Hand foot and mouth disease in humans

[Pupuce]

I have just been told that's what I had for the past week... has anyone ever had this ? (I know we talked about this on another thread which I started for other reasons a few months back).
DS got it at nursery - he complained of a painful tongue, then DH got it and now me. I had the most pain.... I don't mean to brag but the tip of my tongue was completely full of blisters and very red - quite painful actually. Luckily DD (3mo) is fine...
Has anyone suffered from this ? Any advice to relieve the pain ? I have been told it's a virus (quite contagious) and that it goes away on its own... so nothing to relieve it.

I haven't had it but it's going round the nursery so it's probably only a matter of time before ds gets it. It's most common at this time of year. You are unlucky, it's less commomn in adults than in children.

HF&M is caused by a virus called coxsackie, very infectious and spread mostly via droplets ie sneezing, coughing. It also infects the gut so it is shed in faeces and can be passed on this way too. Although the symptoms often pass within a week or so, you can continue to be infectious for a few weeks. Being viral there's no specific treatment but preventative measures include being careful with hygiene, washing hands after using the loo or changing a nappy, washing hankies etc. Treatment-wise, it's just the usual symptomatic things like paracetamol. I've come across recomendations for mouth washes, salt water rinsing and teething gel for the painful mouth ulcers. As teething gel contains a local anaesthetic it might work well and there's no reason why you couldn't use it too.

You will be immune now that you've had it. Get well soon!

Yes my son had this a few months ago.I was told it's the fluid in the blisters that is contagious so once they dry up it's ok -it took about 10 days for that to happen. It was really only his mouth that hurt not so much blisters as ulcers and I just got some stuff from Boots for mouth ulcers which seemed to do the trick. You've been unlucky as out of five of us in the house only he had it. Hope you feel better soon.

Smew, is this why DS is having on and off diarrhoea ??? Are you in the medical profession ?
DS had severe diarrhoea at nursery last Tuesday- 8 extremely loose BM and then I took him home, he was fine for 2 days and then he had it again... We served him toast and rice and apples... he didn't complain. He went back to nursery on Tuesday and we were called at 2PM to pick him up after 4 very very loose nappies... he is fine today again.. But again on rice diet.

As well as the coxsackie virus, HF&M disease can also be caused by a series of adenoviruses (sp?). My ds was hospitalised for this for two days earlier this year (for his 2nd birthday) and I ended up with it as well! Paracetamol and teething gel, as already recommended, were life savers for me. I had a few blisters on one hand and loads in my mouth. Poor ds had blisters all over his hands, the soles of his feet and in his mouth. He had a high temperature and would not eat or drink for 4 or so days and had to have water forced into him. Fortunately, the symptoms are usually over pretty quickly!

Pupuce, sorry for not replying earlier, haven't been near a computer for days. I'm not sure that diarrhoea is usually associated with HF&M. There are a few viruses that cause similar symptoms, as Chelle says, but I don't think any would cause diarrheoa. I am medical but I don't work in peadiatrics so I may be wrong about this (if I have a chance to ask a paed colleague I'll let you know). My guess would be that there may be some other reason for the loose stools - if it persists I would get it checked rather than assume it's all part of the same thing. Sorry to be a bit vague, hope things are improving for you now.

Thanks Smew... yes the loose stool are now hard ! And that's a good thing as I am potty training him (we had to stop obviously) but DH husband also had the same problem... so we didn't know.
We are ALL better thanks.
DS and DD still have a bit of a mucus cough but it is improving.
Thanks