Help Dealing with Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease (Coxsackie A Virus)

    

***I am not a doctor. The information I am sharing is from personal experience only. You should always seek medical advice and confirmation from your doctor before assuming your child has this virus or any other medical condition.***

'Tis the season once again for Hand Food & Mouth Disease (A.K.A. Coxsackie A Virus)! I am active on and with all sorts of mom groups and it seems that this virus is coming back with a vengeance this summer in lots of communities. So, in making lemonade out of what was lemons for me a while back, I thought I'd share my experience and knowledge with you, for you to consider and to discuss with your doctor should you think your child has this virus.

Unlike its name, this is not a disease, but is actually a virus. And not unlike any other virus, it needs to run its course. My son had this twice within a few months of each other a few years ago and the first round was so brutal that the doctors at our family health clinic told us it was the worse case they have ever personally seen. Most children, so I'm told, have the worst part of the virus for 1-3 days. Ours lasted for 10 days. And that's not including getting rid of the rash entirely either. The second time he had it, it was over and done with in about 2-3 days, with minimal discomfort, "easy peasy" as my son would now say. (Ya right!)

In our experience, it came on practically out of nowhere. He was fine in the morning and then early afternoon he got a high fever and got super cranky. It was a Friday afternoon and I thought that maybe he was getting an ear infection as he had no other indicators besides the fever and crankiness. So we took him in later that afternoon, and when they routinely checked his mouth, they could see tiny little pin prick type marks on the inside of his mouth and on his tongue. We would  never have noticed it initially as the dots were so small, seen only when a flashlight was shone inside.

The night wore on and the rash on his hands, feet, lower legs and inside the diaper started. It was so itchy for him and the Benadryl seemed to do little for it. And then the mouth sores turned into blisters. That was when the "real" discomfort and pain started. Just when you thought the blisters were going away, you'd see new pin prick spots forming in a different area of the mouth, letting you know that you were far from done with the virus!

During the time that the blisters were forming and bursting, he would not eat, and would drink barely anything. And I mean ANYTHING! Not water, not treats like pop, chocolate milk, pudding or ice cream. All he could do was cry and lie around lethargically, while drooling excessively. When he would close his mouth, it would put pressure on the blisters, causing even more discomfort, so his mouth would be wide open just drooling all over. It was horrible to see him in such pain. We were piggy backing Tylenol every few  hours with the Advil for the pain, which we had to force feed him via a medication syringe. It was the only way to get it down! How upsetting it was to see him in so much pain and then have to hold him down and force feed him the meds. We had to do that very carefully, only giving a few mls at a time to the inside corner of his mouth with the plastic syringe so that he would not choke on it, or spit any of it up. Otherwise we'd have no idea how much of the pain reliever he would have actually gotten down.  And then we'd apply Calamine Lotion to the outer rash on outer body, which also didn't do too much to alleviate the itchiness.

That was, until I cam across another mom on a parent forum who had amazing advice. She told me about Magic Mouthwash. (This link gives various combinations, but is for adults FYI.)  It was a prescription preparation that was originally made for children with mouth sores from cancer treatments. (Or so she told me.) It is now used occasionally for other sores in the mouth. My doctor had never heard of this, nor my local pharmacy, so I contacted the pharmacist at the pharmacy inside The Hospital for Sick Children and inquired with them. They faxed me their "recipe" for it, which at that time was a combination of Benadryl, Mylanta and Lidocaine. (It might be something different now.) I brought that in to the doctor. She provided me with the prescription and I had to take it to a compounding pharmacy to get them to mix it up for me. (This is sometimes not covered by drug plans, so be sure to inquire.) To use the Magic Mouthwash, you'd either have to take a Q-Tip and dab it into the solution and apply to the sores in their mouth, or allow them to swish it around in the mouth and spit it out if they were old enough and willing to do that given their pain level. While it's not 100% the answer, it is something that is helpful in numbing the pain inside the mouth for a while.

