To think we can't go on holiday tomorrow?

[Annajohnsdottir]

We're due to go on holiday tomorrow morning but my 18 month old has woken up this morning with what I think is hand foot and mouth. He's got a rash on his hand, feet, around his mouth, thighs and bum and elbows. He had a terrible night last night but I put it down to teething. When I saw the rash I gave him piriton this morning but it's definitely not receeding.

We're meant to be sharing accommodation with 2 other couples and their kids. We can't go, can we?

i would try and get him a gp appointment for today. if that isnt possible, take him to your pharmacist. they will be able to advise whether you can or not. all the best x

Hand foot and mouth is very contagious so I’d say sadly no you won’t be able to go :(

You need to get a diagnosis to know what you are dealing with and if you have insurance you will need a doctors note anyway to claim if you have to cancel.

I don't think so but I would talk to a pharmacist if you have one near. I love the faith of a GP appointment on a Sunday! Here you can't even get them on a weekday. Hope the little one feels better soon.

Sound exactly like HFM and it's very very contagious. Not dangerous like chicken pox but highly likely that the other kids, and even adults would catch it if sharing accommodation.

UK holiday or flying? If you need to claim on travel insurance I would make sure to get a GP appointment tomorrow and ask for diagnosis in writing. And contact insurer today if possible to advise you are unlikely to be able to travel.

Sorry about your holiday

Yes, I think it's too much of a risk for your little one and the others concerned.

Sorry you'll miss your holiday. You'll be able to claim on your travel insurance, at least.

Now we had hand foot and mouth the other week. 2 days awful. 2 days assuage and then totally fine. Went to doc who said there is no exclusion policy on it like chicken pox etc so good to go to school etc as normal.
I don't think I would rely on travel insurance paying on a non-exclusionable condition.

Our school no longer excludes for hand, foot and mouth so check carefully whether your insurance will cover it.

HFM is not excluded in schools

They are fully able to attend even if cranky

Flights are slightly different so go ask a pharmacist

It's not an excludable condition. Insurance may not pay out on that basis.

It's contagious but good hygiene can limit cross contamination.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/hand-foot-mouth-disease/

If it is hand foot and mouth, I'd say no, you probably shouldn't go.

You can’t go !! I’m childminder. I didn’t exclude when I had one because I was following the guideline. He gave it to all the other little ones, one ended up in hospital and a mum got it and was it for more than a week. It’s nit dangerous but it’s nasty

Don’t be too quick to not go, my daughter had it but non of my other children got it

Thanks everyone for your advice. It's a UK get away (like Haven, Butlines, Pontins etc.) so no flights involved. We also don't have travel insurance as it cost so little we didn't think it worth it.

I'm not sad about having potentially lost the money we paid but it would have been our first holiday in 3 years, first holiday as a little family and we'd had it planned it since this time last year with our friends. For it all to be going wrong now is pretty gutting.

Plus we booked to get our kitchen and bathroom done starting tomorrow for a week so our house is gunna be pretty unlivable if we stay here.

I'm going to phone 111 and see if I can get an out of hours appointment but I think the holiday is doomed and we'll be living in a building site for the next week with a poorly little boy

If they feel ok and the accommodation is self contained if it viable to go as a family unit and do outdoor stuff and keep more to yourselves ? A caravan is very different to a hotel

Maybe just go a couple of days late?
Or book a separate chalet if its affordable; hole up in there just you guys for 48 hours, get you away from the building site and have a rest anyway, then join your friends later in the week?

Could you go for the latter part of the week when he recovers?

Get an Ooh appointment before you cancel as it may be a viral rash

Are you actually sharing the accommodation with your friends? It must be enormous if it accommodates three families with children? Can you keep to your own quarters as it were?

I took DD on a UK holiday in a static caravan when she had HFM aged about 3. She was poorly but would have been just as ill at home. We took care not to cross contaminate and nobody else caught it.

We're all sharing a big, 3 bed lodge so we'll all be sharing communal and cooking areas. We have our own rooms and ensuite. That's why the holiday was so cheap as we shared the cost of the lodge 3 ways.

I like the idea of joining them a couple days later than planned. Something would be better than nothing. Appreciate that even that may not happen though depending on what the doctor says (trying to get an appointment still).

*and us spending a few days initially in a separate chalet if they have any available, I should have said.

I'd phone your local OOH and explain that you need advise on whether or not you can go away. You may find that they are fine within 48 hours and you can go for the rest of the time if your housemates are going to be OK with it.

Our nursery doesn't have an exclusion policy for hand foot and mouth. My understanding is your lo will have been contagious for ages before the rash etc appeared. I'd still go.

My son and I caught hfm in Spain a couple of years ago. It was horrendous, and we were both ill for around two weeks. We lost all the skin on our hands and feet and all our finger/toe nails. Just wanted to warn you that if it's a nasty strain (the outbreak we were part of had put lots of children in hospital) going in a couple of days may not be an option.
Just the benefit of my experience.
I'll try and put a photo on of the state of my feet. I couldn't walk for a week. It was so painful.