hand, foot and mouth - what does it look like?

[Trillian]

Have you ever had a mouth ulcer? HFM mouth blisters look very similar to mouth ulcers. On the hands and feel they look like white pimply looking blisters. Here is a PDF fact sheet for you http://www.racgp.org.au/afp/200308/20030805starr2.pdf If they do get it, there is no point taking them to a Dr - it's viral so it just has to run its course, but you can support their immune system while they are healing by letting them eat plenty of live culture yoghurt. Panadol will also hurt. I had all 4 of mine get it one after the other and it was awful.

[BrightSparkles]

It says that they don't need to be excluded from school/day care etc. Isn't it contagious so therefore they would be excluded??

[feeb]

As Trllian has allready covered a good description of what they look like. They are contagious until they scab over, and if kids go to CC, kinder, school you need to notify them and let them know and you will most liklely need medical clearence to send them back.

Both my boys got this last year. DS1 was much worse than DS2. DS1 had them all over hands and feet and also legs and a mouth full and poor thing ate nothing but ice cream for 4 days as everything hurt to eat, DS2 just had them on hands and feet and nappy area.

They can be on other areas apart from hands feet and mouth.

Hope you don't have too bad a run with it.

[BrightSparkles]

Thanks ladies. We don't have it here but just need to know what to keep an eye out for since one of the kids that was at dd's party hs it.

[Calluna]

Ds didn't get it too bad, but I caught it off him and it was awful! Sore throat, fever, headache, nausea, and really painful blisters in my mouth, nose and throat.

[feeb]

Yes need to be excluded as highly contagious.

Have PM you link to RCH fact sheet as didnt know if I could post link or not as I always get in trouble