immunologist now. She is never well: she has hand foot and mouth too... I was assuming she had cold sores and the rash all over was a viral rash but she has blisters on her feet too: she's only out of hospital two days. So now both of mine have it. Sick of sickness!

elly123

cyning wrote: »

My 14th month old had immune tests at 6 months and is been referred on to an immunologist now. She is never well: she has hand foot and mouth too... I was assuming she had cold sores and the rash all over was a viral rash but she has blisters on her feet too: she's only out of hospital two days. So now both of mine have it. Sick of sickness!

Oh god cyning, you really are going through the mill with the sickness. It's hard enough looking after just one sick baba without having two sick at the same time. You must be totally drained yourself. I myself would have a weak immune system I catch everything that's going and I don't just be sick for a day or two I get bad doses when I get sick that's why I asked about getting the bloods. He's not a good eater never has been and that's another reason I asked for the bloods. I put his constant sickess down to fact he's such a poor eater that he's not getting enough nutrients and vitamins.(seen consultant about his eating or lack of, he told us he'll grow out of it) He is also in crèche which doesn't help coz he's catching everything there. But like everyone keeps saying to me, I'm hoping he'll grow out of the poor eating stage and also the sickness stage.

I really hope both your babies get some sleep this evenin, we had to let our little guy sleep in our bed and one of the nights I actually slept on couch with him. Anything to get some sleep!
The poor little pets, I genuinely feel for you cyning. Its just so exhausting for you and them been sick all the time. Fingers crossed if weather starts to pick we'll have less frequent sickness

cyning

My older girl jsn't a great eater but I put her on abidec and iron (she's prone to low iron) and it really helped her appetite.

We had to go with a childminder because creche just wasn't an option with S unfortunately... I hope he picks up soon too it's hard when they pick up everything going.

Cunning Stunt

Hi I think my little guy has hand foot and mouth. He came down with fever yesterday and this morning the rash appeared - first on his feet, but (here's where it seems different to other peoples experiences) now its all over him.

When we called the doc earlier we hadn't yet copped on that it was in his mouth, so the doc just said it sounded like a benign viral infection.

He had been shoving his hand in his mouth the past few days and drooling like crazy but we put it down to teething. He won't let me have a good look but I think there were spots on the roof of his mouth when I looked today and he has developed small coldsore-like sores on his lips.

Most people here mention rash on legs and bum and elbows only...have any of you had kids with HF&M where the rash was all over?
Tonight is night 2 of fever. We are treating it with baby paracetamol.

Thanks

2xj3hplqgsbkym

I don't know about hand foot and mouth but I would bring him to the doctor on call to get checked.

IvyTheTerrible

Cunning Stunt wrote: »

Hi I think my little guy has hand foot and mouth. He came down with fever yesterday and this morning the rash appeared - first on his feet, but (here's where it seems different to other peoples experiences) now its all over him.

When we called the doc earlier we hadn't yet copped on that it was in his mouth, so the doc just said it sounded like a benign viral infection.

He had been shoving his hand in his mouth the past few days and drooling like crazy but we put it down to teething. He won't let me have a good look but I think there were spots on the roof of his mouth when I looked today and he has developed small coldsore-like sores on his lips.

Most people here mention rash on legs and bum and elbows only...have any of you had kids with HF&M where the rash was all over?
Tonight is night 2 of fever. We are treating it with baby paracetamol.

Thanks

My fella got it all over (all four times he got it, sigh!). Did he have a soft poo in the last week? (that can be a symptom too).

Cunning Stunt

Hi
Thanks for the replies
We had him at the doc today and she thinks it could be measles -even though he is 18 months and has had an MMR vaccination.
I didn't think it would be possible to catch measles once you are vaccinated?
Anyway, we have to wait for test results to come back now.
I hope it's not measles as she said if it is, then it will get much worse before it gets better Poor little man.
I'm also 23 weeks pregnant so don't like the idea of measles, but she tells me my blood records show I am immune so I have to try to relax!

cyning

The mmr is about 90% effective. Both my girls were covered in a rash with hfm so I hope it's that rather than measles. Hopefully he doesn't get too sick.

galah

We've had various forms of HFM so far, one form we only had spots in the mouth, and another where he had a rash all over, and a third time with the actual classic presentation. Pain in the backside that disease.

