Hand, Foot and What...??

This week has been nothing but interesting! Such is the case when you have a busy schedule and a one year old who loves to play and play and did I mention he likes to play? However, we were quickly reminded this week of how fragile a little man can be. To preface, Diego is a very energetic kid with a love for food....more like a passion really. He loves his mealtimes and he loves his juice and milk! At the beginning of the week we noticed that he did not really have too much of an appetite. Both Andy and I ignored it because Diego is getting in 5 teeth ( all molars) and so we thought he is in pain so he is not eating. What we did not know is that he was developing a case of hand, foot and mouth, a virus that spreads a rash on the hands, the feet and the mouth of the person who contracts it. We had no idea what he had and by the third day of not eating ANYTHING, we were worried. So I scheduled an appointment with the nurse practitioner at his pediatricians office and while she was examining him she had him open his mouth. To my horror, we both saw tiny blister like sores surrounding his gums and the back of his throat! Andy and I were shocked! We did not notice these at all and we definitely did not realize how bad it was. We felt terrible and of course the nurse practitioner confirmed that he had indeed caught a case of this awful virus. Like a normal first time mother I asked what we were going to be prescribed to give him. Unfortunately there is no anti-biotic for hand,foot and mouth and she told us that he can suck on cold things like Popsicles  and ice cubes and if he screams with pain we could give him some Tylenol. That's it! No real straight cure for this thing.
What I have learned the most this week is how much mothers (and fathers) feel for their children when they are not alright. My heart would sink every time Diego would cry out in pain or throw his food on the ground because it hurt to chew. I also learned that a child who does not eat gets skinny very, very quickly! By the end of the week Diego looked like he was 7 months old not 1. It was sad but thankfully we are on the recovering end of this! Tonight he had some graham crackers, grapes and some hot dog (I'll take it since it's the most food he has consumed all week). He still does not feel like gulping down an entire cup of milk but who can blame him, if I had blisters in my throat I would not be eating anything either. So parents watch out....!According to my pediatricians office, this virus likes to show up during the fall and spring time. Good luck if your kids catch it and if you catch it......buy a trunk load of Popsicles....you will need them!!!