A few weeks ago, I talked about how Sugarpie came down with a nasty bout of hand foot and mouth disease right at the end of the summer.

It was not a fun time. After that first horrible night of no sleep, we were rather on the downswing. At least in terms of how Sugarpie would fair.

The Triage Nurse Provides Reassurance and Guidance

The night before the triage nurse at the pediatrician’s office called to give a diagnosis based on the picture’s I’d sent in, I did a bit of my own research into what to expect. The nurse confirmed that the only thing we could really do at this point was try to keep Sugarpie comfortable.

This would involve dosing with ibuprofen and using moisturizer to help prevent itchiness as the blisters began to heal.

She also shared that once the blisters/rash appeared, that usually meant the child is far less contagious, if not past the point of passing on the virus at all, than in the days leading up to the fever and eruption of the rash.

I also asked about the risk to Babycakes. The nurse said that, with older kids, HFMD is usually a mild issue that may or may not present with any symptoms. She advised us to expect a possible fever and maybe one or two blisters, if anything.

Here Comes the Internet to the Rescue

With Sugarpie recovering from her sleepless night and on the mend, I was in search of the best ways to help her blisters heal with the least amount of itching. The last thing I wanted was for her to scratch and cause an infection or scarring. Fortunately since it was super warm, I didn’t have to worry about socks or shoes, and we were able to dress her comfortably in softer cotton clothes. She didn’t get to go on foot for walks, though she was pretty content to be pushed about in the stroller when we went out for air.

I’d already learned the great things about colloidal oatmeal as it pertains to soothing eczema (which has always shown up during the cold winter months in little patches on Babycakes since she was tiny). I already had a little tub of Aveeno nighttime eczema balm, and we’d used some of their colloidal oatmeal bath packets in the past when Babycakes had mollescum contagiosum. A trip to Target replenished our stock of both, along with a bottle of Aveeno colloidal oatmeal body wash.

I also turned to one of my Facebook mom-groups to see if anyone had any other suggestions. Multiple people suggested colloidal silver, which I’d never heard of. It comes in gel, sprays, and drops. People also apparently take the latter version as a dietary supplement as it can help boost the immune system.

I opted for the gel version, since reports said it stayed put better. It dries pretty fast, which was excellent for Sugarpie’s diaper area after her HFMD rash went crazy there. (BTW, that’s a commonly affected area in babies and toddlers.)

I’m not sure if the lotion, body wash, bath packets, and colloidal silver did anything or if it was just the passage of time. But within a few days, Sugarpie’s rash lessened and the blisters began to heal.

The other thing I learned about is that, in babies and toddlers, a symptom of HFMD that is often unrealized or overlooked is that it can cause stomachaches and muscle pain. Headaches are common, as is a sore throat (usually due to sores in the mouth and throat) and loss of appetite. Luckily, Sugarpie didn’t have any issues eating or nursing. But I’d never heard of HFMD causing muscle pain, but that certainly would have explained why she had such a terrible night that Tuesday.

I, of course, felt even worse for how grumpy (to put it mildly) I’d been to her that night.

It Spreads

Sugarpie was soon on the mend, but HFMD wasn’t done with us yet.

About two days later, Babycakes crawled into bed with us and said she had a terrible headache. This is a kid who does NOT complain about headaches and downplays feeling crappy when she has a cold. So I knew something was up. Her temp was indeed high – over 101ºF. I dosed her with ibuprofen, and we spent the day pumping her with fluids and letting her rest. I made her take a nap that afternoon while Sugarpie was sleeping.

Well, I made her relax in her room with a book while I got her sister down for her nap. Then I made her lay down in the dark and cool for an hour. She fell asleep and I let her nap for almost two hours.

She was fine the next day, but I think that was her bout with it.

But then it was Mommy’s turn.

I felt absolutely awful the Saturday after Sugarpie’s Night from Hell. Headache, chills, general malaise. I knew what was coming. I even stayed home from church the next day (not that we were bringing Sugarpie, so we’d originally planned to go in shifts, anyway).

By Monday morning, I, too, had blisters popping out on my hands and feet. My feet, in fact, were on FIRE. I used the colloidal silver and also did a foot soak with epsom salts, which is another soothing option for older kids and adults (not recommended for babies and toddlers).

But within a few more days, we were all on the mend and just had to deal with the aftermath.