Would you quarantine your toddler with glandular fever?

My son was sick 4 days ago (very clingy and had a sore neck). I took him to the ER and he had a swollen gland. They did a blood test for a few things and today we found out he tested positive for glandular fever.

Ever since the day I took him to the ER he has been REALLY well, so by usual 'sickness' guidelines he is free to go places... like our speech therapy appointment tomorrow. But I'm unsure what to do. Our speech therapist is pregnant so I don't want her to freak out, and we're not supposed to take 'sick' kids to the speech therapy office.

But it's hard to spread and he would have been contagious for the past 4-6 weeks anyway. Would you go? I could call in the morning but we have the first appointment anyway. Can't call now because it's Sunday here.

I'd prob suggest contacting them and letting them know, they might be happy for you guys to still come in, if it was my girls and the DR has said they were still contagious then i wouldn't take them anywhere.

Do you realise how long you might still be contagious with glandular fever? 18 months! I think being that the diagnosis is "fresh" I could see some concern but eventually we need to go places.

i would keep him quarantined

According to the great Wikipedia, contagiousness Is anywhere from 6 weeks with only one study Saying 18 months. I think if the therapist is pregnant to just call her first and ask how she feels about it.

Did the DR give you any indication?

I think given it is contagious the speech therapist has the right to know.

Can you try calling in the morning before they open? Or if they have an answering machine leave a message for them to call you back.

I haven't been able to see our doctor yet. I spoke to a doctor at the hospital today who called me with the results and he wasn't too fussed. He doesn't think our 6 month baby living in the same house has a problem so I'm not sure how other people would. It has to be spread mouth to mouth and my son doesn't put toys in his mouth. It's also not a risk to unborn babies.

I've emailed our speech therapist- hopefully she checks it before the appointment.

double

If the DR doesn't seem fussed then I would probably go but just let her know before the appointment starts, if she has a problem she will hopefully let you know and you can reschedule.

I think it's actually really hard to catch glandular fever. my friend had it in primary school and we weren't allowed to share a drink, but other than that we lived in each others pockets. Although who knows how informed those decisions were?! Isn't it called 'kissing disease'? In that you need to swap saliva to get it?!

I guess I'd ask the speech therapist and get advice from the dr. But my gut would be that it's ok as long as there is no coughing and drink sharing....

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I think it's actually really hard to catch glandular fever. my friend had it in primary school and we weren't allowed to share a drink, but other than that we lived in each others pockets. Although who knows how informed those decisions were?! Isn't it called 'kissing disease'? In that you need to swap saliva to get it?!

I guess I'd ask the speech therapist and get advice from the dr. But my gut would be that it's ok as long as there is no coughing and drink sharing....

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Yep- you have to share saliva. So the therapist has zero risk :lol: The only *potential* risk is he could put a toy into his mouth then another child could put it in their mouth (within 2 hours, or else the bugs die). But he doesn't mouth toys and I would watch him and remove them anyway.

I think we should go but I'd hate to get there and then be treated like we were all germy and we should have known not to come. Judging by most reponses here that's the reaction too. I'm surprised so many people think we should not go.

It's probably best that you've run it past the speech therapist JIC :)

Sorry to hijack, but while on the topic of glandular fever - I caught it back in 2002 and my brand new DH was the only person I'd kissed and he didn't have GF so I to this day still have NO idea how I caught it. I felt like I had guilt put on me "well who did you kiss?" :lol:. I DID work with a girl who had recently had it though (although she didn't tell me until after I caught it :rolleyes:), but I never kissed her LOL, so I'm still unsure how I caught it. There must be other ways!

Apparently most of us have it but we don't all get sick from it. So maybe you ahd had it for a long time but then got sick?

You can catch it from a solid surface up to two hours after it's been infected- so sharing a drink, or utensils etc.

Hmmm, I think it's going to be one of life's mysteries for me :lol:.

FWIW, it IS hard to pass it on, I had to reassure all my workmates when I got back, they were all so paranoid! I promised I wouldn't spit on them LOL! Even DH didn't catch it so it must be pretty hard to spread. I was just one of the lucky ones ;)

I know. My boyfriend in year 12 had it and had to skip finals exams. I kissed him heaps to try and skip exams too. No such luck :shakehead:

I would probably call and let her know and see what she decides. I had glandular fever whilst I was pregnant with ds2, have no idea how I picked it up. They told me that glandular fever has been known to cause deformities in the first trimester but its rare so there isn't that much info about it. After the 2nd trimester it isn't meant to cause any issues, ds2 is obviouslly fine. But because she is pregnant I would just let her know. I struggled with the exhaustion side of it being pregnant and glandular fever.

:lol: Trish. If you drank out of the same glass or she coughed on you you could have got it.

and :lol: at you trying to get it off your BF Meow!

Oh yuck, that's not fun for you! I really hope because your DS is so little, the symptoms aren't too bad for him.

Unless he was feeling really sick and like he wanted to stay home, I would probably take him places. The only other thing would be not taking him places where he is likely to be exposed to more sickness because I think it can make gladular worse.

My DH has had it three time - I know you are only meant to get it once but his recurred every 2 years for a while. The last time he had severe chronic fatigue after the last time for about 18 months. It wasn't fun.

I hope your DS is feeling better soon!