Hand Foot & Mouth Rash Duration

[Clairebear2703]

Hi,

My son who is 25 months old has had a rash for 7 days now which a nurse at the walk-in clinic last Friday diagnosed as Hand Foot & Mouth Disease based on the locations of the spots. His knees are the worst affected but the spots are also on other parts of his legs, his feet (but not on the soles), some of his fingers and one ear. There are none on his chest or back, or on his face, bottom and genitalia.

We originally took him to the doctors last Wednesday and he hadn't a clue what they were but because he is well in himself, sent us away with a print out about Molluscum Contagiosum. I wasn't convinced by the read up on this as the spots were not in the general locations of this.

By Friday, I thought the spots looked angrier so we took him to the walk in clinic where the nurse clearly didn't know either but she looked in his mouth and saw some spot/ulcers so diagnosed HFMD and told us to just read up about it because there was no medication.

What worries me now, after reading far too many links about HFMD, is that they all say the spots turn to blisters before going and that they have gone by 7 days. My son's spots are still that, not blisters and its been 7 days and they don't look like they are going anywhere. They don't look as angry but don't look like they are going to turn to blisters.

Has anyone else's toddler/baby had this where the rash didn't turn to blisters before it went, or it lasted longer than the 7 days all the websites/forums say?

Should we be taking him back to the doctors to check it was indeed HFMD?

[beccajoh]

I Had this las year and only had spots on my hands and feet. It wasn't a rash but individual spots a bit like mini chicken pox spots. They did blister but then left a kind of blotchy red patch on the skin. It was horribly itchy but also felt like I had shards of glass stuck in my hands and feet, and I felt really unwell (temp, shivering, lethargy etc but not sick) for about 72 hours. The spots were mainly on the soles of my feet and palms of my hands.

Based on my experience (and other cases I've seen) it doesn't sound like HFM to be honest. I would go back to the GP if you're worried.

[Clairebear2703]

Not sure if you can tell properly but here are 2 photos to try and help with the description.

[Clairebear2703]

The look more blotchy at moment. They were angry red spots but didn't blister and have gone to a blotchy look. Son isn't bothered by them, he isn't itching them and is carrying on as normal.

Son is a little star really when it comes to illness but he never gives himself chance to fight anything off, he just wants to carry on as normal. He's been teething his back molars for a few weeks now so when he was slightly off his food at the beginning of last week, and a slighly raised temperature, I put it down to teething but now I have read that this can be the start of HFMD. The spots did look like the photos i've seen online. I think what is bothering me though is that the blister part he hasn't had and its now been 7 days with the rash. This doesn't seem to match anything online.

So he has met some of the criteria for it being HFMD and that's what the nurse has gone with, but these 2 points he hasn't.

I am not sure whether to take him back to the doctors. They didn't seem interested in him last week because he presents as well in himself :(

[rachyconks]

My DD has had HFAM twice in the last few months bloody nursery

She had blisters on hands and feet from day 2, ulcers in mouth & on tongue. She had a viral rash the second time too. Temperature came late day 2/day 3. Back to normal self by day 4. Unfortunately she was excluded from nursery for a week!! The blisters take a long time to go away - but aren't contagious after a couple of days.

It sounds like your DC might have something else. My DD had definite blisters, the weren't sores. And only on palms of hands & soles of feet. I would go back to GP again.

[mummytime]

That doesn't look like HFM to me. I would definitely take him back.

It could be allergic reaction - and you need to know what to.
It could be some other virus or bacterial infection.

HFM for us always had well defined blisters. (It also looks nothing like Molluscum either BTW.)

[mummytime]

Umm you aren't in Bristol are you?

[Clairebear2703]

Thanks everyone, I will contact GP again.

Not in Bristol Mummytime, I am in Manchester :)

[unintentionalthreadkiller]

Defdoent look like HFM to me either, I managed to get it last year when DCs had it and we all had proper blisters.

[Clairebear2703]

I gave the NHS 111 number a call and they agreed that they didn't think it was HFMD or Molluscum with what I described. They are perplexed to be fair and said too to take him back to the GP. We've got him an appointment at 4.10pm. Fingers crossed that this time they give us a definitive diagnosis and whether or not he is actually contagious.

The nurse had a feeling that he has had a viral infection that has brought out a rash afterwards. Apparently this happens regularly and can hang around for up to 3 weeks after.

Thank you again everyone.

[Clairebear2703]

Well back from seeing another Doctor and she is adamant it is Molluscum so now we are in a position where 2 doctors have said this, and 2 nurses have said its not. I guess we should trust the doctors but part of me isn't convinced it is this :(

[ilovepowerhoop]

it is so not molluscum - both my kids have had molluscum and they look more like warts/skin tags than blotchy patches. Molluscum doesnt come up quickly like that either - they start small, get bigger and spread slowly.

[ilovepowerhoop]

www.nhs.uk/conditions/Molluscum-contagiosum/Pages/Introduction.aspx

[edwardcullensotherwoman]

If he's well in himself it could well be a post-viral rash. DS had a rash all over his upper body last month, it looked similar to your DS's but it wasn't raised - the skin didn't feel any different IYSWIM?

Saw a doctor and nurse practitioner over a couple of weeks, neither could say what it was other than a potential post-viral rash, which is common in young children. DS had it for 3-4 weeks then it faded and went, never raised, itched or blistered.

[edwardcullensotherwoman]

Meant to say we also had full-on bloods done too - everything checked, including allergy tests, and a urine test, all came back clear.

[Raxacoricofallapatorius]

DS had a very, very similar rash. It was on his feet and a couple on his hands but also on his knees, elbows, legs, particularly concentrated around his joints (knees were very spotty). None on his torso. Odd one near his ear. He was diagnosed with chicken pox (it was NOT chicken pox), then HFM, then chicken pox again, pharmacist took a stab at HFM, GP then gave up. It went in the end. He wasn't unwell at all really and I think they wrote it off as a viral rash. He is prone to them.

He had HFM not long afterwards and it was clearly HFM as the spots were rugby ball shaped, some blistered (not many though) and it was most concentrated on hands and feet. BUT he did also have spots all over his knees, elbows and bottom. You can get the hand foot and mouth rash anywhere, it's only named as such because you tend to get it in those places more than anywhere else.

[Clairebear2703]

Sorry for the late reply. I am convinced it is not Molloscum either. He still has the rash but it isn't as red now, its more of a brown colour like it is trying to fade back in to his skin.

I have read and read about Molloscum and it just doesn't fit the description or the pictures i've looked at. He is still well in himself so I am probably going to have to think it is a post-viral rash. He's had this for a week and half now so thank you EdwardCullensotherwoman for sharing about your DS and that they had it for 3-4 weeks.

I wish they would have done bloods on son too just to rule out anything like an allergy but the 2nd doctor (who is normally the one I would see as she's the best one there!) wasn't having any of it. Said straight away Molloscum and wasn't for shifting on that opinion.

[Friedbrain]

My niece suffered terribly with this for 3 weeks, couldn't have her dummy so couldn't sleep, couldn't eat, just about drunk...

Sorry ur little one is going thru this, I know it is awful