M is a sick little girl. It all began this past weekend with her not sleeping well. She was up 2 to 3 times at night and would only nap for about an hour - very unlike her. I thought it was because Matt was out of town and she was teething. Then, Sunday night she spiked a fever of 103. She had/has no other symptoms other than the fever, but I took her to the doctor anyway on Monday. I had strep throat the week before and I wanted to make sure it wasn't strep. Strep and flu tests were negative, but she does have ulcers on the back of her throat. Because of the ulcers she was diagnosed with hand, foot, and mouth disease - poor baby. It is a virus, so it has to just run its course. Well, it is now Wednesday night and I literally have not slept since Saturday. M is up about every hour to 2 hours nursing, day and night - mostly for comfort, but at least she is staying hydrated. Then when you try to lie her back down to sleep she just screams. We've tried holding her to sleep, rocking, in our bed, in the swing, on the floor, in her bed, walking around with her, in the sling - if you have another suggestion please comment! It breaks my heart to have her crying and I can not make it better. I don't know how parents of a colicky baby do it. It has only been 4 days and I am a mess - physically and emotionally. She still has a high fever, even with fever reducing medicine, so the doctor wants to see her first thing in the morning to make sure something was not overlooked. This virus is spread through saliva and is highly contagious, so we are also praying that G does not get it. I'll update tomorrow if there is any more news.
Update after our Pedi. visit: urine and blood tests are all normal, so she has no other infections! We are going to try codine to help with the pain. I didn't want to when the pedi. suggested this on Tuesday, but now I am willing to try anything. She has lost 6 ounces since Monday, and I thought for sure she would have gained with as much nursing as she is doing. She is still running a fever even with fever reducing medicine. We are also doing luke warm baths to help bring down the fever to make her more comfortable. We are on day 5 of fever and day 8 since the first mouth ulcer appeared. I really pray this is over soon!!!
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8 comments:
I have heard that hand, foot and mouth is HORRIBLE. We have never had it so I can only IMAGINE what you are going through. Poor. poor. little girl:( I know what it's like to be so dazed from lack of sleep. I hope she starts getting better very soon.
I am so sorry! One of the little boys at Eli's daycare got it and by some miracle NOBODY else did! We were all just waiting!! Will she lay on your chest and sleep? Sometimes that helped Eli when nothing else did. I feel just like you do about moms with colicky babies...how do they make it??? Hopefully she is about to get it out of her system.
Oh my! I'm so sorry she is so sick. I had no idea that hand, foot and mouth could last so long and be so horrible. Let me know if you need ANYTHING!!! I have no suggestions for sleeping. Sounds like you've tried everything. Call me if you need to vent or cry. Hang in there.
Oh my goodness--poor M. She's been sick a long time. I can only hope for her sake and yours that she starts feeling better soon.
Oh no :( I am so sorry! I hope that she gets back to her normal self very soon! I hope the codeine helps! I know it made Kouper sleep well after his surgery!! Good luck honey.
Okay, Cade and I had the ulcers in the back of our throat while we were in Vegas 2 years ago. Mine lasted all week long and I cannot tell you how horrible it is. Those docs didn't give me any relief. I got back here and saw my doc who prescribed 2 different throat washes. I'm not sure how they could do that for babies. Cade got over it much faster. Ours was not considered hand, foot though... just a virus.
Forgot to say...just nurse her all day and night if she will.
I have to say that the pain was so excruciating that I refused to swallow and just let the salivia drool out of my mouth. I was on larges doses of tylenol around the clock too.
Meredith,
Hand, foot, and mouth is a virus. She only has the mouth sores too. She is on a mouth wash minus the ingredient you can't swallow and a paste the numbs that goes directly on the sores (when she will open enough for me to get to them). The paste is also great for teething, so we will hold onto that one when we are over this. She is no longer running a fever, at least nothing more than low grade. She stayed home with daddy yesterday and then did not want to nurse at all when I got home. The only time she has nursed was at midnight. I don't know if it is pain that is keeping her from nursing or if she is beginning a strike!
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