HFM Question

[Second Home]

Does hfm always start on the palms , soles of the feet and in the mouth?

I have a 11 month who had 2 bumps on the top of her foot last week , red but not a bug bite . More like a blister but no fluid . Today she comes and the ones on the foot are now dark red and she has one on her face with 2 more starting near her ear . And upon closer inspection some on the other leg .
So of course I check the hands and feet , there seems to be a red spot starting on the sole of one foot.

I don't want to over react but want to nip it in the bud if it could be something contagious. I looked at previous posts about hfm and the spots do not look exactly like ones posted .

[Blackcat31]

Does hfm always start on the palms , soles of the feet and in the mouth?

I have a 11 month who had 2 bumps on the top of her foot last week , red but not a bug bite . More like a blister but no fluid . Today she comes and the ones on the foot are now dark red and she has one on her face with 2 more starting near her ear . And upon closer inspection some on the other leg .
So of course I check the hands and feet , there seems to be a red spot starting on the sole of one foot.

I don't want to over react but want to nip it in the bud if it could be something contagious. I looked at previous posts about hfm and the spots do not look exactly like ones posted .

This is the info we are provided from the state

http://www.hennepin.us/-/media/hennepinus/residents/health-medical/infectious-diseases-fact-sheets/hand-foot-mouth-disease-provider.pdf?la=en

[Josiegirl]

The only case I've seen of HFM directly, the bumps started out on arms and legs, dr. told dcm over the phone it was probably heat rash. Then those spots started blistering and I questioned dcm, especially when they were popping out between her toes, on the bottom of her feet, hands and a blister on her tongue. I said are you sure these aren't HFM(which I had never seen personally)and she said yep, you're probably right. Thankfully no one else got it. Has your dck had a fever at all? My dcg's fever was very vague; it was one of those things where she woke up from a heavy nap and felt warm to the touch, took her temp and it was very low grade, then dropped back down a bit later so didn't think much of it. UNTIL dcm said oh yeh, she did that at home too. DCG's spots started out looking like pimples, then they blistered with liquid inside.

[Snowmom]

Does hfm always start on the palms , soles of the feet and in the mouth?

In my personal experience, no.

One case here, it started on the child's arms.

Honestly though, I exclude for any unexplained rash.

[Leigh]

Does hfm always start on the palms , soles of the feet and in the mouth?

I have a 11 month who had 2 bumps on the top of her foot last week , red but not a bug bite . More like a blister but no fluid . Today she comes and the ones on the foot are now dark red and she has one on her face with 2 more starting near her ear . And upon closer inspection some on the other leg .
So of course I check the hands and feet , there seems to be a red spot starting on the sole of one foot.

I don't want to over react but want to nip it in the bud if it could be something contagious. I looked at previous posts about hfm and the spots do not look exactly like ones posted .

I've seen it start on fingers, buttocks, roof of mouth, lips, feet (top and bottom)...if it looks like HFM (and it sounds like it is), I'd send them home and to a doctor for confirmation. Not all kids have a fever with HFM, some only have a few sores-others get a fever and very painful sores all over.

[Unregistered]

Has your dck had a fever at all?


No , not that I have been told but this child is only part time so I had not seen her since Friday .

[Second Home]

So the Dr said it is bug bites . They have seen many cases of HFM and this is definatly not HFM . So we will see on Friday what it looks like .

[Second Home]

Sooooo .
Today I send home 16 month old with spots . No visible spots when he got here at 7am . Change his diaper around 9am and a few spots so I put on diaper cream . By 11 am diaper change lots of spots in the diaper area and popping out around his mouth .I call for pick up . I just get a message from DCD saying he now has them on his feet and trying to see the DR but the Dr does not see kids for HFM and that is what they believe it is .

So does that mean last weeks case of bug bites was not really bug bites ?

I guess I was lucky to make it over 14 years without a case of HFM .

[daycarediva]

Sooooo .
Today I send home 16 month old with spots . No visible spots when he got here at 7am . Change his diaper around 9am and a few spots so I put on diaper cream . By 11 am diaper change lots of spots in the diaper area and popping out around his mouth .I call for pick up . I just get a message from DCD saying he now has them on his feet and trying to see the DR but the Dr does not see kids for HFM and that is what they believe it is .

So does that mean last weeks case of bug bites was not really bug bites ?

I guess I was lucky to make it over 14 years without a case of HFM .

probably. Did you get bug bites on a dr's form?

[Second Home]

probably. Did you get bug bites on a dr's form?

Yes , I got a note from the Dr stating non infected bug bites .
The spots did not look like any bug bite I have seen that is why I told them they needed to see a Dr .

Is this just a coincidence that another child gets spots the next week .

[daycarediva]

Yes , I got a note from the Dr stating non infected bug bites .
The spots did not look like any bug bite I have seen that is why I told them they needed to see a Dr .

Is this just a coincidence that another child gets spots the next week .

I highly doubt it.

[Second Home]

Second child confirmed with HFM . Though the Dr said he is no longer contagious .
If he only started showing spots on Tuesday how is he not contagious on Wednesday .

[Snowmom]

Second child confirmed with HFM . Though the Dr said he is no longer contagious .
If he only started showing spots on Tuesday how is he not contagious on Wednesday .

It's ultimately YOUR call on how to proceed.
Doctor's are quick to write "return to daycare" notes because it pleases the parents and they figure everyone's already been exposed.
That, with the fact that the HFM rash is usually the last sign of the illness. It is it's most contagious during the incubation period (usually accompanied with a fever).

HOWEVER, the fluid in those blisters can contaminate others and it remains in the stool for weeks-months after the infection looks clear. It's a nasty little illness.

YOU decide how you want to proceed.

If you want the blisters scabbed over with NO fluid filled, weeping or open sores, you go for it.
I just had an outbreak here. That's what I require.

[Second Home]

I haven't responded to their text yet , I'm just trying to find the right words . I do plan on telling them that he needs have all the blisters dried up before returning, there would be no way to be sure about him not drooling , sneezing on things and others .

This little guy is part time ( M,T,W) so while he was here mon and tues he wasn't here with other kids much last week . So hopefully that limited the exposure.


I am just really surprised that the Dr said not contagious when everything I read says 7 days from onset of symptoms .

[Blackcat31]

I haven't responded to their text yet , I'm just trying to find the right words . I do plan on telling them that he needs have all the blisters dried up before returning, there would be no way to be sure about him not drooling , sneezing on things and others .

This little guy is part time ( M,T,W) so while he was here mon and tues he wasn't here with other kids much last week . So hopefully that limited the exposure.


I am just really surprised that the Dr said not contagious when everything I read says 7 days from onset of symptoms .

The Dr more than likely said not exclusion worthy verses not contagious as the contagious period is much more than 7 days...

(from the link I posted above):

Contagious Period

During the first week of illness and possibly for several weeks after illness.
Virus may be shed for several weeks in stool.
Infected persons who may not seem sick are still able to spread the virus.