Arctic Bunny Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I really thought I posted this; I have no idea what happened! On Monday, friends came over in the afternoon/evening (mom, dad, 1yo dd). At some point they mentioned that HF&M is rampant at daycare. I found out last night that they were taking dd to the doctor. (24 hours later). I bleached everything I can think might have been touched. The doctor confirmed today that she has it. Is there anything else I can do? My boys are old enough that they wash their hands regularly and aren't randomly sticking them in their mouths. How long does it survive on things? Will it help to be diligent about disinfecting doorknobs, bathrooms, etc? For how long? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotherGoose Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I don't think there's much else you can do. If you have it, you have it. It went through our family when dd was 4. It was much worse for me than for anyone else because of the mouth sores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strange_girl Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I ended up posting this in the other thread just as you realized it was a DP...sorry! Ugh :glare: That was incredibly rude of them. HF&M is rampant here too. At least 25-30 of our friends/family (including us) have had it. HF&M is passed by fluids, I believe (mucous, saliva, etc). And while I have no great advice for you about how to prevent it, I think you're already doing about all you can. If the baby wasn't drooling all over you, maybe you'll escape it! This particular strain of the virus is not limited to babies and toddlers...all us adults have had it as well. The worst thing is the mouth sores, very bad sore throat, and (for my toddler) a bad diaper rash. Fevers tended to hang about 102-103 for 2-5 days. This is speculation (based on what we've seen here), but the virus seems to have a very long incubation period. Long enough that you've forgotten you've been in contact with it by the time you get it. For all of us it seemed to be between 2-3 weeks. So keep an eye on the boys for a while. I'm sorry they were so lackadaisical about this! I have been living a hermit's life here trying to get this under control and not spreading it around! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arctic Bunny Posted September 10, 2014 Author Share Posted September 10, 2014 Sorry about the double post! So, we've either already got it, or we haven't? And we'll find out in a couple of weeks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strange_girl Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Pretty much. Sorry :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Not much you can do about it. It's really not a severe disease, though it is annoying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2hunangirls Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 I always thought it was only annoying too. My dd had it when she was two. But, my friend was hit hard with it about two months ago. It started with their 6 yr old then everyone in the family got it. Almost cleared and the a relapse all through the family again. The da ended up with viral pnemonia (because hfm weakened his system), the mom's feet became completely covered in raw blisters. She couldn't walk. It was the craziest case I've ever seen. I don't think this is the norm but it made me aware it could be more than I thought. What I learned from her, be diligent about washing until you are weeks out from it. You can get it again. Hopefully, you'll just have the annoying case...if at all. But, it's true, in incubation period is longer than you'd think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 We just had it here. I hope you don't catch it. I'm sorry they were so lax about exposing you. We went into self imposed quarantine, basically. For us, the severity varied widely. DD is three, and had a mild, textbook case. DS is ten and had a bad bout - and is still peeling on his feet, and losing three fingernails. DH didn't catch it at all. And my case was severe. My feet were covered, could barely walk, horribly painful. Feet have peeled in sheets of skin for weeks now. I am hopeful that I'll keep the nails though. To be fair, I have a compromised immune system so that's probably why it hit so hard. I would sterilize anything the family touched, and do some immune boosting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arctic Bunny Posted September 11, 2014 Author Share Posted September 11, 2014 Thank you ladies! I guess I'll keep my fingers crossed - and out of my mouth ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 My younger had HFMD and suffered (mild) for two days. He wasn't in any outside classes at that time so we really don't know where he caught it. No one else in my family caught it. My boy just went on liquid diet for those days. It did make me check my liquid tylenol standby stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vida Winter Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Only one of my kids caught it at about 2yo - I was horrified by the name of the disease but it passed fairly quickly and no one else caught it. As far as childhood diseases, it was pretty mild. Hugs to you. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotherGoose Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 My doctor told me it was very unusual for adults to get it. Dh and I both got it though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Dh got it this spring and it was NOT a mild case. His throat was on fire, his hands and feet had so many oozing blisters that he couldn't use them for a week, and now, months later, his toenails and fingernails are falling off as a result of the illness. When he went to the doctor, she was so shocked at how severe it was, she dragged other doctors and nurses in to see it. Our granddaughters have both had it and it was so mild with them- their cases were quite light. I hope if I ever get it that I get a light case! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Coming back to post that if you do catch it, keep everyone well hydrated. I have a friend (adult) who was hospitalized 3 times due to dehydration. Her case lasted weeks, and was very severe. It likely depends on the strain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwi3129 Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 I'm glad it was mild for so many of you. DS caught it when he was in preschool. Every boy in the class ended up catching it. I don't think any of the girls caught it. The last one that ended up catching it was the teacher. It was absolutely not mild for ds. The entire inside of his mouth was covered with festering blisters. He was in more pain with this than he had been when he had his tonsils removed a few months earlier. I was terrified that the rest of us would catch it, but thank goodness no one did. I had actually never heard of it until ds contracted it. I hope we never have to deal with it again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cera Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 It just went through our house. I probably had it