[mommytoEli]

so eli got hfm. seriously....i mean i guess since he puts EVERYTHING In his mouth (thank you sensory integration disorder )it was bound to happen. i have read horror stories on the internet about how sick kids can get with this...and that just hasn't come to fruition for us. but i wonder if it is still early in the game. he broke out sunday morning...noticed it on the way to church...nice move eli. he has them on his hands and feet, a few in his mouth. but is not complaining and seems like his normal self.

what will happen next? (we couldn't get in to see our dr sunday...and the nurse wasn't super informative....all she could tell us was that he was no longer contagious.)

[gwenrenee007]

It usually starts with a fever then the spots in the mouth a few days later. There are different strands of it and some are milder. Mia had it last year and she hardly complained. She just drooled a lot. This year she had it so bad it was TERRIBLE. She was in so much pain, wouldn't eat for three days even though she was starving, and wouldn't sleep for 3 days.

If Eli has a less severe strain, I would just not give him things that are acidic like OJ and tomato based products and if he does say it hurts give him motrin.

The sores usually last 3 days and then start to heal and they usually stop hurting when they heal, but on the feet and hands they can hurt a little longer.

Does he have a high pain tolerance because of his Sensory issues??

good luck and I hope he feels better soon!

[mommytoEli]

Originally Posted by gwenrenee007

Does he have a high pain tolerance because of his Sensory issues??

yes! and he REALLY likes to put things in his mouth....especially food. so i can't imagine him NOT eating. lol. he has not complained one single time. so either it is very very mild....or he just does not care. lol.

p.s....how fun that you finally got a foster placement. enjoy!

[mcnay1]

I feel like an expert in HFM... If it is around, my boys will catch it! In fact, just by me looking at this post, Im expecting one or both of my boys to have it next week. Just kidding... But, we have had our share of it. Anyway, it does sound like Eli has a pretty mild case of it, which is great. My kids usually get a fever and then blisters in the mouth (not so much on their hands and feet, but sometimes a few). The blisters will last 3-4 days and then they are good to go. Dr. told me that once the blisters are are present, you are on the downswing of it and are no longer contagious when the blisters start to heal over. 2-3 days... Good luck with it. Remember that you can get it to, so wash your hands regularly....

[melissa41]

We just had this...a very mild case. One blister on tongue and one on foot and that is all I could find. Mild fever on Sunday night. Notice blister on foot Tuesday morning...thought it was from sandal. Tuesday night woke up screaming saying his mouth hurt. i thought he had bit his tongue. Wednesday morning ate and drank juice with no problem. Wednesday late morning...screaming about mouth again. I saw the blister on tongue and after about 3 hours, I remembered a thread I had read on this forum about this disease. He would eat and drink for the most part but sometimes would cry. Lots of ice cream that week which he loved. He had another rough night Thursday waking up crying three times but that was the worst. The 2 blisters were gone by Sunday.

My son puts everything in his mouth too.

Good luck. Hopefully it will be a mild case and no other children in your family will get it.

[carolynpep73]

My daughter and I both had it last year. It was worse with me than her. She had a few in her mouth and little ones on her hands and feet. She never really complained...I on the other hand couldn't stop complaining. I had three huge ones in my mouth and it just plain hurt. Sounds like he's got a mild case. He'll be good to go in a couple of days.

[Waiting4Zach]

Zach had it shortly after I brought him home last year. He ran a fever and had sores on his hands, feed and in his mouth. His mouth was the worst. I had to use the little medicine syringes to put fluid in him. It was very sad. He still played like normal though. It lasted about 7 days and then I got it. I felt even more sorry for him once I had it because the ones in the mouth hurt really bad.

[melissa41]

Just talked to a friend who we unfortunately gave it to her dd a few days before our spots came out. Her dd broke out the week of July 20th and her ds just broke out last Friday which seems like a long time for it to take to infect a child in the same household. Don't know if this timeline might somehow help but just wanted to let you know.

[JillnChris]

From what I remember we just had to give dd lots of popsicles, ice cream, yogurt and other cold food that would not hurt her mouth sores. I don't think it lasted more than a week. We just stayed home with her that whole time. Poor Eli. :-(

[mommytoEli]

well...i believe we are in the clear...all of his bumps have dried up...he never complained once....he was completely himself...just with spots on his hands and feet. lol. and no one in our house ever got it. he broke out a week ago, so based on what i read, we have passed the incubation period for anyone else in our home to get it now. i hope that is right! i am sorry about all these little ones who suffered so much when they had...and so very grateful that eli had such a light case!

[Pipercub]

Our pediatrician told us most kids only get it once (rare exceptions for certain immune systems), and most people have had it by the time they are two years old. While there are different strands of the virus, there is one strand that is most common and your body makes antibodies making a repeat infection in the future unlikely. It's typical for the rest of the family to not get sick with it if the youngest member gets it. So hopefully you are all in the clear. Glad your little guy is on the mend - what a trooper!

[mommytoEli]

Originally Posted by Pipercub

Our pediatrician told us most kids only get it once (rare exceptions for certain immune systems), and most people have had it by the time they are two years old. While there are different strands of the virus, there is one strand that is most common and your body makes antibodies making a repeat infection in the future unlikely. It's typical for the rest of the family to not get sick with it if the youngest member gets it. So hopefully you are all in the clear. Glad your little guy is on the mend - what a trooper!

what great news...thank you!