Fever = contagious??

[PeacefulChaos]

Is that the rule all the time?

 

I ask because Astro has had a fever off and on for a week now... Pink just started on one yesterday. We've already cancelled our Christmas activities for tomorrow but some of the family still wants us to come to the 'get together' on Christmas day.

I'm fine with not going, while at the same time feeling like Christmas will be pretty boring if we don't go anywhere. I can make it work, though, no big deal. DH would probably go out there at some point - maybe with Link - to get some ham lol. :D Also, the ILs got the kids gifts so I guess he'll pick those up for them.

Anyway, I was just wondering if a fever necessarily means that they're contagious? I realized that it's what I've always thought/been told, but I can't remember WHERE I picked it up or if it's actually fact. :)

Thanks!

[Farrar]

There are special cases where a fever doesn't mean contagious. For example, ds had a confirmed classic case of Lyme earlier this year and I let him see friends. But unless you know exactly what's going on, then yes, pretty much. Especially most colds, flus, strep, and other common things.

[regentrude]

No, a fever does not mean that the person must always has an infectious contagious disease. It is very often the case - but an infected tooth, for example, can cause a fever and is certainly not contagious. A low grade fever can be common with auto-immune diseases. Cancer can cause a fever.

The fever is just a sign that the body is raising its temperature to fight illness more effectively.

 

This said, I would still keep a child with a fever at home - because his body needs rest.

[Starr]

I think it depends on your crowd. While a child with a fever is probably contagious it doesn't necessarily mean every adult is going to get the virus. If your parents are healthy and want them to come I would go.

[catz]

Yes, if it were just adults, your parents aren't elderly and have had a flu shot, and you don't engage in slobbering, do good handwashing, mouth covering, etc, I'd consider going for a little bit. Not if the child felt really ill though.

 

One year my BIL and SIL brought my extremely sick niece to Christmas at my in-laws house. This girl was so sick, she couldn't leave a couch. She was practically crying when she was awake. There were many other children there, including mine that were younger than her. She was in the hospital the next day with pneumonia and one of my kids got extremely ill a couple days later as did another cousin. This child should have been at urgent care on X-mas eve IMO. That's how her parents roll though. They don't think outside thier little bubble.

[ChristusG]

Fever doesn't always equal contagious. It all depends on what's causing the illness. I've had a bad sinus infection before and I had a fever but wasn't contagious. You can't catch a sinus infection. Now, you can catch a cold and for certain people, it could develop into a sinus infection.

[Tap]

If the fever is over 102, I would not take them.

Vomiting within 24 hours, nope.

Coughing, with fever nope. (Coughs send bodily fluids airborn) Slight cough without fever, maybe.

To me, a fever of 102+ in a child, is saying that the body is actively fighting off a current, significant infection. If a fever is this high...nope, not going.

 

 

I would look at how active the child is and if they are consolable when they do have symptoms. If the child has a normal activity level and has a few symptoms like a minor cough, then I wouldn't be too worried. If the child is sleeping a lot and is overall cranky on top of symptoms like a sniffle, then I would not take the child. Before I was going to visit, I would call all the adults and ask thier opinion first. If any of them are uncomfortable with it, then I would not go.

 

Remember, adults don't always share their medical conditions with everyone. I have had adult patients who didn't tell family of cancer treatments, because they didn't want to worry them. Just because you think that 'aunt Jane' is healthy, doesn't mean she is. Let the adults make that decision for them selves.

[Mommyof4ks]

If one child has shared with another, then I would assume they are contagious until their symptoms are gone. My kids have shared influenza A this week which all started with a fever and a headache. My youngest had a fever every week for a couple of months leading up to his cancer diagnosis, so while not all fevers equal contagious, personally I would rather have a virus lol. ;) Christmas at home can sill be fun, and if the adults are willing to risk illness, then I would go. If there will be little kids or immune compromised people there, then I would say home.

 

We are home with the flu this year, because my dad just had surgery, so his immune system is such that he will pick up the flu and likely get quite sick.

[Paige]

Lots of times fevers aren't contagious. For us, mostly it is ear infections but others have mentioned different possibilities. I would take a child with a fever who isn't acting sick to a mostly adult family function who is aware of the fever and wanted us to go anyway. I would not take a child who felt miserable or where there will be vulnerable people. It doesn't matter to me how high the fever is but rather how sick the child is presenting as and what the symptoms are.

[MercyA]

I posted this on another thread earlier this month:

 

From the CDC website, regarding the flu:

 

"Most healthy adults may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 5 to 7 days after becoming sick. Children may pass the virus for longer than 7 days."

 

From the Straight Dope website, regarding the common cold:

 

"...the common cold is 'contagious' between 24 hours before onset of symptoms until 5 days after onset. Like everything else this varies depending on the organism, but that's a pretty safe estimate. This period of communicability was determined by taking nasal washings of experimentally infected volunteers."

 

I would only take your children if no other kids are going to be there and if all of the other guests are aware of the illness and still want you to come. I'm not trying to be harsh, but I really would not be happy if someone showed up at a Christmas gathering with a feverish child. Even healthy adults don't enjoy getting sick, and little kids just aren't self-aware enough to avoid spreading their germs.

[katilac]

If it's just the grandparents, and they are asking you to go, I would consider it if the kids feel pretty good. If it's a large-ish group, I would not go. I don't think it's fair to put people on the spot and ask, "Baby Joey has a fever, but you don't want him to miss Christmas, do you?"

[PeacefulChaos]

Well, I would prefer not to go, and earlier today I determined that was probably going to be the case.

But then the ILs were like, 'what?!'

But really...yeah. I'm not the type to go exposing everyone to whatever this is - flu, maybe? Idk. Either way, flu or no, I'm not planning on going anywhere Tuesday unless everyone wakes up tomorrow morning feeling awesome. ;) Well, without a fever, that is...since you wouldn't know they were sick at all if it weren't for the fever and slight cough. :tongue_smilie: Oh, well.

I just wanted to exhaust all possibilities before I dealt with the whole 'I can't believe you are changing your plans! Christmas is ruined!' hoopla. :D :lol:

[boscopup]

I'd keep them home, since the two kids passed it around - that tells me it's likely something contagious. No, fevers don't always equal contagious, but if two kids in the family have it, *something* is contagious, so I'd keep them home. If the kids are not acting that sick, they probably don't have the flu (and if they did have the flu, I wouldn't count on adults you're visiting having a flu shot, since it hasn't been working this year, at least in my area - wrong strains!).