Hand Foot Mouth Disease - Treatment Ideas Needed

[belle&sebastiansmom]

Both my kids were diagnosed with hand, foot, and mouth disease on Friday. My DS is healing well. My dd5 has a very severe case of it in her mouth. The blisters are awful. Her mouth and lips are so swollen that she can't close her mouth and is drooling and she won't even talk because it hurts so much.

The doctor said it has to run it's course. I've kept in touch with the doctor and his nurses since this ordeal began. Give her tylenol/motrin for pain and have her swish around her mouth a mixture of benadryl/malox.

I'm teetering on the edge here. It's the most awful feeling to watch your child in so much pain and unable to do anything to comfort her.

Has anyone on here tried anything else to help these symptoms and to heal the blisters?

 

[kirbydog48]

My son had it when he was a year old and he was miserable. Since it's a virus, the only thing you can really do is give them something for the pain and try to get them to drink. We ended up putting small bits of water in a straw and letting it trickle down his throat. Maybe popsicles? I really think the blisters need to just heal on their own. Hopefully she'll feel better soon. Poor kid!

 

[minkydog]

Well, it seems that you're doing pretty much everything there is to be done for HFM. I'm curious, though. You said her mouth is so swollen she cant close her mouth or talk. Is she drinking well? Peeing at least 3 times a day? The biggest risk with HFM is the potential for dehydration. If this child has gotten worse since last Friday, then you probably need to talk to the doctor again particularly if she's not drinking or playing. I wouldn't expect her to eat though. Maybe a little yogurt or ice cream or a slushie. But she has to drink.

Good luck. HFM is so painful!

 

[belle&sebastiansmom]

I'm offering her any food she wants - ice cream, pudding, apple sauce. And I'm forcing fluids on her, even if it's sucking water out of a wash cloth. I am watching her closely for any signs of dehydration. That's definitely something else we don't want to deal with on top of this!

 

[amid chaos]

Have her take a bath. Her skin will absorb fluid helping to keep her hydrated.

 

[Snoozan]

See if the doctor will give you a prescription for liquid lidocaine to add to your benedryl/maalox mix. That's what my Nurse practitioner gave me to make my "magic mouthwash". That at least numbs the mouth for a short while. Or maybe get some otc orajel? I'm so sorry your DD is going thru this - I've had a virus similar where I had blisters all inside my mouth and it's just horrible! Maybe popsicles will help?

 

[mjkacmom]

I remember the younger they were, the worst it was. Knock on wood, but my twins still haven't gotten it yet (all of my kids got all of the usual childhood illnesses), but I'm hoping it will be mild when they do. It's kind of like chicken pox back in the day - hard to miss it!

 

[wdwmom2]

Give her tylenol/motrin for pain and have her swish around her mouth a mixture of benadryl/malox.

This is what we recommend.