Tips for managing hand, foot and mouth in a one-year-old

[Gerbera55]

My LO is 1 in a few days and has come down with hand, foot and mouth. He’s so uncomfortable, it’s awful. I’m so sad for him.

He won’t drink any milk either from an open cup or bottle. He will have small sips of water but they are few and far between. He’s surviving off yoghurt and baked beans pretty much.

His nappy area is full of spots - I’ve been putting Bepanthen on to try and create a barrier; not sure if that’s the best thing to do or not.

We’re trying to get calpol/nurofen down him but he won’t let us anywhere near him, same with using bonjela and difflam. I also need to try and get antibiotics down him for a possible UTI, but he’s a very very strong 12 month old so it’s very difficult.

We’re trying to brush his teeth too but he fights us with that, I completely understand why but he’s got a mouthful of teeth and I’m terrified of them getting decay.

I’d really appreciate any tips and also just the chance to vent about how shit it is that he’s got it just in time for his birthday. I know he won’t know it’s his birthday but we had a lovely day out planned. His birth was so tricky and I wanted to fill his birthday with lovely memories for us all.

Yes, put barrier cream on the nappy spots. Look up towel swaddles for giving antibiotics or Calpol, brush teeth at the same time to get it out of the way, and just do your best. Mine got rotavirus over their first birthday, it sucks! Look after yourself too, as an adult you can catch HFM - changing nappies is the major transmission route for adults.

I’ll definitely look into towel swaddling, thank you.

It’s just horrible timing isn’t it?

Thanks - I have an ulcer in my mouth but I’m really hoping it’s just from being run down due to no sleep rather than HFM starting.

Watermelon is good and you could freeze milk or yoghurt for them to suck on as it offers nice relief and isn’t too sugary

Awr such bad timing!

my DD was so miserable with HFM.

the difflam spray worked wonders to get her to eat so deffo try the towel method in order to get in his mouth.

we stuck to cold things

Try to avoid acidic food. So yogurt is good, but skip lots of fruit and tomato-y things if you can. Ice pops/lollies can be soothing and help get some hydration in. Cool baths. TV!

Also - remember to take care of yourself, especially if sleep is poor at the moment!

for any medication and teeth brushing. Get them on the floor, get their arms under your legs then you have easy access to their mouth. Not fun but it’s necessary.

HFM is so tough. Our eldest had it at 1 and a half and would also only eat yoghurt for the duration. I remember googling and seeing that it usually lasts about a week and then just counting down the days and it did last exactly a week - a week that perfectly coincided with our first family holiday abroad! It’s miserable, but will be relatively short-lived and he won’t be harmed by having had a week of not much to eat
Personally, I wouldn’t worry too much about the toothbrushing either, especially if he’s only eating yoghurt

Oat baths - put a handful of oats into the foot of a pair of tights, knot and then hang under the tap when you fill the bath so the water runs through. You can then put it in the water. Squeeze to get the milk out. I’d also rub the oats into the tights over the skin later on (dd asked for that).