Coxsackie Virus

One August morning, Violet sticks out her bottom lip and I see it-- one lone canker sore smack dab in the middle of her bottom lip. It was her first canker sore. I did some research online and found out that baby's first canker sores are accompanied with a low grade fever. The pain should last around 4 days even though the sore will still be visible.

Words I use to cheer her up are, "Suck it up kid, it's one of many that you'll have in your life," or, one of my personal favorites, "Just eat through it, I know you're hungry."

Needless to say, the next few days were miserable!! By the beginning of the second day, she stopped taking her bottle and eating food. She drank only water and would "try" different foods just to spit it out just as fast and cry. The pain was too much for her. She wasn't sleeping through the night and I actually brought her into bed with Joe and I for the first time in her life. She still woke up every hour but was comforted enough that Joe and I were there to hold her.

By the 4th day, I notice that my daughter has turned red. That's right, she has a full body rash. I decide to call the doctor and we bring her in first thing in the next morning.

Violet contracted the coxsackie virus. It was not just ONE canker sore that she had on her lip but SEVERAL in her mouth, on her tongue, AND down her throat. OH NO! The rash was another added side effect.

We had to ride out the wave and just let the virus run it's course. According to our pediatrician. hopefully she'll never get it again. Kinda like the chicken pox-- once you get it, your body develops antibodies to fight it off in the future.

Things I've learned from this experience:

1. Violet is a much tougher girl that I could possibly have ever thought!

2. If your kid stops eating food, it's probably more than just a canker sore.

3. Don't ever take your happy kid for granted.