All About HFMD

[tamarind]

ChiefKiasu, Mincy, Champion,

My boy has been discharged from the hospital. He was much better once he was put on the drip. He still has ulcers in his throat, but it is not that painful anymore and he is able to eat and drink.

I feel that his nursery school should have done better to prevent the spread of HFMD. I am going to keep him at home for the rest of the year. Next year he will be going to a new school for his K1 class, hopefully it will be better.

[ChiefKiasu]

tamarind:

ChiefKiasu, Mincy, Champion,

My boy has been discharged from the hospital. He was much better once he was put on the drip. He still has ulcers in his throat, but it is not that painful anymore and he is able to eat and drink.

I feel that his nursery school should have done better to prevent the spread of HFMD. I am going to keep him at home for the rest of the year. Next year he will be going to a new school for his K1 class, hopefully it will be better.

tamarind, it's good to hear that he is much better now. Back in June, I sent my daughter to KK when she got it but fortunately she was still able to hold her drink so we were allowed to bring her home. Still we had a nightmarish 2 weeks, so I know exactly what you went through.

What was the hit rate at the nursery? My daughter's class was totally wiped out by the disease... at least 90% got it. It was due to the tight area and limited ventilation in an aircon environment.

[tamarind]

ChiefKiasu,

My boy’s skin is very thin. He screamed and cried when swallowing anything. So I got no choice but to put him on the drip in the hospital. After 2 days he can swallow without complaining, then we brought him back home.

Wow 90% is very high. My boy’s school is less than 50%. But still I think the teachers should be able to do more. For example, my girl used to attend a playgroup(for 18 months - 3 years old). There is a helper to accompany every kid to go to the toilet, and make sure they wash their hands. The teacher was also very strict, she made sure that the kids do not put their hands in the mouth.

In my boy’s N2 class, the kids go to the toilet on their own without any supervision. I wonder if this is the norm in other schools ? I think 4 year old kids are still very blur, they may not know how to wash their hands properly after using the toilet. Worst is when they urine, they may "anyhow spray". Sian…

[Parent]

[Moderator's note: Topics merged.]


Just to alert fellow parents of a report of HFMD outbreak in one of the \"established\" childcare centre (see link below).

http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20081101-97736.html

Thought that this partcicular childcare centre establishment has stringent oversight to prevent such outbreaks but there seems to have 3 serious episodes this year.

I really wonder whether there is something wrong with their oversight mechanism and their effectiveness in implementing them due to the rapid expansion of its network?

[ChiefKiasu]

Parent:

Just to alert fellow parents of a report of HFMD outbreak in one of the \"established\" childcare centre (see link below).


http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20081101-97736.html
...

Hi Parent, thanks for the link. It is really difficult to be a provider of childcare services. On one hand you have to protect the centre's kids from infection. On the other, you have to handle parents who insist on bringing their sick kids to the centre. And in some cases of HFMD, like that of my daughter, the symptoms were practically invisible externally - it is only if you look deep into the throat that you can see the ulcers.

[ChiefKiasu]

insider:

HFMD is common among ccs. The ability of it being able to spread like fire among children is well known. Some parents blame the ccs for being dirty and therefore the ccs have to go through HFMD pain. Here are some insight into HFMD in ccs:...

insider, this is yet another excellent post from your extensive domain knowledge of the CC post. I have merged and stickied the thread to make it easier to locate for parents.

[kwcllf]

Hi insider,


I have some questions regarding HFMD and HFMD prevention in CCs.

As mentioned in your detailed posting, you mentioned a "window period" of about 2 weeks for HFMD to clear. May I ask, if a child has HFMD and returned to the CC after 1 week from coming down with the virus, should the CC allow this kid to come back so soon?

Also, you mentioned about "false alarm". For example, when a kid has an ulcer but no other symptoms, can the CC barred the child from going to the centre? As you said, the kid may just be feeling "heaty" and not due to the virus.

Any idea what is MCYS and MOH take on this? Thanks

[scoobydoo]

kwcllf:

Hi insider,


I have some questions regarding HFMD and HFMD prevention in CCs.

As mentioned in your detailed posting, you mentioned a \"window period\" of about 2 weeks for HFMD to clear. May I ask, if a child has HFMD and returned to the CC after 1 week from coming down with the virus, should the CC allow this kid to come back so soon?

Also, you mentioned about \"false alarm\". For example, when a kid has an ulcer but no other symptoms, can the CC barred the child from going to the centre? As you said, the kid may just be feeling \"heaty\" and not due to the virus.

Any idea what is MCYS and MOH take on this? Thanks

I think it is a practice that a doctor has to certify that the child is fit to return to school - ie a letter.

[kwcllf]

Any how long will that be?


My kid CC had 2 cases recently and returned barely a week after reporting coming down with the virus. Now, 2 more cases have surfaced.

[scoobydoo]

It’s usually 7-10 days.