[DiamondSmiles]

By Ashley Kewish

August 22, 2014

SARATOGA SPRINGS — It's painful, extremely contagious and doctors say it's spreading like crazy in Utah. Your kids might not be bringing just their books home from school, but hand, foot and mouth disease as well.

"So Capri had it first," said Rochelle Smith, mom of three. "The next morning, lo and behold, Melodie had it too, then Scarlett the next day."

Smith wasn't quite sure what the itchy and painful blisters covering her children were at first.

"It was totally miserable," Smith said. "I had no idea, I had never heard of it before. So when I saw the blisters, I freaked out and called the doctor right away."

She's not the only one. Utah Valley Pediatrics in Saratoga Springs is seeing a spike in hand, foot and mouth cases.

"We usually see somewhere around two cases a day, maybe one," said Dr. Brian McCune. "Now we're seeing eight to ten cases a day."

He said the virus is acting more aggressively this year, affecting adults as well. Some of his patients have sores all over their bodies.

"It's been way more frequent, way more prevalent in the communities than we normally see," McCune said.

In Lehi, signs outside daycares and church nurseries warn parents of the problem. The virus can stick around for up to two weeks and spreads just like the common cold.

"Someone has touched something on the surface and then you go and touch it," McCune said. "It can be that easy."

If you contract the illness, doctors says there's not much you can do. You can only treat the symptoms with over the counter medications like Benadryl and ibuprofen. The virus has to run its course, and there are some nasty side effects along the way.

"You can have your fingers and toes peel," said McCune. "I have parents saying their fingernails and toenails have fallen off."

Hand, foot, and mouth disease isn't considered a reportable disease by state standards, so there's no way of knowing the exact number of cases.

Pediatricians on the front lines each day, like Dr. McCune, worry it will spread even more with school back in session.

"Unfortunately, it's our year of the hand, foot, and mouth it sounds like," he said.

Smith is glad her kids are feeling better.

"We were housebound for about two weeks," she said. "I do not want that ever again. It's horrible."

To protect you and your family, doctors recommend frequent hand washing and staying away from anyone with a fever or sores present on their body.

[profezzorx]

Inbreeding will do that sort of thing... kidding, totally kidding.

Poor kids. Hope they get better.

[DiamondSmiles]

Originally Posted by profezzorx ↗

Inbreeding will do that sort of thing... kidding, totally kidding.

Poor kids. Hope they get better.

Children of sister wives perhaps.

It is sad for the children. I hate to see them suffer.

If it was affecting adults, I'd blame it on poor hygiene.

I guess I should stop biting my toe nails, just to be safe.

[DiamondSmiles]

Here is some jerk talking about it on/in himself.

He sounds like a dick!

The disease had hit Nevada a couple of months ago, too.

[vagabond]

Hope it doesn't hit the East coast, but rest assured, if it does I will do a full length feature film and post it here!

[T2]

When my kids were in public school a couple of years ago, there was an outbreak of this, and both of my kids got it. My daughter had it the worst, because she was only 6 at the time. The school never let any of the parents know there was an outbreak.

[DiamondSmiles]

Originally Posted by vagabond ↗

Hope it doesn't hit the East coast, but rest assured, if it does I will do a full length feature film and post it here!

Thank you! What a sport!

[DiamondSmiles]

Originally Posted by teacherof2 ↗

When my kids were in public school a couple of years ago, there was an outbreak of this, and both of my kids got it. My daughter had it the worst, because she was only 6 at the time. The school never let any of the parents know there was an outbreak.

Are you in the US? The schools here suck!

I feel bad for the children.

[Tantrix]

Thank those nasty-ass public schools and daycares these kids have to go to because their mothers choose to work instead of stay home with them. Thankfully mine stay at home with their mom and don't attend public school.

[Tantrix]

Originally Posted by diamondsmiles ↗

If it was affecting adults, I'd blame it on poor hygiene.

It IS poor hygiene. Most kids at school are disgusting and aren't taught to wash their hands or keep them out of their mouths...and now you have this stuff spreading everywhere.