Mouth ulcers in toddlers?

[solo]

My Dd 20mos has had a high temperature on and off for two days and nights, brought down with Nurofen, she also has swollen glands. She wont eat much at all and this morning after I'd bfed her and she went to sleep, I managed to get a little look in her mouth. She seems to have what looks like mouth ulcers - 4 or 5 that I can see. I'm taking her to the doctors this afternoon, but I wondered if anyone had had experience of their toddlers having these? what could have caused it etc?
She is obviously in so much pain and is literally drooling everywhere. She's also teething.

[mumblechum]

Sounds like a vitamin C deficiency. Does she eat plenty of green veg and citrus fruit?

[solo]

She's the queen of broccoli , carrots and cauliflower and fresh veg in general. Not citrus fruits though. Cauli contains loads of vit C, so I would've thought she got enough...

[CrushWithEyeliner]

The ulcers sound nutritional, in particular a deficiency of Vit C to me.
That wouldn't cause the fever and gland swelling though that sounds like an infection of some sort. You see when they get ill they can become deficient as reserves from fruit and veg are eaten up very quickly fighting the infection so one thing can cause another. What people would class as being "run down"...

[WilfSell]

could well be hand foot and mouth disease. Rife in nurseries.

My middle child had it at 3 with exactly the symptoms you describe... much drooling, temp, glands, refusing food.

It passes as most viral illnesses do...

[WilfSell]

i wouldn't worry about vit deficiency until you've seen the GP with my tip off

[solo]

She doesn't go to nursery and she hasn't mixed with other lo's. Can they catch it off toys given from other children Wilself?

[solo]

Wilfsell even.

[wearymum200]

sounds like HFM to me too. Easily caught from toys, also airborne (library, shops etc). Lots around at the moment. look for little blisters on soles and palms, GPs see loads of this.

[JuneBugJen]

Prob HFM.

[solo]

No blisters.
My neighbour gives me toys and I'm really funny about cleaning them before I let Dd have them(neighbours pass them to me complete with God knows what stuck on them). They are otherwise lovely toys though and a good scrub and they are fine. The only thing Dd managed to get a hold of before I'd cleaned them(she got hold of them and unzipped them when I was in another room)was mega blocks and yes, she did put one in her mouth because she proudly came through to show me...
Sooo, it sounds like it could be that then.

Thanks everyone

[solo]

Starlight, yes, around her mouth and over the bridge of her nose. Why?

[WilfSell]

They get these things - they either get em when they're little and it usually affects them less, or when they go to school. I don't think you can prevent the germs - just gotta get used to it

[solo]

Blimey, I never had any of this with Ds and he did go to pre school and nursery.

Thank you all for your help. I was at a loss!

[cocolepew]

Can adults get it?

[solo]

I've just had a read up about it and it says adults can get it, but is usually quite mild.

[cocolepew]

I just read it too, I've had a sore throat and my mouth is covered in blisters and today I noticed bite type marks on my legs.

[solo]

Oooh! I have the start of a sore throat today too...
Ds has had that awful night time cough for several weeks too.
Dd just doesn't know what to do with herself poor thing. so I'm going to go and see to her.

Thanks again ladies

[solo]

Coldsore virus! That's what he reckons, but I'm not convinced at all. Nobody in my family gets coldsores and I know that no one is immune, but I can't see how she'd get them...and in her mouth, looking just like ulcers? I'm going to keep an eye on the situation and if no improvement or any other symptoms, I'll take her back.

[RhinestoneCowgirl]

DS had HFM recently, ulcers in the mouth were the main thing I noticed. Along with him drooling and finding eating painful. He had literally just one or two blisters on hands and feet.

Things we were recommended by the nurse - ice/ice lollies to numb affected area. DS went through a lot of yogurt too.

Hope you're all feeling better soon.

[RandomIdiot]

Solo I was just about to come and suggest oral herpes (coldsores).

My DD3 and DTD1 have both had this. It is typically characterised by very high temp and golf balls in place of glands (and in tummy so may have tummy ache) a couple of days before the ulcers. Although i would normally have expected them to have been caught by being in contact with someone with coldsores. I think they can be triggered by teething as well triggered by the break in skin as the tooth erupts. Herpes can be treated with acyclovir if caught very early. TBH though it has to be treated within 6-12hrs of first ulcer erupting to be effective.

The major thing to watch out if it is coldsores (or HFM) is the risk of dehydration because of pain. My DD3 almost ended up in hospital because of dehydration. Try and keep fluids up. Yoghurts on a soft spoon are great as they are cool and sloppy and soothing. Steer clear of acidic fruits & juices - as they will be painful. you can use bonjela about 30mins before feeding to numb them a bit.

If it is herpes she will be plagued with them whenever she is run-down as adults are with coldsores. It is the first outbreak howver which is always the worst.

If you want any more info put a shout out for Flamey...Flameboy has previously been affected.

[solo]

Thank you Random. She did have a bad tummy ache for a couple of nights, but that must've been a week ago...

I've been feeding her 'nice' things like creamy custard, ice lollies, creme caramel...just to get some calories into her really. She's breast feeding when she wants to and drinking water although it's obviously very painful. I doubt she'll let me near her with Bonjela.

Was just thinking(dangerous I know), about 5/6 days ago, she took her shoe off and licked the dirty sole EUW!, perhaps that's done it - caused the mouth infection.

[solo]

Rhinestone thank you!

I hope it is HFM and not the herpes virus. Fingers crossed.

[RandomIdiot]

Honestly sounds spot on for the oral herpes thing for me.

Calories are less important than fluid...so the sloppier the food the more fluid in it.

Hoping she gets over it quickly and isn't too badly affected (DD3 was estimated to have 20+ ulcers poor little mite).