Congrats Yvonne
Nice to hear so many new additions...
Ladies, R has just come down with HFMD and let me tell u, def. no fun. Just wrote up something to share with everyone in another mothering group and tot to share it here too...hopefully it helps
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Hi,
I will just like to share the experience that R and I are going through
at the moment. We have just been confirmed this am by the Dr that R is
having HFMD (Coxsackie Virus).
Anyhow, just to share, the rash-like spots started showing up very,
very faintly in between her thighs and starting getting slightly redder
and move upwards towards her belly within an almost 12 hour period.
More spots, still rather faint, started showing up randomly at her
limbs and it was almost 24 hours after we spotted her first faint spot
that some appeared on the back on her hands and toes.
She had woken up from an afternoon nap with a fever and after a dose of
meds, it went away. It was only at 2am this morning that she started
crying almost whimpering that we realised that she's not right.Since
then, things have been rather tough as the Dr explained that the sores
in her mouth, tongue and throat are at almost full blown stage.
She's not been able to eat or drink very well and even sleep has been
very tough. She's also been drooling almost non-stop due to the sore in
her mouth. I am feeling very remorseful that I had stopped
breastfeeding her just 3 months ago at 16 mths as I think she could
definately use the comfort and food now. I am feeling oh-so-crap about
that now.
Her spots have since multipled quite a bit and are now very obvious.
The Dr thinks that she could have gotten it last Thur/Friday at school.
Dr thinks that it should get better by the tail end of this week after
the rash/uclers dry off.
Basically there is no remedy as its a virus and it has to run its
course. We have just been told to try to keep her hydrated and to watch
her closely. The bright side, if there is any, is that she is now
permitted to have ice-cream, ironic isn't it?
I've rang her school up and they've instantly gotten their center
manager to ring me to assure me that they are now ringing up everyone
in R's classes to inform every parent to monitor their children. They
have also required that we go to the doctor for an all-clear letter
before being allowed to re-enter her school. All kids will also be
checked for HFMD symptoms for a one-week period after any parent
reports a HMFD case. It is with irony that R is the one who have
contracted HFMD from school as I had emailed and rang the school up about 1 month
ago to alert them of the HMFD epidemic that's going around Shanghai and
sought that they take the necessary measures.
It is surprising to note that the local Chinese community thinks its a
very common thing to contract as to my understanding, this is something
taken very seriously both in Singapore and Malaysia as there have been
deaths from this in the past few years. I've also read on
babycenter.com that its not a big hoo-haa which leads to me wonder....
Thankfully, people at work have been understanding and have kind of
chased me home for fear that they come down with it. So its work from
home for a few days. Dr says (and from what I've read) that adults are
normally ok with this virus but it may show up as fever, sore throat,
stiff neck and in serious cases rash.
I just thought to share what we are currently going through as the
experience is definitely not all what it is like when I've read about
it to prepare myself for such eventualities. This is surely one of
those instances when isolation is key...and I'm so thankful I had
stocked up on "emergency toys" to keep her entertained.
Hopefully this experience will help another mom in future.