But it could just be any old virus i guess, most of them seem to present with high fever and a random rash (just had one a few weeks ago, we suspect it was some form of viral meningitis but we dont know as they dont do tests here - they just say ' virus' and send you home with antibiotics (just in case you get a secondary bacterial infection...i presume) and calpol. Husband got it as well and he thought he was going to die...

Cunning Stunt

Thanks all.
Reading your responses, my money is still on HF&M. The doc seemed to dismiss it on appearance alone.
He doesn't have the classic blisters, just the rash on his torso and his arms and his knees and lower legs are very spotty. They're angry looking ones aswell. No blisters on the soles of the feet either but I know they are sore because he's gone on his tippy toes a few times. His mouth is the worst - looks like he's covered in coldsores and also on his chin.

But it doesn't seem to have gotten any worse since yesterday thank God.

I don't know if there's a test for hand foot & mouth but the doc has only sent a sample for measles testing - I suppose that's the most serious scenario.

cant26

My two year old was just diagnosed with hand foot and mout. So far he just some spots on his hands and wrist with a 39.6 temp. Doctor said he should be quarantined for 5 days so obviously no childminder for the week. Just wondering how long you all had to keep your children off from crèche/childminder? Was it longer than a week? I know it depends on the severity of the case but just a general guide would be great. Thanks.

newtoboards

cant26 wrote: »

My two year old was just diagnosed with hand foot and mout. So far he just some spots on his hands and wrist with a 39.6 temp. Doctor said he should be quarantined for 5 days so obviously no childminder for the week. Just wondering how long you all had to keep your children off from crèche/childminder? Was it longer than a week? I know it depends on the severity of the case but just a general guide would be great. Thanks.

My son got it about 3/4 months ago and we kept him out for over a week, I think a week about a half all told. He ended up on antiviral medicine as he was quite sick with it. The one that gave it to him in creche was fine within a few days and back once rash disappeared.

John Mason

we had it last month.

face, hands, feet, legs and arms

the blasted crèche wouldn't take him back for 2 weeks

foodaholic

My girl has it - NHS guidelines are for the kids not to miss out on school. Once they feel well they can go back. My GP wrote a letter to that effect for the creche

IvyTheTerrible

Two weeks out of crèche seems like overkill for something that isn't dangerous, just disagreeable.
My son's pediatrician said there was absolutely no need to keep him out of crèche (the crèche policy pissed me off anyway, he got the bug in the crèche, so other parents knew their kids had it and didn't tell, whereas we got penalised because we were honest with the crèche).

cant26

Thanks for the replies. Turns out my sons childminder won't take him for two weeks. She has never heard of it and she is afraid she's going to get it herself or that it will be passed to the other kids. Find it strange that in her line of work she never came across it but I just have to suck it up. She also wants a letter from my gp stating that he is no longer contagious before he can return to her. I don't know if my gp will do this.

foodaholic

My GP had no issue with it and actually printed out the NHS medical guidelines on it and highlighted the part about not being kept out of school to give to the crèche

Just ring and ask -

John Mason

foodaholic wrote: »

My girl has it - NHS guidelines are for the kids not to miss out on school. Once they feel well they can go back. My GP wrote a letter to that effect for the creche

My doctor wouldn't write a letter and the crèche said HSE guidelines which it states a 9 day exclusion

OMFG, I just checked the HSE guideline and there is no exclusion time for Hand, foot and mouth. I am livid. I used 2 weeks holidays for no reason

iguana

Pretty sure S has it too. He's had fluey symptoms since Saturday night and yesterday got the blisters all over his feet and ankles. Today they are on his hands too. He's also drooling, so at first I thought it was teething as he has two teeth left to come but the rash looks just like HFM.

mackey9387

My son has it he's one and a half. Around his mouth the rash is very bad anyone any suggestions he to help it heal? He is dribbling quite a lot which isn't helping he has had the virus for 4 days now rash on his mouth and bum have been bad for 2 days. Been using canesten cream on his bum as the rash and blisters are so bad. Thankfully he is drinking and still eating small amounts

celligraphy

Poor babies my little girl has it too , she's really bad over it screamed herself to sleep in some pain , covered in sores all over her mouth and bum .

Feel so bad knowing I can't help her apart from calpol and the likes , at least ice cream kinda helps them

IvyTheTerrible

celligraphy wrote: »

Poor babies my little girl has it too , she's really bad over it screamed herself to sleep in some pain , covered in sores all over her mouth and bum .

