HFM Disease - questions for anyone who's experienced it

[Spryte]

We've had recent round of HFM in the house.  It's been horrific.  DS was in terrible shape last week, but he feels fine now and the spots are clearing up.  Whew.

 

But the peeling!  His fingers look like a shredded mess.  Is this normal for HFM?  

 

And how long is he contagious?

 

I am finding conflicting info online, and can't tell when he'll be out of our self-imposed quarantine. No fever, feels fine, spots are no longer red, he's just peeling like crazy.

 

Anyone know?

 

And FWIW, I have HFM, too.  :(  Immunocompromised here, my case has been quite different from DS's, taking longer to resolve.  Wondering if I have the peeling to anticipate, too.  Ugh.

[SwallowTail]

People are contagious for a few weeks usually after symptoms have resolved.  We had a relapse after about two weeks also. 

[Spryte]

Oh, a relapse. :( I'm so sorry.

 

Ok, I'd heard a few weeks, too. And then I've also read after fever and open blisters or sores are gone, he's good to go - but I wasn't sure.

 

How soon did you let your kiddo out the door, to the park? Or other areas? I don't want to pass this on, but neither do I want to keep him home unnecessarily.

 

I did call the doc after posting - she said the peeling is normal. She seems to think he's not contagious now, too, but again that conflicts with so much I've read!

[Annie G]

I had no idea it was contagious for that long. When dh had it, he went to the doctor on Monday and was told he could return to work the following Monday.  By then his blisters had popped but were certainly not healed. I'm feeling even more lucky that nobody else in our family caught it!