Hands, foot and Mouth Virus - anyone know anything?

[cookiemonstress]

DDs nursery informed me last night that there is outbreak of hands, foot and mouth virus in baby room. Checked the symptoms and think DD2 has it but because blisters are almost solely in groin area we've (i.e. nursery and myself) all assumed it is nappy rash (did coincide with a bout of teeth as well).. Am thinking it is hands, foot mouth because a few blisters are starting to resemble chicken pox. She has a couple of minute spots around her mouth and some bumps under the skin on her feet. The thing is that she has had the groin bumps since the weekend but can't get a docs appointment and can't get through to NHS direct and can't find an answer as to how long she is contagious for. Nursery very unclear as to when they'll take her back......So, only the 16th bout of illness this year then! Here's hoping still have a job tomorrow!

[wessexgirl]

Dd2 had this a couple of months back. It lasted about 5 days with her - not sure if that's average though. She had hands, feet and groin area, plus a few on face.

It's said to be wildly contagious, but nobody else in the family got it - much more contagious to children; adults are almost always immune, or might get much milder symptoms.

[goingfor3]

From NHSdirect

If your child has hand, foot and mouth disease, you should keep them away from school, or playschool, until they have recovered. Remember that they will have been infectious before they had any symptoms (symptoms usually appear between 3-7 days after being infected), so they may have already passed on the infection. However, you should still inform a school, or playschool, if your child develops the disease, so that other parents can be made aware if necessary.

[Posey]

Dd had it when she was about 3. Lots of blisters between fingers and toes and particularly on the joints. Lots in her mouth too. She was very unwell with it, real fluey-type symptoms (v weak and lethargic, high temp, achey). She was off nursry at the time anyway because it was Christmas holidays so I never found out how long she should be away for. Sorry.
Have you tried NHS direct online?

[bellavita]

My Ds's had this about four years ago. They really suffered with the blisters/ulcers in the mouth.

[cookiemonstress]

Thanks for all your messages.. the thing is that dd2 is not really displaying any other symptoms. She is quite happy in herself, apart from perhaps being a little bit more tired than normal but only 1-2%. If it wasn't for the few blisters in her groin area, I wouldn't even make the connection.

Have just reread NHS direct again and I quote 'if you child has hand, foot and mouth disease, you should keep them out of school, or playschool, while they are unwell in order to prevent the virus being passed on to other children. However, there is no need to keep them out of school until the last blister has disappeared, providing that he or she is otherwise well' So at what point is recovered measured? Are they saying that you don't have to wait for all the spots to clear up?

[Posey]

The thing is if its in her groin, can it be hand foot and mouth? Even if it is, how is it spread? By touch? I'm not sure but if it is, then her groin area isn't going to be in contact with other kids. Really not sure about this. It really needs a doc to say a def yes or no to diagnosis.

[avenanap]

Adults can't get this (so I have been told), it's a virus.

[belgo]

Babies can definitely get hand foot and mouth on their bottoms. Not sure about the actual groin area, but probably. If it coincided with a bout of tething the teething pain could also have been hand foot and mouth pain. They are easy to confuse.

Fromt the NHS direct advice, it seems that if they are no longer unwell, then it's ok to send them back into playschool/school.

Hand, foot and mouth can be transferred through feaces so be very strict about hand washing.

[jingleyjen]

DS2 had this last week, gp said not to worry about it as although it is infectious most children have had it by the time they are 3.
it can cause pain through ulcers etc but a child may only have one little blister and they will have immunity.

DS2 still has the little blisters on his feet but the ulcers in his mouth have cleared up...

[belgo]

I do believe adult can get this, if they haven't been exposed as a child. But I've never heard of an adult getting it.

[avenanap]

My ds has had this, I never have and I didn't catch it. I've worked in a childrens hospital and have been told that adults are immune.

[belgo]

Yes I'm sure most adults are immune, and have had it as children, even if the symptoms were not identified at the time.

[gagarin]

As long as she's well she can go to nursery. You only have to keep them off while they are ill with it.

[UniS]

some kids are quite unhappy with HF&M, some barely notice it, some kids get it more than once ( its caused by 3 differnt viruses).
We were advised to keep boy away from any one inearly pregnancy and newborns. He did have a stonking bad case tho with hands that looked hideous- I kept socks on his hands for a few days to stop him biting the rash.

[spinningplateslady]

My friend's DH caught it from his son but it's a virus so once you've had it you are generally immune to it.

My twins were very very miserable & poorly with it - mouth ulcers all over the inside of their mouths, fever, tiny little spots on their feet & between their fingers.

Hope anyone who has a dose of this gets better soon

[MorganneLeFey]

Adults can definitely get this one... my LO had it over Christmas and passed it on to me (happy Christmas Mom!).

I must have been unlucky because it was completely and utterly miserable, blisters on hands and feet - I couldn't walk, or pick up the LO. In the end I had to get a care doc to come to the house as I couldn't drive to the clinic.

Adults beware - wash hands like mad, it is miserable, miserable virus