With regards to the itching, that mother also told us to bathe our son frequently throughout the day in the Aveeno Medicated Oatmeal bath mix that can be bought at any pharmacy type store. (Hope Aveeno appreciates this free plug! LOL) You just have to make sure it's this Medicated one designed for poison oak, rashes etc. It comes with individual pouches inside the box and we would put about 1/2 a pack into a few inches of water. (Depending on your child's ages and size, you'd have to adjust the amount of oatmeal and water after consulting with your doctor and/or pharmacist to ensure that this is compatible with your child - and NEVER leave your child unattended in this bath or any other bath!) We would do this several times per day and it was the only thing that seemed to mostly alleviate his itchiness, in addition to the Benadryl and Calamine Lotion when he got out of the bath. Then it was back again for another oatmeal soak a few hours later. (Note: Make sure to rinse your tub out after each bath, otherwise you will end up with small clumps of oatmeal that is brutal to clean afterwards - trust me! Even if it is all absorbed into the water, the oatmeal will settle while the tub is draining - and as if you need anything else to do while this is all going on!)

Once the rash started to dry up, it got very dark and noticeable and eventually got a bit scaly until they finally faded away. At this stage, a salt water bath with just a bit of epsom salts or something might also be helpful in healing up the rash on the outer skin, but NOT in the mouth, as that would lead to stinging. His fingernails also started to peel a while after the rash went away, but that did not bother him (or us!) in the least. Once the last of the mouth sores were starting to clear up, it was much smoother sailing. Can I get an Amen?!

He started willingly drinking chocolate milk. We don't usually buy this, but this was definitely at "special" occasion if you will, and we let him go to town on that for a while as he really needed to get re-hydrated. Dehydration is usually the biggest concern with this virus due to reduced amount or refusal to eat/drink.  One thing to very mindful about is not to offer them juice or any other beverage or food item that might be acidic, as this will sting their mouths causing even more pain. Just think of something like mustard or vinegar when you have a canker, only a million times worse, I'm sure. Ouch!

This virus is spread via feces, pus from the blisters, saliva or other droplets expressed through coughing, sneezing an/or drooling. It is most prominent in kids under 5, although anyone older than that can get it (and yes, that also means you, so wash those hands man!). It is quite contagious and it is said that the infected person is usually the most contagious during the 1st week of the virus, but it is theoretically contagious for weeks afterwards. It usually starts off with a fever, which it did in our case, and then moves on to the mouth blisters which then ulcerate, and the rash that can be on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, legs and groin area. (In our case it was also up the wrists and parts of the arm as well, and around the outside of the mouth.)

For those who are in the midst of it, I wish you quick healing. For those of you who are scared or concerned about getting it, the only real thing that I know of is to practice good hand washing techniques family-wide, especially after diaper changes, as well as during and after going to places where other kids typically frequent. And for those of us that have already experienced this dreadful virus, may that be the last the time we ever experience this ever again!

And to the virus, I say loudly "GO COXSACKIE YOURSELF!"

***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post.*****

   

Road Trip Doodling To The Rescue!

With summer here and road trips on the go, there are 2 books that I am confident will rescue you (and your children) once the dreaded "Are we there yet?" questions start setting in. They are also perfect for a rainy day, or those moments when your kids start saying "I'm bored!".

 DK Books has released 2 doodle books this year that are perfect to allow your kids to use their imagination and creativity. Both feature dry erase markers that allow kids to wipe their books clean and start the fun all over again!  My First Doodle Fun and My First Doodle On The Go are not only well priced, making them accessible to everyone, but they really are fun for the whole family! These board books ensure that they can be held and used comfortably in their laps while in the car or elsewhere, and are chock full of ideas to get their creativity flowing.

I am always trying to reduce the time my kids spend on electronics, and these books are a great way to do it! They won't even realize that they aren't playing their favourite video game or watching a DVD!

Both books contain 26 pages and start off with the page "This Book Belongs To:", allowing your kids to practice writing their names and has a picture frame where kids can doodle in their own rendition of what they look like. This will lead to all kinds of hilarity! They can decorate or add on to a fish, a rocket ship, flowers, fairies, animals and pets along with a whole slew of other engaging ideas. There are plenty of seasonal pages like designing their own ice cream cones or a snowman, and they can draw a number of crazy faces. My son loves this page in particular and the silliness is contagious! There is a page dedicated to numbers and even a section on where they live, allowing them to work on learning their address. There are also 2 pages of art frames where they can create their own art show and 2 pages for free doodling.

You do have to keep your eyes on them when they are using these, as the dry erase marker is not washable. It would be nice to see DK Books come up with a washable and scent free marker for future editions.

