Hand, foot, and mouth disease

[MrsCobraBubbles]

I do that all the time, too!

I was diagnosed with dyscalculia in college after I flunked a math class. It's like dyslexia, but specific to math. My brain is easily confused by numbers.

 

[BigRed321]

Both of my kids had it when they were around 2 years old.. The doctor told us to give them a mixture of maylox and benadryl..

Lasted for a few weeks.. It is contagious..

 

[jevs]

It is contagious and could affect those with a compromised immune system.

The responsible thing is for the parents to keep the child home.

 

[Micca]

I think the biggest concern is spreading it to their traveling companions. It's a virus so things like not washing hands spread it the quickest.

BUT... My kids felt HORRIBLE when they had it. Their blisters manifested in their mouths and took a good 10 days to heal up. Will the child even feel like traveling?

That was my thought too. Not only is there a problem with risk of spreading it, what if the kid feels like hell so far away from home/parents? This sounds like a major excursion and I'm guessing there would be some financial loss by cancelling at the last minute.

 

[dazedx3]

I work at a daycare, and as of today, 9 out of my 12 children are out with this virus. It spreads very easily and very quickly. Most children do not get very sick, but some do. Two years ago we had a young boy who had a very severe case, he ended up losing all his toe and finger nails. He couldn't eat for 10 days because of the blisters in his throat.
My concern would be that he could infect another child or adult. Many families are on vacations and this virus could cause their time to be ruined. It could also mean someone with a compromised immune system could be infected and in turn they would be very ill. Yes, we cannot prevent all exposure to viruses
but if it is spread knowingly, I think that is irresponsible.
Many people have complained when a co-worker comes to work with a cold, this is a little more serious.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

I work at a daycare, and as of today, 9 out of my 12 children are out with this virus. It spreads very easily and very quickly. Most children do not get very sick, but some do. Two years ago we had a young boy who had a very severe case, he ended up losing all his toe and finger nails. He couldn't eat for 10 days because of the blisters in his throat.
My concern would be that he could infect another child or adult. Many families are on vacations and this virus could cause their time to be ruined. It could also mean someone with a compromised immune system could be infected and in turn they would be very ill. Yes, we cannot prevent all exposure to viruses
but if it is spread knowingly, I think that is irresponsible.
Many people have complained when a co-worker comes to work with a cold, this is a little more serious.

Exactly.

It is one thing to unknowingly spread something to an immune compromised person. It is another to knowingly do it.

As an immune compromised person, I am shocked at the sheer number of people that will come up and hug me while they are sick. Or stand and talk to me, handing stuff to me, all the while saying that their child has strep.

 

[pocomom]

Run down?

Where does the OP say this?

Kids get viruses all the time. This is a classic "summer" virus. I hardly think the kid is on his deathbed. If he is, he shouldn't go. If it's a mild case (ie the mom sees a blister, takes the kid to the Dr. Dr verifies that it's HFM, and kid goes home feeling fine), then really, it's not a big deal.

But, as with everything - YMMV.

I consider anyone "run down" who has an illness.You certainly are more susceptible to a new illness when you are already fighting another. And open mouth sores can't help. I never said he was on his deathbed.

 

[MainMom]

I would be angry if I was the parent of another child on the trip and found out that this child was sent despite being contagious. It's one thing if there are no symptoms, it's another to knowingly send them along.

 

[MommyMK]

I work at a daycare, and as of today, 9 out of my 12 children are out with this virus. It spreads very easily and very quickly. Most children do not get very sick, but some do. Two years ago we had a young boy who had a very severe case, he ended up losing all his toe and finger nails. He couldn't eat for 10 days because of the blisters in his throat.
My concern would be that he could infect another child or adult. Many families are on vacations and this virus could cause their time to be ruined. It could also mean someone with a compromised immune system could be infected and in turn they would be very ill. Yes, we cannot prevent all exposure to viruses
but if it is spread knowingly, I think that is irresponsible.
Many people have complained when a co-worker comes to work with a cold, this is a little more serious.

It ran through my family a few years ago and it is one of the worst viruses I ever had. A few days of really high miserable fever, a few days of worst sore throat in my life, I could barely eat or drink, a few days of pins and needles type tingling in my hands and feet so bad I couldn't sleep at all for days. I lost all the skin on my palms and soles and a few weeks later lost all my finger and toenails. So yeah I vote for staying home. No way would I want to be responsible for making other people's kids sick with this in a foreign country.

 

[Pooh2]

My 25-year-old nephew just got over Hand, foot, mouth disease from his toddler. The toddler was okay in a few days, my nephew was hospitalized twice in a week for high-fever and dehydration. He had so many blisters in his mouth that he could not stand to eat or drink. He was so miserable.

That parent should NOT be sending their sick kid overseas or anywhere! That is so rude and inconsiderate to all the travel companions!

