It's Hand, Foot, Mouth

Oh my gosh. He's caught another contagious virus. This time it's the Hand Foot Mouth disease!

He didnt have any fever at all on Tuesday so I thought he's well enough to go back to school today. But yesterday afternoon, I noticed a few little red spots on the side of his right big toe....and later on 3 tiny spots on his face, almost like tiny pimples...later on two "pimples" on each corner of his mouth.

I noted them but didn't think much of it, until late evening. I knew that sometimes rashes appear after a fever. It's also been extremely hot lately, so it could also be heat rash, but it did look different from a heat rash.

At dinner time, I noticed a few more light red spots were on his palms and soles of his feet. Was I imagining it? Could it be HFM? But there were no ulcers, no blisters. Rash wasn't confined to just the palms, soles and mouth. His appetite was good and he was active during the day.

I got on to the internet after he was asleep to find out more about childhood rashes and HFM. Since his fever stopped, rashes just started and his appetite was good, I let him sleep the night.

This morning, the doctor confirmed that it is HFM. Thankfully it's a mild one. Still no ulcers, no rash on his bum bum, no new ones on his palm or soles. He drank 8 ounces of milk for breakfast, and is still active and alert. New rashes appeared on his knee this morning but those on his face already seem to be fading a little.

Read that the coxsackievirus A16 and EV71 virus are the common culprits. Dr said his was probably the coxsackie, and he got it mild. But there are loads more enteroviruses that can cause HFM, so getting it once doesn't mean you wont get it again. You'll need to practice the usual hygiene procedures of handwashing, sneezing and cough manners etc, to minimise getting it.

I informed his kindergarten of his HFM. I guess they must be not too happy with my son for causing more hassles. I read from a govt website that if there were 2 or more cases within 7 days, they'd have to close the place for 7 days for a thorough disinfection!

By the way, the administrator informed me that there's a new case of H1N1 yesterday. It's highly unlikely that kid got it from my son as it was 15 days later that we went back to school (I took extra precaution). H1N1 clears in 7 days from onset of fever.

Thank you for your prayers. May he have a speedy recovery with minimal discomfort.