These books are geared to kids 0-5yrs, but everyone in the family can join in. We have done it ourselves! They are wonderfully geared to kids of all genders and incorporate not only fun, but self expression, reading, writing and numbers.

This is already a hit and will be travelling with us everywhere this summer, and likely until the books wear out, which based on their sturdiness, will be a long, long, time.

Both these books retail for $8.99CAN at full price, but you can currently get them from DK Books' Summer Fun Boutique for only $6.29CAN each!

Happy road tripping!

***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post.*****

Bust Out Your Legos with The Lego Play Book!

Lego Play is a book you want to get if your kids (or yourself! - who are we kidding?) enjoy playing with Legos! This 200 page book features over 500 tips and tricks on building, and has over 200 build ideas! You can do simple builds to complex builds and everything in between! You can also find several 10-minute build ideas too. You will find build ideas from Tropical Fish on page 120 to a Spooky Circus Train on page 132. You can build a variety of Ice Cream Stalls found on page 170 to Alphabet Creatures on page 108. There are dinosaurs, castles, race tracks, hotel pool scenes and so many other things in between!

In a day and age where kids are plugged into anything and everything, this is a great way to get back to the simple things in life. A life where kids (and/or adults! LOL) use their own imagination and creativity to make something with their own hands and minds. Not something that is created with a keypad, a  mouse, or a finger swipe! (Not that that is always bad either!)

This is also a great book to bond over, because let's face it - we all need more reasons to sit down with our kids and spend more quality time as a family. Life is short and they don't stay kids forever. Even if you yourself  vow and pledge to be a kid forever! LOL 

While I wish that the book included the build instructions for each one, I love that there is a trouble shooting page which answers questions such as what to do if you don't have a speicifc piece, what you can build based on what kind of bricks you have, in addition to what you can build based on time you have available. Additionally, Ialso like section that breaks down the various Lego pieces, such as moving pieces and SNOT pieces. (For the record, they are not booger pieces, LOL they stand for Studs Not on Top!)

In addition to the instructions for each build, I would have liked to see a number of options that are more traditionally female. Seeing that most of the content is traditionally  male oriented, it would be nice to see more variety in builds catering to all genders, allowing you as the buyer , to make the most of the book no matter the gender of you kids, or what your child(ren)'s interests might be. 

Though this book is geared towards kids ages 7-15yrs, it can easily be used by children potentially as young as 4yrs, assuming they have some help and guidance from adults. And it can always be used by adults of any age too! :)

Lego Play retails for $24.99CAN

***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post.*****

Preserve It!

 

With the farmers' markets opening up last weekend, and seeing all that nature has to offer, it got me thinking about canning in the fall. Now, I'm not trying to rush through summer at all. After the winter we've had, you can bet that I am not! LOL I was just contemplating
making nature's bounty last so that my family can all enjoy the tastes and health benefits of locally grown fruits, vegetables, meats and other goodies found at farmers' markets.

When I asked DK Books to review Preserve It!, I thought that I was going to get a book on canning - and I did. But the book surprised me with a whole other realm of information, like all the different ways you can preserve. From smoking to freezing and even clamping! Now there's one that I've never heard of before. (It's a technique where you would insulate root vegetables outside.)

This book gives you so much information in its 352 pages. There are lots of big colourful pictures and the information is laid out into sections and recipes to make it simple and easy for those who have little experience preserving. (Like me!)

You will find recipes on how to blanch vegetables for the freezer, make a variety of pickles, relishes, jellies & jams, and you will also learn how to make your own ketchup and other sauces. You will learn how to preserve with oil, alcohol, and by smoking various meat, poultry, nuts and yes - even vegetables! There are also recipes for dry curing meat, making your own sausages and your own wine. Yum!

You will find a lot of recipes for well-loved favourites, along with quite a few unique recipes like Pea Pod Wine, Rhubarb and Rose Petal Syrup for sparkling water or ice cream, and Rosemary Jelly to name a few. 

You can currently order this book and many others from DK Books' May Food & Drink Boutique at a savings of 30% off for a limited time!

Now that strawberries will be ready soon, I'm debating on what to try first from this book: strawberry freezer jam, frozen fruit bars, or strawberry syrup with vanilla to add to ice cream, or to drizzle over sliced fresh strawberries and whipped cream! And best of all? It's made with your own tender loving care - and way healthier than store bought!