 

[Lilacs4Me]

It ran through my family a few years ago and it is one of the worst viruses I ever had. A few days of really high miserable fever, a few days of worst sore throat in my life, I could barely eat or drink, a few days of pins and needles type tingling in my hands and feet so bad I couldn't sleep at all for days. I lost all the skin on my palms and soles and a few weeks later lost all my finger and toenails. So yeah I vote for staying home. No way would I want to be responsible for making other people's kids sick with this in a foreign country.

Sounds bad!

my kids barely showed any symptoms at all.

Like I said, YMMV. the child/mother should take the advice of their Dr.

 

[Lilacs4Me]

I consider anyone "run down" who has an illness.You certainly are more susceptible to a new illness when you are already fighting another. And open mouth sores can't help. I never said he was on his deathbed.

Gotcha.

So this particular kid may, or may not be, "OBVIOUSLY" (to quote your first post) run down in my definition, but in yours, he most certainly is. Different perspectives are always interesting...

 

[indygirl99]

Sounds bad!

my kids barely showed any symptoms at all.

Like I said, YMMV. the child/mother should take the advice of their Dr.

I work part time in a doctors office.

I can tell you what this mother was told and what she HEARD are different.

What she Heard was that "he should not be to contagious" what she was TOLD "he should not be to contagious as long as he stays home, washes his hands
after going to the bathroom or coughing and sneezing. He should not share eating utensils with anyone, no eating or drinking after anyone. And call us if the fever or sores get worse."

She only heard the first part of what she was told because she had this HUGE fear hanging over her head that she was going to lose a couple thousand dollars she paid for this trip and her son was going to be extremely disappointed that he could not go on this trip.

That is why in medicine we suggest you have someone come to appointments with you and we repeat our self over and over to make sure you heard everything we said.

She will need to HEAR from more than one person before she actually hears that her child should stay home and not infect a village in Portugal with hand/foot/mouth disease.

 

[leebee]

Well, mom schlepped the kid around town, saw pediatricians, ERs, and walk-in care, and finally professional #5 wrote the note that says the kid is medically cleared to go overseas tomorrow. The doctor's note relieves the program of responsibility, so they are satisfied. My daughter is a different story! She is not looking forward to the possibility of sick children in a foreign company. Fortunately she will be one of 12 adults in charge of delegations, and there is also a professional staff at the compound where they are staying, so she won't be the only one responsible for this child. Now if only SHE doesn't get sick.

 

[dazedx3]

Well, mom schlepped the kid around town, saw pediatricians, ERs, and walk-in care, and finally professional #5 wrote the note that says the kid is medically cleared to go overseas tomorrow. The doctor's note relieves the program of responsibility, so they are satisfied. My daughter is a different story! She is not looking forward to the possibility of sick children in a foreign company. Fortunately she will be one of 12 adults in charge of delegations, and there is also a professional staff at the compound where they are staying, so she won't be the only one responsible for this child. Now if only SHE doesn't get sick.

 

[dazedx3]

That is just great...just what I figured would happen. They should hand out masks on that plane!

 

[King Schultz]

Well, mom schlepped the kid around town, saw pediatricians, ERs, and walk-in care, and finally professional #5 wrote the note that says the kid is medically cleared to go overseas tomorrow. The doctor's note relieves the program of responsibility, so they are satisfied. My daughter is a different story! She is not looking forward to the possibility of sick children in a foreign company. Fortunately she will be one of 12 adults in charge of delegations, and there is also a professional staff at the compound where they are staying, so she won't be the only one responsible for this child. Now if only SHE doesn't get sick.

Well there goes her "Mother Of The Year" award. . . geezzee. . .

The sad thing is, the best thing you can tell your daughter is to avoid contact with the child, which isn't fair to either one.

Good luck to your DD and hopefully everything works out okay.

 

[jevs]

Irresponsible of the parents. But I'm guessing they don't give a toss.

 

[ronandannette]

Irresponsible of the parents. But I'm guessing they don't give a toss.

I wish we'd been told more about the nature of this trip. Am I the only person reading this thread that had eyebrows raised at the idea of an 11 y.o. going overseas for a month without parents, let alone now being sick? I think, from the perspective of concern for others, putting that child on a plane and then exposing an entire group of children (in a part of the world where this virus may not be common) is unconscionable. And that's on both the part of the parent AND the organizers of this trip (whatever it may be). In my mind they're actually worse because they have all the information they need to prohibit the kid from participating and it seems their only concern is CYB?

 

[gwynne]

I wish we'd been told more about the nature of this trip. Am I the only person reading this thread that had eyebrows raised at the idea of an 11 y.o. going overseas for a month without parents, let alone now being sick? I think, from the perspective of concern for others, putting that child on a plane and then exposing an entire group of children (in a part of the world where this virus may not be common) is unconscionable. And that's on both the part of the parent AND the organizers of this trip (whatever it may be). In my mind they're actually worse because they have all the information they need to prohibit the kid from participating and it seems their only concern is CYB?

I agree with you. Once he's there, the organizers will be face with a decision. I think it's still quite likely if the kid appears sick in any way with something like this he will be sitting quietly in a room by himself all day, away from the other children.