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Children's health

Hand, foot and mouth disease - so poorly!

9 replies

TheBerry · 26/09/2023 10:31

My 1-year-old has hand, foot and mouth (at least, that’s what the doctor and I think it is) but he is soooooo poorly.

He just won’t stop crying all day. He won’t eat. I’m feeding him whole milk with a syringe. He can barely sleep. It’s been like this for three days, and today is the worst day. Is this normal?? Will he feel better soon??

I think he also has a respiratory infection on top of it because he’s got a runny nose, a cough, and he’s losing his voice (unless that’s just from all the crying).

The spots are actually worst around his elbows. Quite big and crusty. He doesn’t have many on his hands and feet. Lots of little ones around mouth and chest.

He hasn’t had much of a temperature (high 37s) but maybe that’s because of all the calpol and ibuprofen. I’m more or less alternating between them every two hours, but he’s still so miserable.

Just wondering if this all sounds normal or not. I’m worried about my boy!

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sunflowerandivy · 26/09/2023 14:21

This does sound normal I'm afraid but it's awful. You're doing the right thing with syringe. I'm on day 5 with chest infection. Child is coughing every 5 minutes 24 hours a day. I'm beyond exhausted

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TheBerry · 26/09/2023 16:18

sunflowerandivy · 26/09/2023 14:21

This does sound normal I'm afraid but it's awful. You're doing the right thing with syringe. I'm on day 5 with chest infection. Child is coughing every 5 minutes 24 hours a day. I'm beyond exhausted

Thank you, I’m glad it seems normal at least. I was worried something else more serious might be going on.

I’m giving him milk and iced fruit milkshakes with a syringe - literally all he will consume, plus a bit of water and calpol and ibuprofen.

I was hoping he’d be over the worst by day 3, but I think it’s the worst day yet! He’s still getting new blisters popping up on his hands, so maybe the infection hasn’t even peaked yet 😓

Sorry about your child, that sounds so awful and exhausting.

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TheBerry · 27/09/2023 15:20

Now the doctor is saying maybe impetigo???

Seems like hand, foot and mouth. His mouth is still so sore. Day 4 of just eating milk through a syringe.

Day 5 of temperature. Today the fever seemed to stop responding to Calpol and was the highest it’s been, which is why the doctor has diagnosed impetigo and prescribed antibiotics.

Temperature is currently normal after the first dose and some ibuprofen. Still won’t eat anything.

Maybe it was HFAM which has been infected with bacteria. I have no idea what is going on.

If he’s not showing improvement tomorrow he has to go to hospital.

I’m beside myself tbh.

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coxesorangepippin · 30/09/2023 02:21

Oh god I feel your pain, has there been any improvement??

DD had it as badly as you describe, we were on the verge of going to the hospital.

Spots were terrible, all over and in general a dreadful week.

I got it too, I have never known itchy hands like it. I have no idea why there isn't a vaccine for it!!

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picturethispatsy · 30/09/2023 04:31

Follow your instincts op.
If you feel someone isn’t right don’t hesitate to take him in
Hooe things improve soon x

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Songbird74 · 30/09/2023 08:59

How is your boy, OP? Hoping he’s better and that you are OK also x

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TheBerry · 06/10/2023 10:29

Thanks all, after about 24 hours on the antibiotics he was much better!! Fever totally gone by 48 hours.

I guess he was so poorly because he had 3 things at once… the cough/cold, the hand foot and mouth, and then the bacterial thing. Still not convinced it was in impetigo but surely something bacterial since the antibiotics seemed to help (unless that was just coincidence).

He started eating again not long after starting the antibiotics and has been ravenous ever since 🙂

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Oldermumhum · 06/10/2023 10:30

I am sorry you are going through this. It should get better in 5 days. Did your DS get the infection from nursery?

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TheBerry · 07/10/2023 07:11

Oldermumhum · 06/10/2023 10:30

I am sorry you are going through this. It should get better in 5 days. Did your DS get the infection from nursery?

Yes, the cough/cold and hand foot and mouth from nursery (they said it was going around). As for the bacterial thing, no idea! I think his hand foot and mouth sores just got infected, maybe?? Though they didn’t look particularly infected, so maybe it was a bacterial respiratory thing 🤷🏻‍♀️