# hand foot mouth disease - gonna be a fun 2 weeks **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 1, 2007, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-foot-mouth-disease-gonna-be-a-fun-2-weeks/406327 "2007-06-01T12:10:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-foot-mouth-disease-gonna-be-a-fun-2-weeks/406327/1 "2007-06-01T12:10:56Z")
My youngest twin has just been diagnosed with hand-foot-mouth disease. I learned all about it [here](http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/enterovirus/hfhf.htm). and of course chances are extremely high that her older twin sister will start showing little red bumps soon. The odds are slightly less high that their 7 year old big sister will come down with this as well. Any parents with experience on this one? I’m thinking it’s going to be a cranky 2 weeks. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-foot-mouth-disease-gonna-be-a-fun-2-weeks/406327/2 "2007-06-01T13:04:26Z")
Haven’t had personal experience with it, but the CDC sounds like it’s considerably less of a PITA than, say, chicken pox. As long as you watch out for the rare side effects, you should just have a slightly cranky two weeks. Are your girls quarantined to the house or anything like that? ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-foot-mouth-disease-gonna-be-a-fun-2-weeks/406327/3 "2007-06-01T13:19:02Z")
Both my daughter and I had it. Pain in the neck. We’ve both also gone through chicken pox. Chicken pox was worse in terms of itchiness, HFMD was worse as far as miserableness. But, that may be because we were dealing with it at the same time - an adult and a 3 year old. She had it pretty bad, was only able to have liquids for a few days until the worst past in her throat. Rent some movies, buy some sherbet, and prepare to do little of nothing for at least the first three days. ---
**Author:** ![Muad\_Dib](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@Muad\_Dib](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muad_Dib)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-foot-mouth-disease-gonna-be-a-fun-2-weeks/406327/4 "2007-06-01T15:19:13Z")
Any relation to foot in mouth disease? I have suffered several painful bouts of that. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-foot-mouth-disease-gonna-be-a-fun-2-weeks/406327/5 "2007-06-01T15:24:37Z")
[QUOTE=Muad’Dib] Any relation to foot in mouth disease? I have suffered several painful bouts of that. [/QUOTE] That was the first thing I thought of when reading the title. Good luck to you, **China Guy** , I hope your girls are feeling better soon. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![whistlepig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/73ab20/32.png) [@whistlepig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whistlepig)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2007, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-foot-mouth-disease-gonna-be-a-fun-2-weeks/406327/6 "2007-06-02T03:14:53Z")
I kissed the tender brown-eyed cow That gives us milk and cheese And now I’m in the doctor’s office With foot and mouth disease. Sorry, that’s all I have. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2007, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-foot-mouth-disease-gonna-be-a-fun-2-weeks/406327/7 "2007-06-02T03:54:25Z")
Seems pretty mild so far. Serena’s not wanting to eat solids as much but still will blow on the harmonica. Audrey has not yet had any spots so hopefully she won’t get a full blown case. Ditto for the big sister. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2007, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-foot-mouth-disease-gonna-be-a-fun-2-weeks/406327/8 "2007-06-02T04:48:35Z")
[QUOTE=Muad’Dib] Any relation to foot in mouth disease? [/QUOTE] No, it’s not. Just suffers from some unfortunately similar naming. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Why\_Bird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@The\_Why\_Bird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Why_Bird)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2007, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-foot-mouth-disease-gonna-be-a-fun-2-weeks/406327/9 "2007-06-03T00:46:08Z")
Not a parent, but I did have this as a kid. I don’t really remember it though, so I guess it wasn’t too horrific. I second the idea of getting in some movies and distractions and resigning yourself to a week of grumpy tears and baby asprin. Also, lots of soup and jello. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2007, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-foot-mouth-disease-gonna-be-a-fun-2-weeks/406327/10 "2007-06-05T10:43:14Z")
well, didn’t dodge that bullet. The older twin had some spots and was a crank-a-saurus this morning. Oldest daughter noticed that eating was uncomfortable at school today and confirmed that diagnosis at the doctor this afternoon. so, 1-2 additional weeks of quarantine for the bambinas. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2007, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-foot-mouth-disease-gonna-be-a-fun-2-weeks/406327/11 "2007-06-05T11:25:30Z")
No one tells you about these things when you become a parent. Every one of us signed up for sunshine, lollipops, hugs, kisses and a fresh box of crayons and what do we get: the ups and downs of sickness, whininess and doctors visits. (We won’t even go into the tween an teen years.) This wasn’t in the brochure. Stay sane and eats loads of ice cream yourself. ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2007, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-foot-mouth-disease-gonna-be-a-fun-2-weeks/406327/12 "2007-06-05T13:24:20Z")
