Hand foot and mouth

[Anonymous]

Last night our six month old had a mild fever. It was lower this morning but we kept him home today due to our daycare’s 24hr illness policy, and so we could keep an eye on him. I since learned that a couple kids in the daycare may have had hand foot and mouth. It sounds like only one was kept home once the fever passed while the others still went to daycare even though they had sores. What do folks do in this case? Our daycare has an illness policy but it doesn’t really cover HFM per se. I know it can take a while for the sores to pass so I don’t blame them for not wanting to keep the kids home when they don’t have other symptoms. But it seems this would contribute to the spread. Sorry if this is a dumb question- FTM here!

[Anonymous]

We sent our kid back to day care 48 hours after her fever was gone. Her sores took two weeks to go away, and she was no longer contagious.

[Anonymous]

DS had it recently. The doctor we saw said to keep him home for 5 days after the sores appear. We kept him home 6 days, since the sores did not start to lessen until day 5.

[Anonymous]

I'm in the same situation right now. Fever started Sunday and he has mild fever today. Doc said he's not contagious 24 hrs after fever disappears and no open blisters. However, I don't think I feel comfortable sending him to daycare until blisters are pretty much gone.

[Anonymous]

Our doc said it is primarily passed through poop to mouth - she was fine with us sending her back 24 hours post fever. about a week and blisters were gone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our doc said it is primarily passed through poop to mouth - she was fine with us sending her back 24 hours post fever. about a week and blisters were gone.

Same here. It's definitely going around right now!

[Anonymous]

Our 2-year old just had it. We kept him home 3 days from daycare and then through a weekend. His fever was gone after the first night, but he was not eating and was generally pretty clingy/cranky the firs 3 days so he didn't go to daycare. By day 4, he was much happier and started eating again. By day 5, the sores on his tongue and mouth were healing and he was eating normally. He went back to daycare on day 6, though he still had a couple of blisters on his fingers.

[Anonymous]

There's an outbreak at our daycare at the moment too. There seems to be conflicting information / opinions about when you can take your kid back... When our 2yo had it for the first time last year, we waited until the blisters were gone, which is what our doctor told us to do. It took more than a week. This time, she had it much less bad - only blisters, and no fever or other clear symptoms. Called the doctors office and the nurse said that once the fever is gone, we can take care back to daycare even if there are still blisters. Daycare was fine with that. I have read, however, that it can be passed on from the puss in the blisters, so I probably wouldn't have taken her in if the blisters were open or erupting.

[Anonymous]

My doctor said no open blisters is when the contagion is gone. I still got a doctor's note to make everyone feel better about it.

[Anonymous]

Are all these daycares with HFM in DC, MD or NOVA?

[Anonymous]

It's going around our MoCo daycare.

[Anonymous]

We had HFM in an in-home daycare in DC about 3 weeks ago. We kept our kid home several days after the fever was gone.

[Anonymous]

I'm trying to figure out if DS has HFM or some form of coxsackie virus right now - he has never had it before. Fever since Sunday, blistering rash started about 24 hours ago. He has not been to (in home MoCo) daycare this week, and supposedly no one else there is sick. None of the blisters are on his hands or feet, or (I don't think) in his mouth. He has eczema and they are limited to his existing eczema patches...upper arms and behind the knees. Anyone have experience with HFM or coxsackie with eczema? Ped appointment is later today.

[Anonymous]

Be careful to not get it yourself. It is hell! Some of my fingernails have only just finished growing back...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm trying to figure out if DS has HFM or some form of coxsackie virus right now - he has never had it before. Fever since Sunday, blistering rash started about 24 hours ago. He has not been to (in home MoCo) daycare this week, and supposedly no one else there is sick. None of the blisters are on his hands or feet, or (I don't think) in his mouth. He has eczema and they are limited to his existing eczema patches...upper arms and behind the knees. Anyone have experience with HFM or coxsackie with eczema? Ped appointment is later today.

My son and a friend's daughter birth had this w HFM and eczema. The doc also said lots of kids right now are getting it on arms and legs not H, F, or M.