Chicken pox or hfm??

[StinkyMcgrinky]

DS is 15 months old, started with cold symptoms last week, snotty and high temp but Calpol kept it down and he seemed ok. He started with a small rash on his cheek on Thursday night which stretched to around and in his ear. Since than spots and blisters have popped up by the second (Ok, maybe not that quickly but at an impressive rate) I immediately jumped to chicken pox.

I contacted the childminder and another boy there has the same symptoms but has been diagnosed by the pharmacist as hfm. So I'm doubting myself.

DS is eating and drinking fine so no obvious pain in his mouth. He does have blisters on his hands and feet but also covering his legs, arms, back and bottom area. The treatment for both is pretty much the same and he's staying home from childcare for the week, but I'm starting to wonder if it is hfm?

I've attached some photos of DS taken this morning, this is what the spots are like all over. Any opinions would be greatly received!

[dangermouseisace]

i'm not a doctor but when my son had HFM the main problem was blisters inside the mouth, and he had some on palms of hands and his feet.

it doesn't look like any chicken pox I've seen though.

[whyareusernamessodifficult]

The rashes on his face do look more like hfm than chicken pox.
When my dc had it the rashes were on their backs, arm and legs and eat more or less as normal as well so it definitely sounds the same.

He’s adorable btw

[StinkyMcgrinky]

Thank you maybe it is HFM, then. I'm going to try and peek in his mouth but there's no obvious signs of blisters, although I do know he doesn't have to tick all the boxes. Thanks all

[juliasalinger]

I would put money on HFM from those photos. Chicken pox started on torso with both of mine and the blisters look different. HFM which we've had a few rounds of, looks a lot like that. It's less itchy and more sore than CP.

[juliasalinger]

Oh and one of the times with HFM it started as a nappy rash, spread to legs, feet and hands with barely any in mouth. Beware of nappy changing/handwashing rigour as the virus sheds through poo and adults can and do get it too which DH and I discovered.

[StorminaBcup]

I’d say HFM too. The blisters (if you look at the photo with your ds’s hand), have a pearly looking head on them. With chicken pox it’s a fluid filled blister. HFM is vile, my ds was worse with that than chicken pox. Your poor ds, I hope he’s over the worst of it soon.

[alwaysontimeneverlate]

My ds has had both HFM and chicken pox. That looks suspiciously like HFM to me. Definitely not chicken pox spots.

[StinkyMcgrinky]

Well, I'm happy to go with HFM then. Yes, DS1 had HFM earlier in the year (much MUCH milder than this, hence why I went for cp initially!) And I was lucky enough to also catch it and am not in a rush to experience that again!

[StorminaBcup]

You can get different strains of HFM in different seasons OP. My ds caught it around March time and then October of the same year (which I was overjoyed about), because the virus mutates. So that’s nice

[Applesandpears56]

Hfm

[StinkyMcgrinky]

I better be on spot watch with DS2 then storm. It was March this year we both had it! indeed!

[Luckymummy22]

Definitely HFM over chickenpox I would say. My boy was exactly like that and pretty bad. My daughter has had it twice and 2 very mild doses.

[StinkyMcgrinky]

Update for those that are interested

Another boy at our childminders had the same symptoms as DS but his mum took him to the GP (I get bad mum points as I wasn't planning to take him anywhere medical ) his GP said it isn't hand foot and mouth and it isn't chicken pox and sent him to hospital for blood tests and to see a paediatrician. She called me so I then got the nurse practitioner to check over DS and she agreed, the spots on his body and legs looked very CP like, his hands looked HFM but around his mouth looked bacterial. She prescribed antibiotics and took some swabs and we find out tomorrow.

I'm not sure about bacterial infection as therd ars no other people apart from the two boys (who incidently were born 4 days apart) have shown any symptoms, but what do I know.

[Wait4nothing]

I was about to say my dd had a similar type of rash (more blister than spot) mainly hands and around mouth but a smaller spot all over her body. Gp said it was neither hfm or cp but they advised it was viral and to stay away from childcare etc.

[alwaysontimeneverlate]

Oh no stinky, how is he feeling today?

[StorminaBcup]

Oh dear. Poor little ones. My friend's ds had HFM and CP at the same time (which was a delightful as it sounds) so perhaps they've got a double dose? Hope they're better soon!

[StinkyMcgrinky]

Ouch wait4 poor thing! The spots themselves don't seem to be bothering him too much and he's ok in himself, just a bit clingy. Think he's getting cabin fever being locked up in the house with me or DH! As am I...Ive eaten 5 drumstick lollies today. Yep. FIVE