Coxsackie

This past week my kids both developed the virus called Coxsackie otherwise known as Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease or HFMD.  For those of you not familiar with this virus it is a fairly common childhood illness. It most often occurs in children under 10. (Adults can get it, but

If your baby has HFMD, he'll first have a mild fever. You may also notice that his appetite isn't what it usually is, and he may have a sore throat and feel lousy in general. A day or two after the fever starts, he'll develop painful blisters in his mouth — on his tongue, gums, back of the throat or the inside of his cheeks. He may also develop a rash on the palms of his hands, the soles of his feet, and maybe his buttocks. The rash, which isn't itchy, starts out as small, flat red dots that may turn into bumps or blisters.

Coxsackie is very contagious. It can be transmitted via nose and throat secretions, the fluid in the blisters, or stool. Our Pediatrician told us that the summer and early fall are the times of the year that the virus is most common.  Since it is transmitted through saliva it is very common to catch it from a swimming pool and also when young children share toys.  While your baby will be most contagious the first week he shows symptoms, the virus can be transmitted for weeks afterward. If he usually goes to daycare, check with the staff about the policy on attendance. They may want you to keep him home until his symptoms are gone or maybe longer.

You should call the doctor if you suspect your baby has this virus.  Though she won't be able to do much, she can make recommendations for fever and pain relief for your baby. If you're not sure that HFMD is what you're dealing with, the doctor can confirm it by taking a look.  Sometimes it is hard to diagnose on your own.  I was sure my 5 month old son was just having symptoms from teething.  He was drooling, had what looked like a diaper rash on his rear end and was extremely cranky and with a low grade fever.  My 18 month old daughter developed similar symptoms the next day and coincidentally I had appointments for both kids to have check-ups with the Pediatrician that same day.  I told the doctor that I thought they were both teething and when she checked their mouths she saw blisters in their throats.  She said they both had Coxsackie.  She said that I should not be worried because although it was very uncomfortable for the kids, it was not dangerous and most kids wind up developing it at least once throughout their childhood.  She then told me that no medication exists to make it go away but that I should give my kids Tylenol or Motrin to make their fever go down and their throats feel more comfortable.

If your baby is 2 months old or younger and his rectal temperature reaches 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) or higher, call the doctor immediately. (A baby this young with a fever needs to be watched carefully.) If your baby is over 2 months old, talk with his doctor about when she'd like you to call. She may suggest that you call if your baby's temperature reaches 101 degrees F (38.3 degrees C) or higher, or, once he's 6 months old, when his fever reaches 103 degrees F (39.4 degrees C). One thing your doctor will be watching for is dehydration, because the mouth sores may make it difficult for your baby to drink anything. If your baby shows any signs of dehydration, call his doctor immediately.

The virus lasts for only about 5 days to a week.  Toward the 4th day of my son’s virus, his symptoms began to go away but he developed a horrible cough and stuffed nose.  I called the doctor to find out if I should keep up with the Motrin or start with something else for the cough and congestion.  She told me to switch to PediaCare but also that many kids develop cold-like symptoms as the virus is leaving their body.

This has been a hell of a week! Finally my kids are almost back to normal but if you read my buzz from last week, you will laugh when I tell you that I think my daughter caught the virus from one of two places…The first place may have been the pool where she just began her swim lessons.  The second place is at the baby-sitting room at the gym that I just joined.  I was so proud to say last week that it changed my outlook on motherhood, but I haven’t been to the gym since because I’ve been home taking care of my sick kids!! Incidentally, the pool is at a very nice, clean facility.  Your kids can catch Coxsackie anywhere, just make sure you wash their hands and your own throughout the day to reduce the spreading of germs.  As for putting toys in their mouths and swimming…there is not much you can do to avoid those things.  They are just a part of your child’s early life experience.

Karen White (BebeBuzz) is a mother of two and the Founder/President of Bebebuzz.com.  She also runs an online baby boutique at http://boutique.bebebuzz.com, featuring unique and trendy baby gifts that any savvy new parent would be excited to receive. 

BebeBuzz.com is a site built in response to the tons of questions that the baby books just don't cover. Filled with tips tricks and advice for surviving pregnancy and motherhood.

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