Hand/Foot and Mouth Disease

Have you ever had an outbreak of this?

What is your policy?

How much do you bleach etc before you feel like everything is disinfected?

Thanks:eek:

It ran through my daycare two years ago and I was just thinking last week when a friend reported it at her daycare in our city that I have had turnover in my group since then so it could happen again any time, yuck! I stick to my fever policy of 101 and ask that parents keep the children home if they have any open sores as well. Once one child has it they have all been exposed so there's nothing you can do.

I filled my kitchen sinks with water and put a big dollop of bleach on one side and used the other side for rinsing and went through ALL my toys when it was here. A 1:10 solution of bleach will kill all bacteria and virus, don't worry. Once they all have it they can't get it again.

I haven't had it, but thought I did at one time. I initially started to panic, but after reading through it I understood that it's just another kid virus. I would just follow your guidlines, no high fever, no rash, no open sores. Child has to be able to participate in all areas of the day in order to come. I closed for 1/2 a day (It was convenient for my clients as well) and scrubed the daycare area high and low. Turns out it was something else, high fever for a day then a body rash for another 2. no open sores thank goodness.

I had it in my daycare in July only one child never got it everyone else Including my three got it. Even one of the parents got it. Only the originator got a nasty dose and he is now losing his finger nails..... Everyone else basically just got the fever mouth sores and a few other spots. From what I have read it is just like the common cold and you can get it more then once.

I had it in my daycare last year ~ twice within a few months
I also had one of my daycare Mom's catch it too.
There is nothing a Doctor can give for it, it has to just run it's course. My crew all caught it, including my own. I had my Mom come to our home for basically the month to be with my kids and keep them separate from the daycare and the daycare kids were asked to stay home until they were able to participate as they all had the sores in their mouth, couldn't eat, fever and just needed to be home. Once they all started to eat and fever gone, they came back after a week....then it came back! My Mom who was ready to leave just threw all her clothes in the washing machine and stayed longer and 2 of my daycare kids were off again for another week. While I bleached EVERYTHING !!
Nasty pain in the butt but very common in daycares

I have only had it once the first year I opened ~ just the one child got it and it did not spread to anyone else thankfully and while it has been through the community lots this past few years we have been strong enough immunity to ward it off.

For me I would only exclude if the child still had a 'fever' (due to risk of fever related seizure ) or if the blisters were causing the child discomfort to the level they were not able to participate in the regular program ~ the Public Health Unit for my city does not require exclusion for HFM because by the time the spots themselves appear the 'most contagious' period has ended and well it remains contagious for WEEKS after the spots disappear as it is carried in bodily fluids and feces for up to 6 weeks anyway so 'exclusion' is not going to prevent the spread.

I did 'discontinue' communal sensory play during her outbreak period until the blisters were healed but other than that I did not do any thing 'extra' as far as normal cleaning of surfaces and so forth.