Feel so bad knowing I can't help her apart from calpol and the likes , at least ice cream kinda helps them

Yeah and lots of hugs. My son isn't very huggy but when he had HFM, all he wanted to do all day was snuggle and drink bottles (couldn't eat solid food because of the sores in his mouth).

WoollyWoman

Hey there, myself and my 15 month old had it 3 weeks ago. He got it first. Very high temperature after a morning at a toddler group, then sick and then the next morning he had spots around his mouth and the line of his nappy. It looked awful. Brought him to the GP and he said he had a throat infection and put him on antibiotics (first time) and cream for rash. No improvement over the weekend, rash all over legs, feet and hands. Went to out of hours GP and they just prescribed another cream. Back to GP on Monday and he sent us into hospital to see a paediatrician as the rash looked infected...they said it's a viral thing called hand, foot and mouth and it just has to fun it's course. He was very sick looking with it. No humour to do anything but hug and read stories. Calpol/Nurofen helped and toast!
I noticed on the way home I had a few spots on my hands...then the next morning my face, feet and legs etc. We had it bad for 7 days (I looked like a zombie with the rash!) GP said it's unusual to get it as an adult but it could be because my immune system is down as I'm pregnant.
Anyway, sorry for the essay but it gets better after a week usually. It's spread by contact of bodily fluids so keep hygiene up when changing nappies, cleaning burst spots and don't share drinks etc. It's not a nice one!

Sligo1

WoollyWoman wrote: »

Hey there, myself and my 15 month old had it 3 weeks ago. He got it first. Very high temperature after a morning at a toddler group, then sick and then the next morning he had spots around his mouth and the line of his nappy. It looked awful. Brought him to the GP and he said he had a throat infection and put him on antibiotics (first time) and cream for rash. No improvement over the weekend, rash all over legs, feet and hands. Went to out of hours GP and they just prescribed another cream. Back to GP on Monday and he sent us into hospital to see a paediatrician as the rash looked infected...they said it's a viral thing called hand, foot and mouth and it just has to fun it's course. He was very sick looking with it. No humour to do anything but hug and read stories. Calpol/Nurofen helped and toast!
I noticed on the way home I had a few spots on my hands...then the next morning my face, feet and legs etc. We had it bad for 7 days (I looked like a zombie with the rash!) GP said it's unusual to get it as an adult but it could be because my immune system is down as I'm pregnant.
Anyway, sorry for the essay but it gets better after a week usually. It's spread by contact of bodily fluids so keep hygiene up when changing nappies, cleaning burst spots and don't share drinks etc. It's not a nice one!

Sounds exactly like us last year woollywoman. My little lad got it and passed it onto me! I was also pregnant! This year we got it again a few weeks ago. My little guy got it again. But my wee girl didn't seem to get it (don't know why!?). He was so sore and couldn't eat or drink. His mouth was covered in sores on the inside! Avoid anything acidic like juices and citric acid. Calpol and nurofen used here for the pain. Nice warm baths seemed to relieve him slightly and put him In good form. Ice cream was sometimes tolerable....

cyning

We are just over it again here too: we used orabase and vaseline mixed together for nappies and small amounts of orabase on its own on some of the worst ulcers in her mouth and on her chin... It forms a protective barrier so works really, really well! Doc okayed it Ive been using it for mouth ulcers for years but hadnt really thought of using it for her!

fro9etb8j5qsl2

I'm pretty sure my little girl has it We visited a cousins during the week and one of their babies had an unspecified viral illness that turned out to be hfm. I was on hyper alert the last few days but the spots have appeared on my babies hands and mouth this morning. She's been off her food the last few days but I put that down to her getting vaccinated on thursday but now i'm not too sure. Must have a good look in her mouth and see has she blisters. Do I need to take her to the doctor? She's not in any obvious pain or discomfort (although dribbling like mad). Also, how can I minimise the chances of my little boy catching it?

mackey9387

Jamir Scarce Pointer wrote:

I'm pretty sure my little girl has it We visited a cousins during the week and one of their babies had an unspecified viral illness that turned out to be hfm. I was on hyper alert the last few days but the spots have appeared on my babies hands and mouth this morning. She's been off her food the last few days but I put that down to her getting vaccinated on thursday but now i'm not too sure. Must have a good look in her mouth and see has she blisters. Do I need to take her to the doctor? She's not in any obvious pain or discomfort (although dribbling like mad). Also, how can I minimise the chances of my little boy catching it?

