Hand, Foot, & Mouth Disease

Cam appears to have come down with hand, foot, and mouth (also known as hoof) disease. I say appears, because he hasn't actually been diagnosed or even looked at by any medical professional. I've just seen it several times, and to me this is what it always has looked like. It's a virus, so aside from making him comfortable, there isn't much we can do.

In a nutshell:

-This generally affects those younger than 5. 

-Adults can catch it, but usually don't show signs.

-First few days= fever, sore throat, and cold like symptoms, if any symptoms at all. 

-Next blisters appear.

-Blisters on face, hands, feet, & buttochs.

-Contagious through bodily fluids. 

-last 1 to 2 weeks

He was miserable the first few days, but at this point he really seems to be feeling fine. The blisters do appear to bother him somewhat, but not as much as I would expect from their appearance. The do wake him at night though. We have tried several different things on them from epsom salt baths to coconut oil and every itch cream in between, but what seems to work the best at healing them up and making them feel better is diaper rash cream. His tush looked worse than any other place he had the blistery rash, but after a few applications of desitin, it is doing much better. 

My biggest obsession right now is keeping Ember and Cameron separated. Thankfully, the girls have been able to take care of Ember in their rooms while Cameron sticks to the rest of the house. However, Cameron and Ember are very best buds. Actually, Cameron more thinks of Ember as 'his baby' than anyone elses. Even when Cameron is very sick, if he hears his baby brother crying, Cameron jumps up and tries to fix whatever could be wrong. So, keeping them separated isn't an easy task. They constantly ask for each other, and if they catch a glimpse of one another they both start screaming. This illness last a long time and the first part of it, Cameron would only sleep laying on somebody and the only for an hour or so at a time. Do not want to go this again, so Ember will remain quarantine until I see no more blisters.