Help! 18 months old with blisters on tongue due to "Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease"

[Ohlife2020]

I really don't remember how we went through it with DS1. Didn't remember it's so stressful.

DS2 has a mild fever but was ok until the blisters came out on his tongue today. It really bothered him. Can't bf which is really tough as that's still the primary way he seeks comfort when really unwell (exclusively bf so far). It's so painful this afternoon that he barely had much fluid. It's not that he didn't want, as he still seemed want to have some food. But it just hurt so much he gave up right away. I tried yogurt (kids one, adult one), juice, water, fruits. Some probably too acidic and he spat out straightaway. Some he plained refused to even try. In the end, DH went to the shop and got some ice cream at the usual tea time. He had it all. Then straightaway, I tried to see if he could have some Dannon yogurt (full of added sugar so not sour at all) which he spat out after one spoonful.

The usual bedtime breastfeeding became impossible. He whined a bit but settled without in the end.

He usually still wakes up once at night to breastfeed. Last night, probably because of the fever, he woke up three times. All settled after bf. So I'm unsure what I can do tonight if he wakes up and what I can provide him for hydration in the day.

Calpol never worked well on him. He had Nurofen every 8 hours.

Do you think kids bonjela could help? Speak to a pharmacist maybe

Can you try some ice lollies? You could try the milk ones if the fruit ones are too acidic. Would he take cows milk from a cup?

Poor baby, I feel for you.

Could you try difflam spray? Numbs sore throats but could also use on the tongue, or bonjela. Just don't give anything warm if you've used them as he won't be able to tell if its too hot!

When ds had hand foot and mouth the docs gave him some mouth spray, this was in Mexico though so not sure if the same stuff is prescribed here !

Get some difflam spray. It worked like magic on DS3 when he was little. He was instantly ok to feed again after a spray of it. I hope your little one gets better soon. It's a nasty bug but it does pass quickly.

Thank you! Will pop into Boots to check out on bonjela and difflam spray. He's so young, so I hope any of them is allowed.

Yes, I tried cow milk - with/without a straw.

I tried the temperature for everything given to him, warm but not hot. (Not bothered with being infected any more, as I think I've caught it already. Mildly flu like since yesterday.)

Make sure its the kids Bonjela

@dementedpixie, thanks. Will talk to a pharmacist first.

He just woke up again. I lose idea about what to do when bf was not working still. In the end, DH brought him downstairs. In front the TV with Paw Patrol and some other baby songs on the screen, I found the teething gel by Ashton and Parsons. It didn't seem to have worked though, as he refused bf straightaway and then burst in cry at the second spoonful of yogurt. I don't know why it didn't cross my mind to offer his water cup. But after a little ice cream down, one sip of milk out from fridge, he was happy just holding on to his water cup and sipping from it from time to time. I felt much better after quite some water went down his tummy before putting him to bed again. Dehydration was the biggest worry!

Oops, I can hear him again. :( Going to be a looooooong night!

You poor thing, HFM is bloody awful.

DH talked with pharmacist. She said difflam spray is not suitable for 18 months old. So we got bonjela gel for junior in the end. Not sure if I didn't do it correctly, after I "rubbed" onto the side of his tongue and an open sore on the inside of the cheek (had to be very quick before he bit my finger off), it didn't seem to have made much difference. Maybe he has blisters behind/more inside his mouth that I couldn't see...

Not much luck with the painkillers either. Both Calpol and Nerofen did very little to either allow him eat or sleep for longer period of time.

So today, he refused yogurt and ice cream. He did eat nearly three fair size strawberries, but cried all the way through. Only because he really loves strawberries, the pain suddenly became not that unbearable... Then he discovered short bread! I bought it purely by mistake, as I never liked them. He galloped (in small pieces) nearly 2 chunky ones down in a row with no complaint whatsoever. Odd, isn't it?!

Day 2, it's nearly done. Hope Day 3 gets a bit better!

Aw bless him, I hope he gets better soon

That's a shame because you can give difflam spray from 1 month based on body weight. This is from the BNF for children which the pharmacist should look in for any queries.

bnfc.nice.org.uk/drug/benzydamine-hydrochloride.html

Hope tomorrow is a better day for him!

Have you tried paracetamol suppositories instead of calpol? It might help him feel more comfortable if you can alternate them with nurofen. Hfm is horrible, poor little pet.