According to latest statistics from the Ministry of Health, Hand Foot and Mouth Disease, HFMD, the number of cases jumped to 1000 in week ending 15 Apr. This is up from 892 in the previous week, giving a total 6315 cases from January.
We are part of that statistic. Both the kids were infected during the Easter weekend on 21 Mar. We never knew they were infected until a week later when my son started having spots on his hands.
Later the GP confirmed that the nappy rash that he got the whole week were the HFMD blisters. To prevent the spread of the disease, we quarantined the kids at each grandparents. After 3 days of the antiviral medicine and the ulcers in the mouth disappeared. He was right as rain on the 4th day.
Then my daughter’s ulcers in the mouth started appearing. Tracing back, it appears that they were infected simultaneously at an outing to the swimming pool.on Good Friday.
Luckily for us, the parents, the effects were mild, the blisters were small to nearly non-existent. The only problem is the ulcers in the mouth which makes it difficult to feed them anything. Strangely that gives them bad breath. I suppose is due to reduce drinking of water, bacteria in the mouth increases.
So for now, no playgrounds, no places where there are kids congregate.