Hand Foot Mouth Disease is a childhood illness very common in children under 5, but sometimes it might affect adults too. It is a self treated illness in UK and finding the right medication for a child is an adventure.
NHS page provides general information about this disease. In reality, the way it develops varies from child to child. It is very contagious and it can be transported by touching.
List of Over the Counter Medicines you can use for Self-Treatment
Reduce the Ichiness Systemically
Antihistamine Syrop for the right group of age
Reduce Pain caused by the illness
Reduce Pain caused by the Ulcers formed in the mouth
Reduce the Ichiness Locally
Day 1 : It started with very high temperature late afternoon . At Hospital it was confirmed that our little one is experiencing something viral, either the start of a cold or the start of Foot Hand Mouth Disease.
There were no signs of a skin rash on hands, around his mouth or feet.
Day 2: A small rash appeared around his mouth and hand. You can confuse it with an allergy rash.
Within hours, it grew from looking like small spots to bigger and ugglier rash.
Day 3: Only a day after the first symptoms appeared, which looked like a small rash, now the raised rash spreads fast over his body (hand, foot, around his mouth, knee and back of the knee, bottom).
Hand Foot and Mouth Disease usually gets better on its own in 7-10 days. From my experience, I would say the first days are critical because the itchiness is the most unconfortable aspect of this disease.
I am writing this post because I hope you don't experience a sleepless night due to very itchy feet, frustration that you cannot help your child and useless help from 111, the NHS helpline for non emergencies. At 4 in the morning, I have already exhausted the maximum dose of antihistamine recommended and my son is crying and asking me to scratch his feet. I felt useless, tired and desperate, so I called 111 to ask for advice and something they can prescribe for next day as it is the weekend and GP Practice is closed. I was reffered to see a Chemist, so I rushed with my child to see this Lady at 10am. While she is reading from a computer, her most precious advice is to have patience as it will heal within a week or so and there is nothing they recommend for children of this age.
Even though it is not Chicken Pox because it only shows in certain parts of the body, I don't see why I would not use the same creams I would normally treat Chicken Pox with, One of these creams is PoxClin and I am so happy I bought it as it soothed my little one within minutes. It is natural and it does not interfere with the antihistamine syroup. My little one is finally having an afternoon nap without crying or feeling the need to scratch this feet.
I will follow up with another post when we have recovered and all blisters have healed.
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