Chicken pox or hand, foot and mouth?

[ElphabaTheGreen]

DS2 (15mo) had a temp of almost 40 on Friday, then last night he came up with a fair few spots on his arms, legs and bum after a hot bath, with a sprinkling of viral rash to boot. He's also sounded hoarse for the last couple of days. Now, it vaguely reminds me of the onset of chicken pox with DS1, although his first spots were more head and trunk. Nursery (DS2's only contact with other children) says they haven't had any cases of chicken pox yet, but they have had hand, foot and mouth. There has been chicken pox at other nurseries in the area, though. Do the two things present fairly similarly? I've kept him home as a precaution, but I'd be curious to know which it is.

TIA!

[HalfStar]

I think it sounds like HFM, personally. We haven't had CP yet in this house but both kids have had HFM (2.5 years apart) and it's been very much as you describe, with the high temp first and then the rash in those areas. The spots fade faster than CP spots I believe. Hope he's OK!

[ElphabaTheGreen]

Thanks! If it is HFM, is there anything I need to do/look out for? (e.g. like calamine and Piriton for the crazy itch with CP). When is he likely to be non-contagious again?

[HalfStar]

You don't need to bring him to the GP or anything. His mouth or throat might be sore if he has blisters in there so he may be a bit off his food and unhappy. Otherwise, it didn't seem to bother my two all that much and it does pass fairly quickly. As soon as the rash is gone he's not contagious - took 4/5 days for my DC.

[ElphabaTheGreen]

Hm. Both DH and I work full time so keeping him off nursery for 4-5 days isn't particularly easy or straightforward. We'll do it, of course, if he definitely has HFM but I might just pop him along to the GP this afternoon to see if they can confirm a diagnosis. Thanks for your help!

[HalfStar]

I know, the time off is an utter pain. If it is HFM the nursery will have their own guidelines about when he can come back I'm sure - it might be sooner than 4/5 days. Good idea to get it confirmed - good luck!

[ElphabaTheGreen]

GP says 'could be' HFM, so I phoned nursery to check their policy, and it turns out four have gone off with CP today, in DS2's room alone. I hope it's CP, just so we can get the itchy bastard out of the way.

Watch this spotty space, I guess.

[HalfStar]

Weird, I thought gps would know which it was!
Dd1's best friend at nursery has come down with CP so we will also be watching this spotty space. ..

[CwtchMeQuick]

DS has had both. HFM spots started on his bottom and spread down his legs, the spots were much smaller and more of a spotty rash whereas CP spots were individual spots that went scabby quite quickly as far as I can remember.
Both can make them feel quite poorly so I'd keep him dosed up on calpol and piriton if he seems irritated by the spots.
Hope he feels better soon!

[ElphabaTheGreen]

HalfStar You have more faith in GPs than I. When I took DS1 to the GP to confirm a diagnosis of chicken pox, she said it was flea bites

Cwtch Hm. Sounds more like HFM in this case, then. Pooh sticks. I so want to get the other sod over and done with.

[HalfStar]

Which did it turn out to be elphaba?
Dd2 has a rash on her back and torso and a random single spot on her face. No temp, and her form has been fine. It doesn't look like CP but she has had HFM. So I am

[ElphabaTheGreen]

It was HFM. Spots are almost all gone now. One poor little sausage in DS2's room had it so badly he looked like he had psoriasis right down the middle of his face and all over his hands and legs, so we got off lightly.

Just waiting for a phone call to herald the beginning of The Pox now...