Hand foot and mouth and xmas

[izzlesnizzle]

My 11 month old has come down with hfmd. He's fine in himself and not ill. He's still crawling around at lightening speed and getting up to mischief and happy in himself. Hes just covered in spots round his mouth, hands and feet.

We are supposed to be going to my sisters tonight who is fine with him coming and doesn't have a problem, she has three kids but they're a bit older now and my mum said the same and the visitors who are coming said they're happy too but my sil isn't happy and said if we want to take the risk then fine but she's very uncomfortable with us being there and if her kids get it she's not going to be happy and we will have to ride the storm, they are 6 and 9.

If we tell dd who is 3 that we're not going she will be devastated and will not understand why we're not seeing her cousins and her nan. She's been so excited and been counting the sleeps until she can go.

Should we change our plans and stay away at home on our own or go anyway? Dh said he's not comfortable if sil is saying that and we shouldn't go but I can't bear to tell dd it's all off and we're not going 😢😢😢

 

[sophxx]

i personally dint think you should go and i woukdnt be happy if somewhere i was someone brought a ill child.

 

[jodilee6]

Could you or your OH not stay at home with your sick boy whilst the other took your DD?

That's what I'd do in your situation, I hope your LO gets better quickly

 

[izzlesnizzle]

If it was around the corner I'd do that but it's 200 miles away. I'm not having us split up for Xmas especially as it's our sons first Xmas

 

[_Meep_]

When my LO caught this from some kid at soft play, I have to admit I was pretty pissed off. It isn't serious, but she had a horrible fever to start with and was shivering and very unwell.

It only lasts a few days, though. By the time you go, I don't think he will even be contagious any more, as all the information I've read suggests you don't even have to wait for the last blister to clear up before you send a nursery-going child back to nursery.

If you are careful about nappy-changing and hand-washing, as the virus is active in poop for a few weeks, then there shouldn't be a risk.

 

[Lemonade]

If your SIL's kids are 6 and 9 the chances are that they have already had it and therefore are unlikely to catch it again (I know it's possible, but unlikely). Even if they do, it isn't serious. My LO had it last month and DH caught it from her (I had it as a kid and didn't catch it this time) and neither of them were ill at all really. My DH said he would barely have noticed if he hadn't known she had it. At the time we were also visiting family and no one else caught it at all, I think DH only got it because we were tending to her personal needs. I think if you wash your hands and keep LO away from others as much as possible you might get away with it.

 

[_Meep_]

Sorry, I read this and assumed you were going on Christmas Day! If he's only just broken out and you're meant to be going tonight, then he probably will be contagious still.

What did you decide?

 

[Bebedeux]

It's a young kids thing. DS had it at 13months.
Can I give you a tip that my mom gave me corn flour, it dried it up the best cure for it DS was destroyed and it was the only thing that worked. DS had it when I was 3months pregnant and was around my neices and nephews ranging from 4-9 and none of them got it.
Corn flour look into it, really helped heal the wounds.

 

[izzlesnizzle]

Sorry, I read this and assumed you were going on Christmas Day! If he's only just broken out and you're meant to be going tonight, then he probably will be contagious still.

What did you decide?

So it's come out a lot worse the last 24 hours. He's covered in a nasty rash all over his chin and around his mouth, all over his bottom, hands and feet are covered, random spots all over his legs and arms. And he's as grotty as anything with a runny nose and horrible cough. There's no way we could have taken him like this anyway.

I told my sister yesterday we weren't coming and shes come up with each a new plan that we give it a few days until the 26th, then he would have had it 5 days and should be less contagious and they will hold off on Xmas dinner until the 27th so we can have it all together. On the 26th we will go straight to my mums and keep ds away from the other kids and see them all on the 27th. Then it will be 6 days so hopefully won't be so contagious. On the 27th all the kids bar ds are off to a pantomime so they won't see him until the afternoon. everyone is happy with that plan. Poor ds being quarantined like this. Bad timing or what!!!

Just waiting for dd to come down with it now to completely scupper the new plans!

 

[izzlesnizzle]

It's a young kids thing. DS had it at 13months.
Can I give you a tip that my mom gave me corn flour, it dried it up the best cure for it DS was destroyed and it was the only thing that worked. DS had it when I was 3months pregnant and was around my neices and nephews ranging from 4-9 and none of them got it.
Corn flour look into it, really helped heal the wounds.

I googled the cornflour but couldn't find much on it. Do you know how it would be prepared? Is it just with water forming it into a paste and spreading it on? I read calamine lotion is pretty good too as I was researching the cornflour so thanks for that as I wouldn't have read that otherwise!

 

[laila 44]

I wouldn't go. Hfm is not fun and I wouldn't expose my kids to that.

 

[laila 44]

Adults and older kids can catch it it is super contagious. I have seen my nephews at 9 years old contract it.

 

[Bebedeux]

Just the powder on its own. Sieve it. DS got it on his bum, knee's and face. And the cornflour dried it up. Also excessive hand washing. As I was pregnant at the time I had to wash my hands everytime I changed DS or touched an open sore. He was very bad. But thankfully no one close to me got it. And because I was pregnant I had to have a blood test as it can cause miscarriage and excessive fluid on an unborn baby. Change bed sheet regularly and just general hygiene.

 

[londonangel]

My little one caught it at nine months. Her four-year-old sister did not catch it despite kissing and playing with her poorly sister. Assume big one was exposed at nursery at some point. HF and M generally looks worse than it is. Little one had awful pustules on her hands but seemed to feel fine after the day she had the fever (the day before pustules appeared). Merry Christmas!

 

[londonangel]

My little one caught it at nine months. Her four-year-old sister did not catch it despite kissing and playing with her poorly sister. Assume big one was exposed at nursery at some point. HF and M generally looks worse than it is. Little one had awful pustules on her hands but seemed to feel fine after the day she had the fever (the day before pustules appeared). Merry Christmas!