Hands- Foot- Mouth Disease

Hey K., I hate to tell you, but you are doing everything that can be done about that aweful illness. My daughter had it last winter and it was dreadful. You just have to tough it out, and give pain killers. The best advice I can give you would be to try some of those all fruit popscicles. The Private Selection brand is cheaper than the main brand--they come in grape, lime, and strawberry. At least they have a little something besides pure sugar. Olivia would sometimes eat butter pasta or mashed vegetables--just nothing acidic.

have you checked him for trash and ezema?

K.,

Did the doctor give you any Nystatin for you to put in his mouth? That is what typically relieves it. Also, some Walgreen's Drug Stores still carry something called UltraViolet. It will help as well. Good Luck. I hope he gets better, hand-foot-mouth disease is no fun for either of you.

G.

My 18 month old had the same thing about 6 weeks ago. Apparently it was going around at several daycares in the area. My son wouldn't eat hardly at all and drooled something horrible. I ended up giving mine Pedialyte just to make sure he was well hydrated since he wasn't eating. The blisters on his hands and feet weren't bad at all. But I will tell you that it is horribly contagious and can be worse in adults. I know two mothers that got it from their babies and they compared it to burns. Unfortunately there is no real treatment for it. My doctor said alternate tylenol and motrin every three hours to help with the fever and pain. Wish I had more to offer, but it is viral and just has to run its course. Do your best to guard against passing it around. No matter what, twice would definitely be worse than once. Good luck and cool thoughts to your little one.

My son had this disease a few times last year. he got it from daycare. The only thing we did was put tylenol or motrin on a cotton swab and rubbed it gently on the blisters in his mouth. it numbed it a little and made it a little more comfortable for him to eat. But other than that, there isn't much you can do. My son's only lasted 3 or 4 days as far as it hurting him. After a few days he was eating and drinking like normal although there were still some blisters visible, they didn't seem to bother him.
The first time he had it, the doctor told us that kids usually only get it once, but about a month later he got it again.
Good luck.

My son had this when he was that age, too! It is aweful aweful aweful!! And it is just as catching as chickenpox. It is a form of chickenpox, so if you have never had chicken pox be careful. My roommate caught it from my son and had it on her hands and feet only. My son couldn't eat anything but soup till it was gone. They treat it just like chickenpox. So anything you can find to treat that will work. In the mouth advil alternated with tylenol or coat it with a maalox type substance will ease the pain a little (at least it did for my son). go to webmd and search they have helpful hints as well. GOOD LUCK!! It'll pass soon but not soon enough> J.

Kristi

This is from the Mayo Clinic web-site, my nephew got this when he was younger too. Remember this is very contagious, I would make sure that you wash your hands vigorously after any contact, and keep washing anything he touches with Lysol or bleach & water. Here is that incerpt:

Self-care
Certain foods and beverages that can cause burning or stinging may irritate blisters on the tongue or in the mouth or throat caused by hand-foot-and-mouth disease. Try these tips to help make blister soreness less bothersome and eating and drinking more tolerable:

Suck on popsicles or ice chips
Eat ice cream or sherbet
Drink cold beverages, such as milk or ice water
Avoid acidic foods and beverages, such as citrus fruits, fruit drinks and soda
Avoid salty or spicy foods
Choose foods that are soft and don't require a lot of chewing
Rinse your mouth with warm water after meals
If your child is able to rinse without swallowing, rinsing the inside of his or her mouth with warm salt water may be soothing. Mix 1/2 teaspoon of salt with 1 cup of warm water. Have your child rinse with this solution several times a day, or as often as needed to help reduce the pain and inflammation of mouth and throat sores caused by hand-foot-and-mouth disease.

Hope this helps you

M.

My daughter and I both got this several years ago. There really isn't anything that you can do except wait for it to go away because it is a virus. Just keep giving the Advil and encouraging your son to eat and drink. Sorry!!!

When I was 6 months pregnant i was diagnosed with prenatal gingivitis with similar sores all in my mouth. To ease the pain, and aid in healing, my dentist put me on a maloxx/benadryl mixed together mouthrinse. For a child I would ask the Dr. if you could use this with maybe a childrens benedryl. It worked great for me!! Good Luck K.

My daughter had the same thing about three years ago. I can not remember the name of the medicine, however I am sure if you describe it to the doctor he/she should know what it is. It is a type of creamy lotion, it requires a prescription ( it is not something you can buy over the counter). You have to run your child down with it before they go to bed. You must cover their hands so they do not scratch in their sleep. Once they awake the next morning,give them a bath to make sure you wash it all off. Wash their bed linens,pajamas and any stuffed animal they may have slept with the night before. It is a bacteria that causes this and the creme is supposed to rid their bodies of it. It really worked for us and everything cleared up in about 2-3 days.

I know this is a week old but just incase anyone else reads it, when our son had the virus, our dr. recommended sweet tea to drink. there is something in the tea that soothes the painful blisters in the mouth.

DEAR K.,

MY DAUGHTER WHO IS NOW 9 HAD THIS DISEASE WHEN SHE WAS 2, SHE HAD THE BLISTERS IN HER MOUTH REALLY BAD AND WAS THE SAME AS UR CHILD IS SHE WOULDN'T EAT OR DRINK. SO THE DR FINALLY TOLD US TO GET SOME CHILDRENS MYLANTA AND GIVE IT TO HER BEFORE SHE ATE. THEY SAID THAT IT COATS THE MOUTH SO THAT THE BLISTERS DOEN'T HURT AS BAD. AND IT REALLY WORKS. SO TRY THAT IT SHOULD GIVE SOME RELIEF. GOOD LUCK AND I HOPE FOR THE BEST.

B. K