Constantly was hands and good hygiene is really important to stop the spread. If your child starts to scratch the blisters rash use camomile lotion to easy the itch other than that it's just a waiting game lots and lots of fluids. Coolpops are good as there fluids and eases pain in the mouth

Sligo1

Jamir Scarce Pointer wrote: »

I'm pretty sure my little girl has it We visited a cousins during the week and one of their babies had an unspecified viral illness that turned out to be hfm. I was on hyper alert the last few days but the spots have appeared on my babies hands and mouth this morning. She's been off her food the last few days but I put that down to her getting vaccinated on thursday but now i'm not too sure. Must have a good look in her mouth and see has she blisters. Do I need to take her to the doctor? She's not in any obvious pain or discomfort (although dribbling like mad). Also, how can I minimise the chances of my little boy catching it?

Aw no! Very hard to stop the spread. But stringent hand hygiene will help. Wash both children's hands with soap and water after any activities. And do not use the same towels. I had a spare towel in the in the bathroom when my little guy got it which only he used for drying hands and face after washing. We all used the normal hand towel. Try not to let them suck on the same drink if u can help it.

fro9etb8j5qsl2

Great thanks girls. She has spots on her thighs now too. Poor thing doesn't seem too put out by it though. Her temperature was 38.5 Thursday night and Friday, I assumed it was because of the vaccinations but thinking now it might have been hfm coming on. It's easy enough to keep their drinks and towels etc separate but they play with the same toys and she puts everything in her mouth. I'll be going round with the Milton wipes for the week :eek:

fro9etb8j5qsl2

Spoke to the doctor this morning and he is almost certain it is hfm, however, he will see her if there is no improvement by tomorrow just to rule out chicken pox as she is scratching at her legs and feet. Poor thing had an awful night I forgot to ask the Dr, obviously I should keep her away from other kids but should I quarantine her to the house altogether? I wouldn't mind going out for a walk with the buggy but would hate to risk passing it on. Also, do I need to wash bedclothes/jackets/anything else she may have dribbled on regularly?

Sligo1

Jamir Scarce Pointer wrote: »

Spoke to the doctor this morning and he is almost certain it is hfm, however, he will see her if there is no improvement by tomorrow just to rule out chicken pox as she is scratching at her legs and feet. Poor thing had an awful night I forgot to ask the Dr, obviously I should keep her away from other kids but should I quarantine her to the house altogether? I wouldn't mind going out for a walk with the buggy but would hate to risk passing it on. Also, do I need to wash bedclothes/jackets/anything else she may have dribbled on regularly?

Unfortunately you really do have to keep them away from other children as its so contagious. I know creche will accept children after a day or 2 of a HFM diagnosis.... But that's why it spreads like wildfire in creche. We kept our guy out of Montessori for a week as tbh... I didn't want other little ones catching it on my conscience. Having said that they are contagious before they develop the sores and long after... So there's only so much u can do really.

I didn't take mine to playgrounds or anywhere that he would come into contact with other children or where he would be touching things that they would be touching. However, we went on loads of walks in the buggy (it seemed to relieve him a bit and distract him from the pain). I also took him to the beach to build sand castles a few times a few weeks ago when he had it... It's such an open area and he didn't mix with any children apart from his sister there(wouldn't say ud get away with doing that today tho as weather so crap!).

fro9etb8j5qsl2

Did both of yours get it Sligo? My little woman is just getting over hers now and this morning my little boy woke up with the rash It's typical. I was so careful with hand washing and cleaning the toys between them etc but it looks now like I shouldn't have bothered, I should have just let her pass it on to him ASAP

Sligo1

Jamir Scarce Pointer wrote: »

Did both of yours get it Sligo? My little woman is just getting over hers now and this morning my little boy woke up with the rash It's typical. I was so careful with hand washing and cleaning the toys between them etc but it looks now like I shouldn't have bothered, I should have just let her pass it on to him ASAP

My little girl didn't get it Jamir Scarce Pointer. But it was in her crèche and not in my guys Montessori. From my little knowledge of it, some children can get it and you would barely notice. While others have a terrible time with it! I actually wonder if my little girl picked up the virus from her crèche and didn't get it too badly but passed it onto my guy. Either that or my guy picked it up from somewhere else and my little girl was just lucky she didn't get it from him.

