Hand, Foot & Mouth!! Question...

[KristinsHomeCC]

Rewind back to last Monday: My PT 16m DCG was miserable as all hell. My fiance had to leave for work early because how she was crying, he couldn't stand it -- LOL! She is only here one day a week for 6 weeks now and I don't believe she is adjusting well. Its hard to adjust to somewhere only one day a week. After Monday, I was ready to term. She made it nearly impossible to even change another DCK diaper. Anyway, while I was changing her, I noticed the bottoms of her feet were peeling. I said outloud to my fiancé if maybe she walked on hot concrete (we live in FL) and got blisters. Didnt think anything else of it.

Come Wednesday night, my son woke up at 1am with a 102 fever. Told DCPs that he was running a fever but no other symptoms. Friday comes around and my son has red bumps all over his feet and is miserable. At 1st, I thought it was ant bites. So confused on how or where he got them. Friday around 5pm, my 21m DCB starts being miserable out of nowhere. Pick him up, sure enough, 102 fever.

Fast forward to now...Its Thursday morning and I've had ALL WEEK OFF due to all my DCKs having hand, foot and mouth. Son went to doc Monday and was properly diagnosed with it. Pediatrician checked my fiances throat after he has been complaining and HE even got it (36 yo) because he was never exposed as a child. Adults get it 10x worse. He is miserable and has been missing work all week.

Heres the kicker ; pediatrician told me my sons feet will peel once done with HFMD. Immediately made a bell go off. Is it too much of a coincidence or maybe PT DCG had it and brought it in without telling me?? Theres NO way ever your child has this and you wouldnt know. Its awful, miserable for everyone, and very obvious.

Thoughts please. I was really ready to term and this would just set me over the edge! SO ready to get back to reality today! I really only have one DCK coming in. My 9m DCB has pneumonia AND HMFD

[childcaremom]

My initial thought is that she exposed everyone the week prior to the peeling. So mom brought her sick? Or else didn't have a diagnosis (so didn't realize it was hfm) and didn't realize the exclusion period. Brought her once fever was gone. I don't know what the contagious period is but it certainly sounds like she was the initial one who was sick and passed it on to everyone.

Would explain why she's been so miserable.

If you think dcm was pulling a fast one, I would term. She isn't adjusting well, either. (that would be reason enough for me)

If you think dcm was unaware, then I would go over your illness policy again with the knowledge that bringing her child sick, or doped and sick, is cause for immediate term.

Sorry that happened. Hope everyone feels better soon!

[littletots]

I'm sure you've googled. I'm betting DCM didn't know. It's easy to pass around. Sorry, it's all part of FCC, daycare, children indoor play centers, church nursery, gym nursery. Common & spreads. Closing & cleaning as you've done is all you can do. I wouldn't use this as reason to term. I agree pt takes longer to adjust which is reason many FCC I know avoid

[Blackcat31]

HFM and a tough one. I honestly do not believe parents are even aware that their child has it unless there is a lot of symptoms happening...

low grade fever, irritability... sounds like most toddlers I know.

The obvious signs like blisters and red spots are often easily dismissed as something else (you yourself did it without giving it a second thought) so I can see how parents don't put two and two together either at times.

I would exclude when there are visible and undeniable symptoms such as a fever but exclusion in cases of HFM are often unhelpful as exclusion will not reduce transmission, as some children may shed the virus without showing symptoms, and other children who become ill may shed the virus for weeks in the stool.

Generally, a person with hand, foot, and mouth disease is most contagious during the first week of illness. People can sometimes be contagious for days or weeks after symptoms go away. Some people, especially adults, may not develop any symptoms, but they can still spread the virus to others.

Oh- and hate to break it to you, but I had it twice! In other words- it's not a one time and you never get it again thing. I don't know why some people say that- multiple strains out there I suppose. I worked with infants at the time and of course everyone had it!

[Ariana]

It's very hard to know you even have HFMD until after the rash expresses itself so I wouldn't say mom intentionally brought her sick. She can also be contagious for weeks following the rash so even if the rash had cleared up by the time she came to you she still could transmit it.

I recently had a child go through this so I have read quite a bit about it. Seems that there is little you can do to prevent the spread of it unless the child is excluded for weeks.

[Heidi]

Originally Posted by Blackcat31

HFM and a tough one. I honestly do not believe parents are even aware that their child has it unless there is a lot of symptoms happening...

low grade fever, irritability... sounds like most toddlers I know.

The obvious signs like blisters and red spots are often easily dismissed as something else (you yourself did it without giving it a second thought) so I can see how parents don't put two and two together either at times.

I would exclude when there are visible and undeniable symptoms such as a fever but exclusion in cases of HFM are often unhelpful as exclusion will not reduce transmission, as some children may shed the virus without showing symptoms, and other children who become ill may shed the virus for weeks in the stool.

Generally, a person with hand, foot, and mouth disease is most contagious during the first week of illness. People can sometimes be contagious for days or weeks after symptoms go away. Some people, especially adults, may not develop any symptoms, but they can still spread the virus to others.

It just went through here, but symptoms were so mild that I did not exclude. By the time anyone had any sort of rash, they'd already exposed everyone anyway. It's was also running rampant at the schools, and everyone has sibs and cousins.

[Sugaree]

DS had HFM last year about this time. If he ran a fever, it was a very short one during the overnight period. We didn't get a dx until he came down with pink eye and an ear infection a few days later.

[Michael]

Previous threads on foot and mouth: http://daycare.com/forum/tags.php?tag=foot+and+mouth