Hand, Foot & Mouth...Say What????

My sweet baby girl has Hand, Foot & Mouth disease.  We had a really rough night last night.  She refused to take her bottle and wouldn't settle down to sleep.  She kept screaming and carrying on and I had no idea what was bothering her.  Finally at two o'clock in the morning, I gave her a bath to soothe her.  That is when I noticed the bright red bumps on her bum.   I slathered on the Desitin, but she still wouldn't completely settle down.  Finally, feeling defeated, I strapped her into her carseat and took a little drive.  30 minutes later she was fast asleep.   I came home put her in her crib and snuggled into my own bed...60 minutes later she was screaming again.  This time, I was able to sing her back to sleep and climb into bed again about 4:15.   5:45 a.m. she was up again.  This time for good.  Poor thing, had less than six hours of sleep!  Normally she will sleep 12 hours straight, so I knew something was wrong. 

This morning, I had to cancel my plans to drive to Chicago with my best friend to visit old college roommates.  Instead, I spent the day trying to keep her comfortable before getting in to see the doctor.  I had suspected that she had Chicken Pox, but as it turns out she has another nasty disease call Hand, Foot & Mouth.  This consists of sores all over her body, but especially noticeable on her feet and in her mouth. This is a very contagious disease that spreads during the warmer months.  I would encourage you to read more about it. My sweet baby girl is thankfully sleeping comfortably right now.  Hoping for a better night tonight now that I am more prepared!