Hand, Foot, & Mouth Disease

My little family doesn't get sick very often.  So when they do get sick, our lives are literally turned upside down.  Even though I'm a nurse, I just can't get used to illnesses in my home--especially when I am the one with the illness.  What good does it do anyone when the nurse is sick?

Well, for the last 2 weeks, my little family has been fighting off the Hand, Foot, & Mouth virus (not the same thing as foot and mouth disease).  Hand, foot & mouth is a nasty little virus that starts out as a 24 hour high fever and evolves into a rash that can manifest itself on the extremities, the mouth, the face, the nose, the diaper area, etc.  It's painful.  It's nasty.  It makes you look like you have some form of the plague.  And best of all, the virus can last anywhere from 7-10 days!  Yuck.

Supposedly it's very rare for adults to contract hand, foot & mouth disease, because most of us have been exposed to the virus in childhood.  I never dreamed that a week after both boys came down with the virus that I would get sick.  Unfortunately, I was the exception to the rule that few adults contract the virus, because I had the full-blown experience.  And I thought morning sickness couldn't get any worse...

Anyway, if you are ever lucky enough to experience hand, foot & mouth, here are some tips from the nurse:

1) Have some Tylenol on hand to fight the high fever.
2) Get some Hydrocortisone cream for the rash.
3) Don't put your child in the bathtub with the rash, because heat makes the rash flare up and hurts really badly!
4) Stay out of the sun with the rash.
5) Don't apply lotions and creams liberally to the rash, because they sting.
6) Stay home!!!--The disease is very contagious (as many parents at our church have discovered.)

Hopefully you will all have a disease free spring.  But if you do experience your own little epidemic, just remember that this too shall pass!!!