Happy summer (Ok - spring!) everyone!

***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post.*****

 

Let Your Cupcakes & Muffins Ride in Style!

 

I love spreading the word on products that I love, and this one definitely takes the cup"cake"! Next time you

need to transport cupcakes or muffins, considering using Fox Run's smartly designed Cupcake Carousel!

It is adorable with its BPA-free sturdy giant cupcake design, and is wonderfully functional. It has 3 stacking trays holding 8 cupcakes each, allowing you to compactly and fashionably transport up to 2 dozen fully decorated cupcakes!  Each tray has a handle which makes it simple to pull out of the carrier, as well as easy to manoeuvre while you're placing it on a table or other surface. These removable trays also double as display stands. What's not to love?!

Each cup cavity is deep, ensuring that your cupcakes do not tip over, and the semi-transparent lid allows you and others to appreciate the beauty you put into your treats. The handle on the lid and the carrier's four strong snap locks ensure that your carrier will stay locked and keep your delicacies undisturbed during travel or storage.

The Cupcake Carousel is available in Red, Hot Pink & Brown. Retail price in Canada is approximately $25-$30, depending on where you shop. It is 14" in diameter and 11" high. 

I used this for the first time to transport the Paw Patrol themed cupcakes with tie-dyed icing I made for my son's birthday. I loved it so much that I think my friends just might have thought that I was a paid spokesperson for this product! (For the record, I am not at all! LOL) I just really thinks it's a great, innovative product!

If you want tips on making your own tie-dyed frosting, watch this 4-minute Rachel Ray episode clip featuring

Cake Boss' Buddy Valastro. That's where I got my idea for the frosting. It's so easy to do and looks so unique, and is made with just a simple buttercream icing recipe. (You could probably cheat and use store-bought too!)  Now, clearly I didn't make a whole cake like they did, I just got the tie-dyed icing all set in my piping bag and went to town frosting the cupcakes. So easy, and my son was overjoyed with the final product! 

As a side note, the toothpicks with the Paw Patrol characters fit on the top layer while transporting them as I only needed enough cupcakes to fill 2 inserts, allowing for extra room at the top of the carrier. If I had of required a full 2 dozen cupcakes, then I simply would have brought the toothpick Paw Patrol pictures with me and popped them in the top of the cupcakes once I got to where I was going. But there is more than enough room for all the tiers to have fully frosted cupcakes while stacked in the Cupcake Carrier, just not with the actual toothpick embellishment during transport when fully loaded. 

If you are looking for great Paw Patrol decoration ideas, visit the Nickelodeon Jr website. Knowing full well that this new show is taking off, they've offered everyone a whole slew of printable decorations and ideas in the meantime, until they can manufacture their own licensed products for sale. Best of all, it's FREE! 

So let your cupcakes and muffins ride in style in the Cupcake Carousel! You put so much love and effort into making them, showcase them like the awesome treats that they are!

***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post.*****

 

Ride & Relax in This Awesome Little Tikes Wagon!

 

Now that spring is finally upon us, I want to share a product with you that I think is awesome! The Little Tikes Ride & Relax® Wagon is every parent's dream for a children's wagon, and is the epitome of practicality and fun! The most exciting and unique feature on this wagon is that with a simple flip of 1 side of the wagon, it instantly transforms into a bench!

 It's suitable for children approximately 18 months to 10 years of age, and comes with 2 seatbelts. It features QuietRide wheels, which are not completely silent but are much quieter than some wagons and other ride ons out there. It also has 6 cup holders, which is perfect for hot days when you want extra drinks with you to keep everyone hydrated.

In the middle section of the wagon, you can either flip up the flaps to create seats or keep the flaps closed and use it as a storage place or cooler. The kids can sit in it no matter which way you want it! When the flaps are in the seated position, the flaps provide great back support to the kids sitting in the wagon, and allows their feet to rest on the bottom. When using as a cooler, you will appreciate the drain plugs in the bottom for easy drainage and cleaning.

Once you are done using it as a children's wagon, you can actually use it as a flatbed utility wagon to haul items around your yard, etc. With a weight limit of 250lbs, most can easily take a seat and rest

on the wagon themselves while the kids play. It also allows for your older child to sit on the wagon along with your little one. I know my bigger child was excited about this as he has been told that he's too big for our former wagon. Not to mention how much stuff you could haul around once it's a flatbed with this higher weight limit. The wagon itself weighs 32lbs and is easily cleaned with soap and water.

