What the heck is wrong with my 20-month-old?!

[snottagecheese]

So last Tuesday/Wednesday he had a very high temperature and what looked like a large mouth ulcer on the inside of the lip (though none in the mouth as far as I could tell - bit hard to persuade him to let me look!). By Thursday the temperature had gone and by Friday so had the ulcer, yet over the weekend and today he has been SO VERY GRUMPY.

Normally he's a sunny little thing, prone to crossness when prevented from eating scissors/climbing in the dishwasher/drawing over himself with felt-tip etc, but for the past week he has been cross and screamy over almost every little thing. I am at a total loss! (And rather at the end of my tether.) Plus he's waking a lot at night (also not really like him).

I've had a look (as much as I can) and I don't think it's teeth - he only has the last 4 molars to come and there's no sign of them, no swollen gums, etc (plus none of the usual teething signs - drooling, chewing fists, pulling ears and so on). His appetite is a bit diminished but he's still eating a fair bit - including crunchy stuff like toast and acidic stuff like mandarins, so I don't think his mouth can be sore.

Any ideas?!?! I'm trying to get a GP appointment but they have no slots for 6 days. TIA! xx

Have you tried calpol/Nurofen? Usually works a treat with my 20 mo when she's being uncharacteristically grumpy. I think the last set of molars can start causing pain ages before there's much visible sign of them in the mouth - from my memories with my older dds, there was a lot of pain involved over quite a long time when the final set of teeth was on its way.

I believe the first time they get a cold sore they get ill with it. Could that be it?

Hand foot and mouth? any little blisters on the hands or feet...?

My first thought was hand foot and mouth. Any nappy rash or rash on hands, foot or face? My DD was very grumpy when she caught it and off her food somewhat. She did have a slight temperature at the start.

Does he go to nursery or a play group, know if it is going around at all?

I was thinking the same, HF & M. Look on the soles of his feet for a rash. This is a telltale sign.

Thank you all, and sorry for apparently disappearing! It's hard to find time to log in with a screeching toddler clinging to your knees grin.

I'm pretty sure it's not HFM - I did wonder about that but no sign of any spots/rash/blisters. I've been alternating Calpol with Baby Nurofen, and did manage to speak to one of our local GPs yesterday, who said 'It's probably viral, he'll be fine in a couple of days'. Hmm. Though she also said they'd check his urine if I wanted, in case of an infection there. Trying to get a urine sample from a 20-month-old will be fun! However, he did seem much more himself yesterday evening and this morning, so fingers crossed he may be on the mend...

'grin'? I meant