Advice Regarding Hand Foot And Mouth Disease Urgently Needed....

[lostinisaan]

Hello and G'Day,

Trying to make it short. I'm working at a rural school and one of our grade one students in the only existing EP programme got sick. A friend of mine hat the disease,but it's a completely different ball game, as he's an adult.

I checked the boy's temperature and when I saw some spots on his skin, plus the fact that his feet hurt, I was pretty certain that he had the virus.

We sent him home and told his parents to see a doctor immediately. The diagnosis was negative until today. Now it turned out that he's got this disease and I've heard that other kids also have symptoms like fever, which could also be an ordinary flu.

My co's father's in a hospital and very sick. She just got in touch with the director and I'm waiting for his decision.

My biggest concern is that I could be a carrier, but my Immune system always protected me pretty well.

I posted this in the teaching forum for several reasons. I've heard quite a lot of stories about schools in lower northeast with students who have/had the disease.

Is there an easy way to check if you've got the virus? How long is it infectious? Any information regarding this disease would be deeply appreciated.

Just curious if we should just start school on Monday as usual with maybe carriers of that virus.

Thanks a lot in advance for your reply. Cheers-

[masuk]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand,_foot_and_mouth_disease

[Scott]

I take care of a number of schools and we occasionally have outbreaks of HFM disease. We usually close the affected classes and disinfect the classrooms and all the equipment. The smaller kids usually get it and pass it around but usually in grade school they start having less infectious contact so I've not seen a grade school class closed down. I would imagine that there are students who get it, but they would be sent home.

The Nursery and KG 1 - 3 students have a play room and they tend to put a lot of toys in their mouth and there is a lot of sharing of materials between the little ones. They also eat in the classroom.

Make sure that your bathrooms/toilet areas are kept very clean and disinfected and that there is soap for washing hands and that students are instructed in how to properly wash their hands. Sick kids should be sent home right away.

There actually is a formula the schools follow for when they close a class. I don't remember how many students need to be infected, but when it reaches a certain level then the class is closed. If enough classes are closed then the entire grade level is closed.

[lostinisaan]

I take care of a number of schools and we occasionally have outbreaks of HFM disease. We usually close the affected classes and disinfect the classrooms and all the equipment. The smaller kids usually get it and pass it around but usually in grade school they start having less infectious contact so I've not seen a grade school class closed down. I would imagine that there are students who get it, but they would be sent home.

The Nursery and KG 1 - 3 students have a play room and they tend to put a lot of toys in their mouth and there is a lot of sharing of materials between the little ones. They also eat in the classroom.

Make sure that your bathrooms/toilet areas are kept very clean and disinfected and that there is soap for washing hands and that students are instructed in how to properly wash their hands. Sick kids should be sent home right away.

There actually is a formula the schools follow for when they close a class. I don't remember how many students need to be infected, but when it reaches a certain level then the class is closed. If enough classes are closed then the entire grade level is closed.

Thanks a lot for the post. We’re still waiting for the director’s decision and it’s not clear yet, if others are infected as well.

Two other kids have fever and my Thai colleague and I felt very sick two days ago, she had a really strange bone pain all over her body and I had a hard time to walk.

I’ve read quite a few about it online and my niece, a doctor in Europe is of great help. Strange about this disease is that not all people seem to develop the same symptoms, unfortunately seven year olds have a much bigger problem to fight this disease than adults do.

Of course all depending on their personal circumstances, functioning immune systems, a healthy liver, etc…

The school is a tiny Anuban in a small town with only one grade one EP class, so I hope that the right steps will be done before Monday.

The bathrooms are in a very bad shape, I've tried to make them understand that there has to be at least some soap for the kids to wash their hands, when they come back from the bathroom, but it didn't seem to be in their interest.

I’ll wait for an answer from my co- teacher tomorrow and then try to find out if other kids are also infected, which could take a few more days.

I’m glad that I did the right thing, to call this boy’s parents to pick him up and didn't let him go back into the class.

My co teacher's daddy’s very sick and in the local hospital. I hope that she isn't infected, as that could be her daddy’s end, if she’d have given that to him.

Thanks a lot. Will update what they decide to do. I bought some bars of soap in the beginning of the first term, but they do not seem to understand simple hygienic precautions.

Cheers--

Edited November 15, 2014 by lostinisaan

[Scott]

The disease can be serious to some, but it usually isn't. Adults don't often get it, so you may have a combination of things going around.

[lostinisaan]

The disease can be serious to some, but it usually isn't. Adults don't often get it, so you may have a combination of things going around.

A 22 year old American just recently had it, but nobody had an idea what it was. He used our glasses, dishes, toilet, etc...but none of us got infected.

And we also had a guest at the same time with a serious immune deficit, but luckily didn't get it.

He was seriously ill.One sign that shows if people are infected seems to be heavy pain on the sole of your feet.

Will have to see tomorrow what they've decided. It's a Baan Nok school, if you know what I mean.

Patients who have any sort of disease stay in the same room with all sorts of viruses and bacterial infected people.

What I'm trying to say is that somebody with an ordinary flue could easily catch a serious virus that's causing an infection of the lungs and pass away.

It might be shocking for guys like you to visit a patient in such a hospital.

[lostinisaan]

The one and only EP class was just shut down for three days. Co teacher and I will have to make sure that the room will be tidy, when they come back.

Tried to take one of the air conditioner's filter out and stopped right away,when billions of tiny dust particles took my breath away.

No EP classes until Thursday and enough time to drive you guys nuts. -

Edited November 17, 2014 by lostinisaan