- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
February 2013 Moms
wifeofadam
member
Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease. Help me.
wifeofadam
member
I mentioned yesterday that my middle two had been feverish for a few days and the baby had insomnia, acting strangely through the night. I thought she had a bad diaper rash yesterday and was treating it as such. Today DD1 also broke out in a rash on her butt, which is strange because she is no longer in diapers. By the end of the day today the rashes were also on their legs and faces. DS2 doesn't have any spots yet, but he also got the fever last.
I just talked to my friend, whose kids were at my house on Sunday, because I wanted to tell her that I'm suspecting a virus, possible chickenpox or something, and I wanted to make her aware that they could have been exposed. She was like, "OH. I bet it's HFMD because my kids have it right now." Um. Thanks for telling me about that. I'm kind of upset about that. A call to give me the heads up would have been appreciated.
Anyways, I've been reading about HFMD and I'm confused because my kids rashes have started on their butts. They have nothing on their hands and feet yet.
Anyone dealt with this? What should I expect? Also, does the rash typically itch because DD2 has been itching the one on her butt like crazy. I think that's why she hasn't been able to sleep the last two nights.
THIS is why I dislike other people's germy kids. Eeek.
I just talked to my friend, whose kids were at my house on Sunday, because I wanted to tell her that I'm suspecting a virus, possible chickenpox or something, and I wanted to make her aware that they could have been exposed. She was like, "OH. I bet it's HFMD because my kids have it right now." Um. Thanks for telling me about that. I'm kind of upset about that. A call to give me the heads up would have been appreciated.
Anyways, I've been reading about HFMD and I'm confused because my kids rashes have started on their butts. They have nothing on their hands and feet yet.
Anyone dealt with this? What should I expect? Also, does the rash typically itch because DD2 has been itching the one on her butt like crazy. I think that's why she hasn't been able to sleep the last two nights.
THIS is why I dislike other people's germy kids. Eeek.
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease. Help me.
DS1: Quinn - 10.22.10 and DS2: Cole - 01.18.13
My friend said on the phone not to worry because they aren't contagious anymore once the rash appears. Google and the CDC say otherwise, so I had to call my friend back and tell her to stop infecting the rest of the town (in much nicer words).
Looks like we won't be going to the family gatherings this weekend for Father's Day. That's the blessing in all of this. I sort of wanted to just hang out at home and be lazy for the weekend
https://www.cdc.gov/hand-foot-mouth/about/transmission.html
It seems like the consensus among healthcare professionals seems to be that the duration of the sickness can be really long and it's impossible to keep people away from school or work for that long, which used to be the case for chickenpox and is why they developed vaccines for it. Since there isn't a vaccine for this one, it seems like people are fine with taking their chances and going back to school and work early, which just spreads the disease even more.
It just seems to me that if we're going to have vaccines for things like flu and chickenpox, this disease is in the same category of risk and inconvenience for daily life.
(Not that I would vaccinate for this any more than I would for chickenpox, but I just think it's interesting that there isn't one for it yet.)
I wasn't saying all of that to call you irresponsible or anything. I know you're far from irresponsible. You did what your doctor and school told you to do and I would do the same thing.
I had a nightmare last night that I was pregnant during all of this and didn't know it and then my baby ended up with a serious deformity because of this. I think I'm just feeling a little over-reactive today!
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8390713
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/821380
Right ovary removed 09.04.2012 via vertical laparotomy
Essure implant placed on remaining tube 06.13.2013; successful followup scan 09.30.2013
Just got back from Mexico and DS came home with HFM. He did start with a fever, drooling a lot, and not eating or drinking much. A rash appeared on his thighs which I thought was more from wearing a swim diaper and being in such a hot and humid climate. A few days later, he did get spots on his hands, feet and mouth (a few on his forehead too).
I know I am late to the party but I am just now a week into this virus (we think it started last Tuesday when we noticed he had a fever) and he is just now starting to act more like himself! This is something I hope we never get again! And it made the last 3 days of our trip miserable including everyone on the plane ride back for 4 hours.
My kids' fevers all seemed to go away within two days. The rash appeared 1-3 days after the fever (it was different for each kid). My girls' spots started showing up last Tuesday-Wednesday and they were getting new spots through the weekend. Haven't noticed any new ones today and some of the ones on DD1's back are starting to dry out and disappear, so I'm thinking they take about a week to start to clear up.
Apart from the fever, the worst part has been the sores in DD1's mouth bothering her while she eats and DS2's feet itching. He wakes up yelling through the night that they itch and there really isn't anything we can do for it.
We have a scheduled well-child visit tomorrow for DD2, so I'm going to ask then, but I'm curious what other people's docs have said.
My doc told me today that they are contagious as long as they have spots in their mouths.
It seems like every doctor has a different opinion on contagiousness. Probably because the CDC says they can be contagious even without symptoms after the rash disappears.
@krystynad I hope your LO feels better soon
He was at daycare last week for a couple of hours so he probably just picked up the flu. We haven't had the hfm outbreak here too terribly yet. I hope!
The first kids' fever actually broke out after one of the days she was here babysitting and I called her as soon as we knew what was going on. She told me she had it as a kid and was fine with continuing to watch them through the sickness.
But I still feel awful that she got it from us
Now my kids' sitter on the other hand, she's not doing well. She was here today and was covered in spots on her face and hands. I feel terrible for her
How much later after your kids did the sitter break out? She should be hitting peak soon and coming back down, right?
I'm so glad to hear the kids are on the mend! Sick babies is miserable always. I was so relieved that my sister (shock of all shocks!) wanted to take C overnight this week. They picked her up Monday AM and ended up keeping her until yesterday afternoon. E came down with his fever Tuesday, so it was nice not to have to contend with one sick one healthy.
How are *you* holding up, @+adamwife+?
I'm fine. I was paranoid for a few days when the sitter told me she was sick and every little ache or itch I thought was HFMD coming. But I'm fine and I figure if I was going to get it, it would have shown up by now, right?? DH has also been spared, so I feel like we're pretty lucky or immune or something.
But poor sitter. You should see her face. It's covered in blisters.
And I completely get the cooped feeling. Is there anywhere they won't come into contact with many kids? I can't imagine keeping 4 kids inside for days on end. Even back when my siblings and I had chicken pox, once we didn't feel like death, mom sent us outside to play. We lived in the country on 12 acres, so we had no close neighbors.
Everett almost has no spots left. They are all drying out or virtually gone! Yay for babies on the mend.
BTW, I much rather have a common cold than this crap anyday!