Head Foot and Mouth disease?

Posted: Wed, Oct 14 2009, 6:13 am Post subject: Head Foot and Mouth disease?

Oy, the school called me that DS has Head Foot and Mouth diesae and needs to be collected at once. He doesn't have fever, just a few spots. I called the GP and she said don't worry esp if it doesn't have fever. DS can't go back to school till spots dry up completely. Now I need to call around and cancell playdate arrangements for the half-term hol next week...

Did anyone have experience with children with HFMs? Any idea how long it takes to heal? I guess I'll have to call the shabbat guests and notify them?

Gold Member Joined: Mar 14 2006 Posts: 1880

It's actually called Hand, Foot and mouth disease.

Is hand, foot and mouth disease infectious?

Yes. The incubation period is 3-6 days. This means it takes 3-6 days to develop symptoms after being infected from another person. Sometimes small outbreaks occur in nurseries and schools. It is mainly infectious until the spots and mouth ulcers have gone. However, children can still be mildly infectious for several weeks longer as the virus may be passed out with the faeces (stools) for several weeks after the symptoms have gone. It is impractical to exclude children from school or nursery once the symptoms have gone. However, it is sensible to maintain good hygiene to reduce the chance of passing on the virus. In particular, hand washing after going to the toilet.
What is the treatment for hand, foot and mouth disease?

There is no treatment that will take away the virus. The aim is to ease symptoms until the illness goes away (which it normally does within a week or so).

see http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Hand,-Foot-and-Mouth-Disease.htm for more details (copied the above info from this website)

Silver Member Joined: May 20 2009 Posts: 510 Location: CT

Just make sure the child drinks/gets enough fluids. The main risk of hand foot mouth (also called coxsakie) is dehydration b/c the mouth has so much pain that the patient won't drink.

Thanks. DS is actually enjoying his day off, happily singing "hand, foot and mouth" to the tune of "head, shoulders, knees and toes" song. Thanks for rehydration advice--he's already excited to see all the jell-o ice cubes I'm making...

Silver Member Joined: Feb 01 2009 Posts: 698

OH! I think that was the WORSE time for my dd!!!! She was 22 months and in terrible pain for 10 days! She refused to drink or eat anything & was extremely cranky Sad

! The worse part was that there is no medication to expedite the healing... Hope your son feels better soon.

Moderator Joined: Oct 18 2004 Posts: 2659

I thought my dd had hand, foot, mouth 2 weeks ago. The dr. said that once she's fever-free for 24 hours, she can go back to school. (Found out the next day that she really had strep)

Silver Member Joined: Feb 01 2009 Posts: 698

For my dd it was impossible to miss since she had blisters in her mouth, on her hands & feet Crying or Very sad

Silver Member Joined: Feb 09 2006 Posts: 691

I think every kid handles it differently.

My DS had it about a month ago. Oh my I think he was in more pain than after his surgery. He was so miserable and didn't eat for about a week. He drank reluctantly.

Some kids don't even notice they have it B"H.

I was told it is very contagious. I used only disposables and made my other kids crazy about hand washing.

Hopefully this will be a mild case, but if he is C"V in any pain you should know there is something called magic mouthwash that will numb his mouth. They wouldn't give it to my son cuz he was too little, but maybe yours is old enough.

Refuah Shelaima!

Diamond Member Joined: Jan 19 2006 Posts: 4450

my son had it last year, BH very mild case, But he was out of school for a full week! When my other kids had it a few years ago, it was a lot worse.

One of my kids had it years ago, it was no big deal at all but when I mentioned it to another mother she said "eww that's disgusting"
could someone explain to me why on earth she reacted that way? Shocked

till this day I can't figure out what her problem was. Do people say it's disgusting when someone has chicken pox???