thunder bear and wren: Happy Coxsackie Virus!

This is the Coxsackie Virus...much prettier in microscopic form. Image from: the CDC

The Bear got a mystery illness while we visited Auntie Sue and family in Maryland for Easter. He seemed a little bit low energy on Saturday but I figured it was from our long drive up there. Then on Sunday (Easter) he felt feverish and I noticed a VERY red rash in the diaper region. My first thought was that it was from the hot chocolate that we had earlier that morning - I was thinking it was an allergic reaction to whole milk. On Monday he still felt hot and his rash was worse...he started getting pimple-like blisters on top of his very red rash. Usually with a yeast infection rash using a little bit of clotrimazole ointment will clear it up quickly - this wasn't working. When we headed home on Tuesday he napped twice in the car(he was pooped) but he didn't feel hot anymore which was a good sign. We got home around 2:30 in the afternoon so I called the pediatrician and they had an opening at 4pm (thank goodness) and when she saw the rash she immediately looked for spots on his hands and feet and in his mouth. He had faint pink spots on both his hands and feet and he had 2 blisters at the back of his throat...Hand/Foot/Mouth disease a.k.a. Coxsackie Virus, which is just a virus and it sounds terrible. (It is different than Foot and Mouth (or Hoof and Mouth) Disease which occurs in sheep and cattle.) All we can do is give him ibuprofen or acetaminophen and since it is on his crotch a barrier ointment like Desitin. The first few days (when he had the fever) he would kick and scream when I would change his diaper - so he was in obvious pain and discomfort but now he doesn't kick and scream. Although his rash is an ugly ugly rash I don't think he's as miserable as he was when he had the fever.

You can get this virus from unwashed hands or feces (yay!) and it mainly effects children under the age of 5. Adults don't really get it, if they do it is often asymptomatic but contagious! It can live in saliva and poop for up to 3 weeks. Yikes!

Luckily the Bear seems to be on the mend. His rash looks better today, still ugly, but better. I won't be posting pictures of his rash but if you go to Google images and type in Coxsackie, you're in for a real treat (not really).

Considering he had a slight fever and a terrible rash and perhaps other symptoms he was quite the trooper while we were in Maryland. We even went to DC for a day.