I just returned from spending an idyllic 4 days in Hilton Head with my Mom & best friend, Sweetstamper & I'm planning to return with 'Ricky' & our little Ms in the near future as it was fabulous! This was my 1st time being away from my little Ms- I'm blessed to have a hubby that was willing to take time off work & hold down the fort in order to make this special trip a reality...and kids that don't suffer from separation anxiety:)
Going away is a lot of work, especially if you're preparing for hubby to watch kids (aka laying out appropriate clothes, grocery shopping, cooking, catching up on ALL the laundry etc...) but always worth it! This week I've been doing the 2nd round of catch up on laundry, cleaning, grocery shopping, cooking etc... and it's nice to get back into the swing of things.
So after returning home from the park & other errands yesterday, I noticed some spots on Livy's feet and called the pediatrician's office to check...and it was confirmed that Livy had contracted Hand, Foot & Mouth Virus. I've certainly heard of this but had never paid any attention, pridefully assuming, "My kids will never get that!"...famous last words. Figured I would lay out a little info so that you won't be as ignorant as I've been:) *NOTE- no pics from the internet included as they're revolting! Livy has tiny bumps that I hardly noticed, unlike the massive welts seen in pics all over the internet...just use your imagination but don't let it runaway with you:)
1st- this malady seems to snag the majority of young children, primarily in a daycare environment as lots of kiddos are gathered in one place for extended periods of time; however, this can be passed while playing at the park, running errands etc... as it presumably was for Livy.
2nd- how do you know if you child has 'H,F&MV'? I noticed lots of red bumps on Livy's feet (mostly on top but some on the soles too) the size of pin pricks- they were raised & didn't seem to be itchy/bothering her. This 'rash' can appear on the feet & hands as well as in the mouth resulting in decreased appetite and sometimes a low grade fever.* There is no visible rash in Livy's mouth & only a few 'pricks' on one hand.
3rd- how long does it last? My pediatrician's office informed me that the 'rash' could last up to 2 weeks and kiddos could be contagious for up to 3 weeks total. It's considered 'benign' meaning it's not harmful, but kids should be monitored for spikes in fever, weight loss etc... Basically, you just ride it out!
4th- kids are not isolated once they've contracted 'H,F&MV' which I found odd since it's very contagious- if your kiddo is in daycare, check to see what their policy is. I wasn't told to keep Livy out of the church nursery etc... but I plan to and have postponed several playdates etc.... I suppose technically we could've gone out today but since Livy's not feeling 100% I opted to have a quiet day at home, hoping to keep other kiddos safe too:)
So, in conclusion I'm monitoring Jonah as it's likely he'll catch Livy's malady but since he's still eating like a horse, he's good right now:) Praying Livy will be all better in the next week or two and thankfully, the 'rash' isn't itchy and so she's not bothered at all:) And, since we don't keep our little Ms in a bubble, they're bound to catch some bugs now & then!
Thanks,
Tiffany
No comments:
Post a Comment