Hand, Foot & Mouth

Life is just down right hard, there is no way around that statement. It’s how we deal with things that make a real difference.

This past weekend, Noah had a small rash on his face, near the corner of his mouth. His sleep went to hell, he had a low grade fever, and was extra clingy. As first-time parents, my husband and I thought that he was teething because his hands were constantly in his mouth and he was pretty much normal otherwise.

My husband took Noah to daycare yesterday morning and they immediately sent Noah home. They said that he must have hand, foot, and mouth disease. We felt stupid because we had no idea and thought that it was from teething.

The doctor confirmed this when we went yesterday afternoon. Noah had small dots on the palms of his hands, bottoms of his feet, face, back of his neck, and in his throat. Unfortunately, there is not much that you can do other than let it run its course.

Thankfully, thus far, Noah has been eating enough and drinking enough that it has not become an issue, but if the blisters start to really hurt, it could be a big problem if he is not drinking to stay hydrated.

Some suggestions that I have from our experience if your little one hasHFM. And this is not medical advice, only what worked for us.

· Ice water or cold milk has worked wonders.

· Serve colder type food such as jello, cottage cheese, yogurt, pedialyte popsicles, or things that will sooth the throat.

· We added honey to some fresh fruit to help coat his throat.

· You can give an oatmeal or a baking soda bath if the blisters get that painful.

· Use saline to suction their nose or take a hot shower with Vicks rubbed on the shower head to add a mist. Do not put Vicks on the floor of the shower because it is super slippery.

· Put the cool mist humidifier in their room to add some moisture for the stuffy or runny nose.

· Offer a clean water bottle or sippy cup each day and thoroughly wash them.

This disease is very contagious and can be spread to adults. Kids can also get different strains of it, so it is not one of those things that you get once and never need to worry about again.

Make sure to continue washing hands, toys, bedding, and anything that you think could be contaminated.

If you find yourself in this situation down the road, take turns with your spouse or significant other if possible, stay strong, offer lots of cuddles, and just know, this too shall pass.