The extra long handle can effortlessly be folded underneath the wagon to allow for better storage and transport. Some of these Ride & Relax wagons come with an umbrella that attaches to the side to assist with sun protection. Mine didn't come with this feature, so I cannot speak to how sturdy the umbrella would be in windy conditions. But it is a fabulous idea to help keep the little ones out of the sun. You will also find some reflective decals with your package to affix to the corners of the wagon to assist in making it a bit more visible in lower light conditions.

It took me about an hour in total to assemble, however I'm quite confident that it would take someone experienced assembling these items about 30mins or so. I usually leave tasks like this to my husband, but this time, I wanted to see how long it would take the average Mom to assemble.

In Canada, this wagon retails for approximately $130, and the Deluxe version with the Umbrella retails for approximately $150.

The only thing I think it's missing is locks for the wheels, as you have to be cautious that the wagon doesn't roll or blow away with you, being that it is such a smooth ride. That and maybe a cold drink or two! :)

Happy spring everyone!

***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post.*****

 

Show Me Your Paw Patrol Cookie Badge!‏

 

Sometimes, you just need to be rescued..... Sometimes it's for something serious, and sometimes it's to make your child's birthday dreams come true. The Paw Patrol gang are usually the ones that do the rescuing, but this time, it was CheapCookieCutters.com!

This show, which is on TVO here in Canada, and Nick Jr in the U.S., is loved by my son with a capital L! Being that it's a brand new program, it is very difficult to find anything that is legitimately Paw Patrol, except for craft sites like Etsy. Add to that a child's birthday party theme request and we have a celebratory dilemma.

I went online searching for badge cookie cutters as I wanted to fabricate a Paw Patrol logo for his cake or make decorative cookies as part of the loot bags. I found only 2 websites offering a badge. One was out of stock, and the other was CheapCookieCutters.com!

I contacted them, and got a very prompt response. I had it shipped to me and voila - Paw Patrol themed cookies by InfoMommy were born -  thanks to the creativity of those at CheapCookieCutters.com! (And to the inventor of edible icing! Without that, my son's beloved Chase the dog picture would never have been featured on the cookie! LOL) 

CheapCookieCutters.com has over 2,000 cookie cutters available and if you are searching for something that they don't actually have, you can customer order! How paw-riffic is that? They guarantee to ship within 2 business days and are made in the U.S., giving you great quality. Almost all of their cookie cutters are made of steel plated tin and are sturdy and a pleasure to use.

If you are looking for something unique, or for your run of the mill cookie cutter design, consider CheapCookieCutters.com. If you are searching for all things Paw Patrol for a party, check out the Nick Jr website. They have all sorts of printables that you can use to plan and decorate. While your child might think that these adorable puppy characters are heroic, he or she will think you are the real hero! 

You can use this great recipe from Company's Coming to make your next Sugar Cookie creation!

Ingredients

3/4 cup Butter, softened    
3/4 cup Granulated sugar 
1 Large egg
1 tsp Vanilla 
2 cups All-purpose flour (I use whole wheat flour) 
1 tsp Baking soda    
1tsp Cream of tartar
1/4 tsp Salt     
1/4 tsp Ground cardamom (optional)

Directions

Cream margarine and sugar in large bowl. Add egg. Beat well. Add vanilla. Beat until smooth.

Combine remaining 5 ingredients in small bowl. Add to margarine mixture in 2 additions, mixing well after each addition until no dry flour remains. Divide dough into 2 equal portions. Shape each portion into flattened disc. Wrap each with waxed paper. Chill for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Discard waxed paper from 1 disc. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch (3 mm) thickness. Cut out circles with lightly floured 2 inch (5 cm) cookie cutter. Roll out scraps to cut more circles. Arrange about 2 inches (5 cm) apart on greased cookie sheets.

Bake in 350°F (175°C) oven for about 10 minutes until edges are just golden. Let stand on cookie sheets for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool. Cool cookie sheets between batches. Repeat with remaining disc. Yield: Approximately 7 dozen cookies.

***This sample product was provided free of charge.

***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post.*****