the worst. I only had one blister on the back of my hand but my throat was incredibly painful for about 10 days. Everyone else had fairly severe sore throats that lasted between 5 and 7 days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisbeth Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 News reports are saying that doctors and hospitals are reporting more outbreaks of various illnesses this year, nastier strains, rare strains, etc. Hmmm. My guess is that this is the consequence of allowing an open influx of immigrant children, and adults, too, with very little, no, or questionable health checks upon arrival, from places with poor medical care and few vaccinations available. The reality is...open or porous borders have consequences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 News reports are saying that doctors and hospitals are reporting more outbreaks of various illnesses this year, nastier strains, rare strains, etc. Hmmm. My guess is that this is the consequence of allowing an open influx of immigrant children, and adults, too, with very little, no, or questionable health checks upon arrival, from places with poor medical care and few vaccinations available. The reality is...open or porous borders have consequences. There is no vaccination for HFM. It goes around every summer. It is a summer virus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkyandtheBrains. Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 News reports are saying that doctors and hospitals are reporting more outbreaks of various illnesses this year, nastier strains, rare strains, etc. Hmmm. My guess is that this is the consequence of allowing an open influx of immigrant children, and adults, too, with very little, no, or questionable health checks upon arrival, from places with poor medical care and few vaccinations available. The reality is...open or porous borders have consequences. <popcorn> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChocolateReignRemix Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 News reports are saying that doctors and hospitals are reporting more outbreaks of various illnesses this year, nastier strains, rare strains, etc. Hmmm. My guess is that this is the consequence of allowing an open influx of immigrant children, and adults, too, with very little, no, or questionable health checks upon arrival, from places with poor medical care and few vaccinations available. The reality is...open or porous borders have consequences. So a relatively small group of children (as compared to the national population) of which the majority have been restricted to a handful of areas is somehow responsible for nationwide "outbreaks" of "various" illnesses with "nastier" and "rare" strains? Sorry, but unless you can provide credible data to back up this talking point, I am simply forced to declare "Shenanigans!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strange_girl Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 News reports are saying that doctors and hospitals are reporting more outbreaks of various illnesses this year, nastier strains, rare strains, etc. Hmmm. My guess is that this is the consequence of allowing an open influx of immigrant children, and adults, too, with very little, no, or questionable health checks upon arrival, from places with poor medical care and few vaccinations available. The reality is...open or porous borders have consequences. Pretty sure you can't vaccinate for HFM. Also pretty sure it was around long before our borders were so...porous. Just sayin'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arctic Bunny Posted September 12, 2014 Author Share Posted September 12, 2014 So far so good.... Bleach is still making me feel happier, though.... Lots of hand washing, too. I wonder if it's like chicken pox, and it's worse as you get older? Hmmm... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 So far so good.... Bleach is still making me feel happier, though.... Lots of hand washing, too. I wonder if it's like chicken pox, and it's worse as you get older? Hmmm... I wondered the same. DH teased me that it was payback for never having had chicken pox! (Lest that start an untrue rumor, they are not caused by the same type of virus.) We believe DS was exposed 3-4 days before symptoms, FYI. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arctic Bunny Posted September 12, 2014 Author Share Posted September 12, 2014 Ran into the mom today.... She laughed and asked if I had bleached everything. I, ha, laughed and said yes, and lots of hand washing. She laughed and said, "you know it's viral right?" Um, yes... Yes I do.... What did I miss here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 Maybe she thinks bleach doesn't kill viruses? Has it mixed up with antibiotics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strange_girl Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 Ran into the mom today.... She laughed and asked if I had bleached everything. I, ha, laughed and said yes, and lots of hand washing. She laughed and said, "you know it's viral right?" Um, yes... Yes I do.... What did I miss here? Well, wow. This woman is a piece of work. First she knowingly exposes you and then mocks you for being worried. Sheesh. Good luck to you guys! I hope you don't get it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2ndGenHomeschooler Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 Adults generally get it worse than kids. I've also heard that it is only contagious once you are sick. So you should be fine if the child who visited hadn't developed symptoms yet. The incubation period can be up to a week. (Assuming all those articles I read are correct.) Also, it can be contagious for up to 3 weeks after you catch it. (So is the nasty stomach virus that goes around every winter.) Unless everyone agrees to keep their families home for 3-4 weeks any time they are exposed to and catch a virus there's really nothing we can do about it. I figure we're going to catch what we're going to catch and there's no use in stressing about it. I keep my kids home if they're actually sick and expect that most reasonable people will do the same. We do what we can to have healthy immune systems. I pull out the Lysol if someone starts puking (it's the only thing that kills that virus) because I hate that one with a passion, otherwise I clean like normal and we go about our normal lives. It doesn't bother me if other people do the same. I wouldn't sit around at home for a week just because we *might* get something we were exposed to and I don't expect others to either. The exception would be people with extremely comprised immune systems like our piano teacher's 92 year old mother or my father who is on immunosuppressive drugs following an organ transplant. We're a little more cautious around them if we could be carrying something. My kids all had HFM a couple of weeks ago. The severity ranged from 8 hours with a fever and sore throat to a 24 hour fever and a rash (no blisters) and sore throat for 4 days. It really wasn't that bad at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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