I was talking to the other parent of young children at work today. Her daughter got it and was quite sick for a couple of days. My colleague then had it for five. She said she wished she’d had it first, because then she wouldn’t have kept pestering her child to eat when she was sick - her own mouth ulcers were terrible. ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2007, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-foot-mouth-disease-gonna-be-a-fun-2-weeks/406327/13 "2007-06-12T21:41:55Z")
Dammit, this crap is contagious over the internet?! My son came down with it last week. We can only assume that he got it at the YMCA day care where he spends a whopping 90 minutes one night a week. The first three days were miserable - now he’s better, but still isn’t sleeping at night for crap. (Naps seem to be OK, though.) My husband seems to be infected as well. He’s got no visible blisters, but has a fever of almost 102 and his throat hurts. So far, I’ve dodged this bullet. _crosses fingers_ ---
**Author:** ![Unix\_Geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unix_geek/32/19368_2.png) [@Unix\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unix_Geek)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2007, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-foot-mouth-disease-gonna-be-a-fun-2-weeks/406327/14 "2007-06-12T21:52:54Z")
Also known as Coxsackie virus. Named after Coxsackie, NY where it was first isolated. Grew up in Oklahoma and never heard of it. Been in Texas for 8 years, never hear any one talk of their kids getting it. But my daughter caught it when we were living in New Hampshire in the mid 90’s. Didn’t give her any problems, a little fever for a couple of days. Of course this is the kid who got chicken pox and had only 15-20 blisters on her entire body. ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-foot-mouth-disease-gonna-be-a-fun-2-weeks/406327/15 "2007-06-13T00:26:12Z")
Hope things are returning to normal for all of you! I _think_ we had that one, but can’t recall for sure. It seems like we’ve had as many mis-diagnoses as accurate ones. ---
**Author:** ![CaerieD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@CaerieD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaerieD)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-foot-mouth-disease-gonna-be-a-fun-2-weeks/406327/16 "2007-06-13T00:52:36Z")
I got this about two and a half years ago and, unfortunately, happened to be living with a hypochondriac at the time. She insisted I had to wear gloves whenever I left my room and wouldn’t let me come anywhere near her until she was allowed to examine me to be certain the blisters were gone. No experience with kids having it since, luckily, I didn’t manage to infect any kids. So long as there aren’t any complications, it’s more annoying and uncomfortable than anything else. The first few days suck, but after that it’s not too bad. The worst part, as I’m sure you’ve already learned, is the pain with swallowing. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-foot-mouth-disease-gonna-be-a-fun-2-weeks/406327/17 "2007-06-16T08:48:43Z")
everyone is back to normal and a clean bill of health. The first grader will start school Monday after a 10 day hiatus. She has a mountain of homework to get through. The youngest and first infected will be allowed back for therapy now that her two sisters have been certified ok by the doctor. It was only an uncomfortable day or two for each kid, but quite the hassle. Avarie - hope the little guy is over his bout ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-foot-mouth-disease-gonna-be-a-fun-2-weeks/406327/18 "2007-06-16T11:21:06Z")
Yep - both of my boys are fine now. My husband stayed home from work for two days, and that seemed to really knock it out. Spencer is now back to his normal super-cute self. Glad to hear that your girls are all OK as well. ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-foot-mouth-disease-gonna-be-a-fun-2-weeks/406327/19 "2007-06-16T11:42:07Z")
Glad to hear everyone’s well now (your little guys, too, **Avarie** ). Hey, **China Guy** didn’t you owe us an update on the Chinettes? (Please tell me I didn’t miss it…) 🙂 GT ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-foot-mouth-disease-gonna-be-a-fun-2-weeks/406327/20 "2007-06-16T12:25:30Z")
yes, I do and thanks for asking. Long story short, Audrey runs everywhere and is talking up a storm. Word is she got accepted to the “good” pre pre school around the corner. Serena, who had the difficult birth, spent 18 days in the NICU and another 18 days before coming home, still has challenges. after 6 months of therapy, she started walking at 18 months. She’s babbling more and more to herself, but not talking beyond a few specific sounds. We had her checked out at Denver Children’s last summer, and they can’t find anything wrong. Which means the hypoxic damage at birth was at the cellular and nerve level. She potentially has apraxia, which is a description rather than a condition. Serena’s got 12 hours a week of therapy going. We’re hoping she will catch up enough to be in school a year from now. I’m pretty confident she’ll get there but resigned to the likelihood it will be a multi year long process. I’ll try to do an update one of these days with pix and more details. I was on a week long business trip and came home to the twins with matching pixie bob haircuts on friday night. Pretty dang cute but I’ve got to pay attention to recognize who is who. I got reliant on Serena having the curls