Hand foot and mouth disease (Kosaki)

My son is down with Kosaki or better known locally as hand, foot and mouth disease AGAIN! He had it last year end and it was a full year after that that he has it again now...

Last year, when I was told by my son's teacher that she suspected something, I was alarmed. I didn't know much about Kosaki and all I knew was that it would be a tough ride for both my son and I. The doctor prescribed my son antibiotics, paracetamol and painkiller. Thank God, it was easy last year. My son was easily duped into believing the white antibiotics was vanilla icecream and took them punctually. He did not go through pain or foodless days. 

This year, however, we went to another doctor. Well, frankly, I don't like antibiotics and I was saying, "Yipee! This doc didn't prescribe antibiotics." Doc said Kosaki is a viral infection and has nothing to do with bacteria. So, antibiotics is not needed. On the third day after contracting Kosaki, my son lost his appetite TOTALLY! He was not eating anything and kept throwing tantrum because the ulcers in his mouth hurt him so much. I could feel the pain too. I bought him coconut juice everyday and gave him watermelon. Those did not cool him down. On the fourth day, he started to have fever, reaching 39.1 degree  Celcius and started to feel dizzy most of time, wanting to sleep. My mom urged us to bring my son to another doctor and get a second opinion. 

We rushed our son to Hospital Selayang and was posted to the Fever Centre. Within half an hour, we had seen the doctor and my son's blood was requested to check whether antibiotics is needed. Thank God, it was fast and the doctor said that my son's blood showed there was higher white blood cells and that indicated bacteria infection. So, my son needed antibiotics. That very evening we gave him the first dose of antibiotics and the next day, he was jumping up and down and taking his three meals like usual! 

I wonder whether it was my tenacity of rejecting antibiotics that has caused much pain to my son or was it just the timing problem?