I hope you guys r ok and all will be better soon x

fro9etb8j5qsl2

Thanks Sligo it's an awful dose Even though my little girl didn't seem too ill with it, the rash looked so uncomfortable and sore You were so lucky that L didn't get it, I thought we had gotten away with it with J until today. In future I'm just going to let them infect each other when they catch something and let them both get it out of their systems at the same time. Lol that probably sounds awful but we've had a never ending circle of sickness recently and it seems that as one child gets better, the other one catches it :rolleyes:

Sligo1

Jamir Scarce Pointer wrote: »

Thanks Sligo it's an awful dose Even though my little girl didn't seem too ill with it, the rash looked so uncomfortable and sore You were so lucky that L didn't get it, I thought we had gotten away with it with J until today. In future I'm just going to let them infect each other when they catch something and let them both get it out of their systems at the same time. Lol that probably sounds awful but we've had a never ending circle of sickness recently and it seems that as one child gets better, the other one catches it :rolleyes:

Yea I know... It's awful when it just seems likes one long cycle of sickness. That's why I hate the winter months! Mine always get very bad for ages in January through to February/ March.... I'm dreading it!

fro9etb8j5qsl2

It's over a week now since my toddler came out in the rash and it's starting to clear now thanks be to jaysus. I know it's transmittable through their poo for a few weeks but does anyone know how long it's contagious via saliva? And how long it lasts on surfaces? I can't get a definite answer online and I'm tired of disinfecting all the toys 2-3 tines a day. Also, we are due to have visitors with kids at the weekend and I don't want to risk them getting it if my lad is still contagious.

WoollyWoman

Jamir Scarce Pointer wrote:

It's over a week now since my toddler came out in the rash and it's starting to clear now thanks be to jaysus. I know it's transmittable through their poo for a few weeks but does anyone know how long it's contagious via saliva? And how long it lasts on surfaces? I can't get a definite answer online and I'm tired of disinfecting all the toys 2-3 tines a day. Also, we are due to have visitors with kids at the weekend and I don't want to risk them getting it if my lad is still contagious.

Not sure how long it hangs around in the saliva but I read somewhere it can stay in the poo for 10 weeks :-/ I had to keep my wee man out of nursery for 2 weeks, that was over a month ago. I think it really shook his system and is only getting back to his normal self.
Can you avoid the visitors? Warn them and let them make the decision?

fro9etb8j5qsl2

10 weeks I didn't realise it was that long :eek: Ya I think I'll postpone the visitors so, they know that the lads have it but we all just assumed that 1 week was enough time. One of the adults in our family caught it and the doctor told him to stay indoors and be careful of contamination for one week after the appearance of the rash, but then again adults don't go around dribbling and slobbering and putting everything in their mouth like toddlers do :pac: I would love to know how long it lives on surfaces though, I'm not usually a germophobe but I'm really paranoid about that sort of thing. Imagine spending all that time stuck indoors recovering, only for them to catch it again by licking the stairgate or something :eek:

Sligo1

Jamir Scarce Pointer wrote: »

10 weeks I didn't realise it was that long :eek: Ya I think I'll postpone the visitors so, they know that the lads have it but we all just assumed that 1 week was enough time. One of the adults in our family caught it and the doctor told him to stay indoors and be careful of contamination for one week after the appearance of the rash, but then again adults don't go around dribbling and slobbering and putting everything in their mouth like toddlers do :pac: I would love to know how long it lives on surfaces though, I'm not usually a germophobe but I'm really paranoid about that sort of thing. Imagine spending all that time stuck indoors recovering, only for them to catch it again by licking the stairgate or something :eek:

Mrspostman, honestly I wouldn't worry about it too much after they are clear for a week or so. If they are back to themselves and the rash is gone there's not much more you can do tbh. Inform your visitors that they had it the last 2 weeks but are better now and let ur visitors make the decision whether they visit or not. In regards to your own kids... There are different forms of the virus. As far as I know they can't get reinfected with the same virus once they've had it. For example, my guy can't get reinfected with the virus he just had by slobbering all over his toys again. But he could get a different form of the HFM that another child is carrying next time. If you get what I mean? I would give all the toys and surfaces a good clean one last time then just try and forget about it xx