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DD refusing all solids possibly connected to hand foot and mouth. Advice please - I'm slowly losing the plot!

7 replies

brightongirldownunder · 28/03/2009 01:26

DD (23 m) has refused all solids for 6 days now and only asks for milk. She's losing so much weight as a week ago was eating like a trooper. I think she may have had hand foot and mouth as its rife here and she had an ulcer on her tongue and spots on her bottom, but this has been going on for nearly a week. How long can toddlers survive on milk alone? I've tried everything to tempt her back to food - lollies, ice cream, all of her favourite meals (even fairy cakes) but an absolute flat refusal.I'm giving her floradix in the morning and paracetamol if her temp rises or she shows any discomfort but I don't think she's had the virus badly as there's been no sign of blisters, so surely she should be getting better by now? I went to the doctor who told me to "stick with it" but didn't give her much of a check up and I'm tempted to take her to the children's hospital as my instinct says something else is happening. She's been finding it really hard to sleep over the past 3 nights and is terribly lethargic. This is not my little girl, her sparkle has gone. Should I be doing anything else? If it was teething, she'd at least try and eat something, so I don't think its her 2nd set of molars.

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
solowitch · 28/03/2009 01:34

My Dd was the same. My Dd had HF&M nearly a year ago and she went from being a really hearty eater to hardly eating enough to keep a sparrow alive. She's 27 months now.

Your Dd might have the spots/ulcers in her throat and you won't necessarily see those and she certainly won't want to try to swallow if that's the case.

I don't have any advice really. My Dd couldn't get enough ice lollies down her throat, but I was/am still bfing, so that to me was the thing keeping her going.

I hope she's better soon.

brightongirldownunder · 28/03/2009 01:49

Solo, did you DD get her appetite back in the end? I'm a bit of a paranoid mum about her eating at the best of times as she can be very fussy, but this scares the hell out of me.

This morning I offered her some bacon ( a once weekly treat) she would normally scoff it but nibbled at 2 pieces and then spat it out. I just hope I'm not getting hand foot and mouth muddled up with something else. You're right though, she could have ulcers in her throat and could explain why she's waking up at night. Just hope it comes to an end soon - she's so thin

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solowitch · 28/03/2009 02:10

No, she has never regained her appetite which really saddens me as she used to eat anything and everything. She just doesn't want to eat much of anything anymore, but constantly tells me she's hungry...I give her something and she wont eat it. The waste of food and the worry that she's not getting enough drives me crazy.
She was never fussy before and ate lots of fresh veggies, meats etc, but now...it's a joke and not a very funny one!

brightongirldownunder · 28/03/2009 04:13

Oh god I hope that doesn't happen to DD. I've been through hell and back with her eating already.

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systemsaddict · 28/03/2009 06:03

My son had what they think was Stevens-Johnson syndrome at just 2, blisters all over his mouth and throat, and wouldn't eat for days (understandably!). The drs don't worry unless they stop drinking, if she is drinking she should be fine, especially if she can take milk. They do get thin but can survive ages without solids. Of course if she is particularly lethargic and you are worried go with your instincts and get her checked again, and if she stops drinking for any length of time she needs admitting for a drip, but it might just be a question of waiting for the virus to run its course. Ds went back to eating normally quite gradually, but is fine now. The weight does go back on quickly!

You might want to try keeping the Calpol topped up, ie giving it regularly not just if temp rises, to keep her pain under control, especilly if she's not sleeping. Maybe try Nurofen too?

And they do get fussy at this age anyway; the best advice I was given was your job is to offer a range of good food, not to force it into them. Toddlers won't let themselves starve and can get by on a lot less food than you think, and it's better if food doesn't become one of the many power struggles in the day!

brightongirldownunder · 28/03/2009 11:01

Thanks systemsaddict - she actually ate a small bit of grilled fish tonight. Hopefully she'll start to get a bit more energy with food in her tummy. She's so pale.

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systemsaddict · 29/03/2009 12:42

glad to hear it, hope she's on the mend now

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