Unclean! Unclean! Hand, Foot and Mouth, anybody?

[MamaHobgoblin]

God, it feels like all I do on MN these days is moan about illness!

My ds just got over a virus that was characterised by a very sore throat and fever. I now have it (at least, I really hope it's the same one). I have: a throat coated in razor blades; fever;raised glands. I was on the phone moaning to my mother about it and mentioned that I also have lots of tiny painful ulcers on my gums and inner lips, and also tender red spots on my fingers. (Um, I also have them...on my fanjo. NHS Direct says this can happen.) She immediately said it was Hand, Foot and Mouth, and that as an infant school teacher, she used to see a lot of it. I thought she was making it up, but a quick check of NHS Direct sounded very familiar. DS never had the red spots on hands, but I think he had them in his mouth.

I gather it's not serious and spreads like wildfire, so presumably there are a lot of children out there who have it locally. But has anyone had it as an adult? I must have missed being exposed as a child. It's blardy agony swallowing or chewing anything! To think my DS had all this pain, poor sausage.

[belgo]

It's a nasty little illness. Both my girls have had it, one a lot worse then the other. Some children catch it with very few symptoms. It's unusual for an adult to catch it, but not unheard of. You don't alwys develop spots on the hands, feet and mouth, sometimes it's just the hands or just the mouth for example.

For a proper diagnosis you need to see a doctor of course.

Eat lots of ice cream, I remember that's what my children wanted.

[BCNS]

mama you poor things!! yup I and the ds's had it.. it's nasty... and I totally agree with eating plenty of ice cream and jellies!!

[northernjess]

It is very rare to catch it as an adult but you can have mild symptoms ie sore throat and fever...both of mine had this and it is really common but because of the name people are quite scared of it!

[belgo]

yes because of the name people think you've caught it from farm animals, but the animal illness is totally un related.

[fullmoonfiend]

eek, I had that when I was a nipper. Veryuncomfortable.

[BCNS]

LOL northern.. it is rare in adults.. I was quite a young mum at the time LOL and the GP laughed at me for getting it!

[MamaHobgoblin]

Just my luck to get it at 35 then! Argh. I'm trying to eat tomato soup and it's like battery acid! Will go ice cream shopping.

[SweetApril]

Ooh, poor you, MamaH! Both me and DP caught it a few months ago off DD who was 14m at the time. She got mild symptoms but ours were much worse. Sore mouth and hands and feet were bright red with the spots. Probably took a couple of weeks to clear up although my hands were spotty for longer and then, just to warn you, the old dead skin starts to peel off your hands and feet - doesn't hurt but looks a bit grim!!

[solidgoldskullonastick]

Aww, poor you. DS got this at about 18 months and nursery told me that A) it was rampaging through the nursery at the time and not serious and b) adults don't get it. But I promptly did.
I consoled myself by telliing people that DS and I were due to be shot and burned on a pyre of railway sleepers any minute just to see if anyone was dumb enough to believe me.

[SweetApril]

Just reread your posting MamaH - maybe you should be prepared for peeling fanjo too

[MamaHobgoblin]

Peeling fanjo? Hmm, is that better or worse than a crusty one?

I am considering painting a red cross on the front door...

The really bad thing is, before I found out what I had, I went to the NCT nearly new sale this morning, drugged up to the eyeballs, but assuming that whatever I had wouldn't be infectious anymore, because viruses tend to be contagious earlier on. So I may have passed it on to most under ones and their mums in the immediate vicinity!

[SweetApril]

I wouldn't feel too bad about that. None of DD's pals caught it nor any of the adults we were in contact with (as far as we were aware). In fact that made us feel even more freakishly unclean - no-one caught it and no-one had heard of it! Get a nice loud clangy bell to go with the red cross!

[reikimarie]

Yes I had it quite bad when my 3 year old got it earlier this summer, the throat ulcers really hurt!

Took homoeopathic for it which helped a lot.

Hope it goes soon!