Whereneverever Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 Brought to you by a discussion with a friend who said that most moms she knows has kids share toothbrushes when sick to just get it over with. News to me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 I would never have anyone share toothbrushes. That's beyond disgusting. But even when the boys were little I didn't do anything special to sanitize/disinfect when one of us was sick. Just regular cleaning and basic hygiene/good manners (covering mouths when coughing or sneezing, lots of hand washing, etc.). 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 Ew to sharing toothbrushes intentionally! I wouldn't do that, nor would I intentionally share drinks or the like. Typically, if one of the children gets something, they all get it, and usually I get it as well, toward the end. DH hasn't tended to get much of what we get, but I have noticed that he's gotten the last couple of colds. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 I never encourage germ-spreading under the assumption that they will get it anyway. OTOH, I don't go to special lengths in an attempt to confine the germs. Sometimes, we all go down in a burning, mass illness; other times it only hits one or two. Most times, one or more people will get a similar-appearing virus, but one will be sicker than the other. Witness: this illness I'm just getting over. I was the one sucker-punched, though two others have ben sick for a day. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluegoat Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 I am with the rest. Saring toothbrushes is gross. i don't encourage sharing germs, but I don't really do much about it. My assumption is that living in the same house, we will share them all pretty much no matter what. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 sharing toothbrushes shares dental bacteria - and can lead to teeth decay. my kids happily share germs by using door handles, and ineffective covering of mouths while sneezing and coughing 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 I hadn't thought of the sharing toothbrushes idea. One of my daughters would have a heart attack if I suggested that. :P I do not attempt to keep my kids' germs away from each other or from me. I do try to keep others in the house from catching our stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Eeew, sharing toothbrushes is gross!! I never do anything particular to isolate the sick one (it's usually Sylvia). Rebecca will keep her distance on her own. Rebecca is almost never sick, and Sylvia tends to get these 24 hour things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clementine Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 NO to sharing toothbrushes! Gross!!! I don't force my kids to have no contact when one is sick, but I will let one have the couch alone or snuggle with me alone. We're about 1/2 & 1/2 whether the other one gets sick or not. Weirdly enough, if the opposite one does get sick, they have different symptoms. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 I'm pretty sure my twins switch off toothbrushes sometimes unintentionally. Shrug. I don't try to contain the illness within the house unless there's some specific reason, like a special event coming or vomit involved. Everyone should always stay away from vomit. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Brought to you by a discussion with a friend who said that most moms she knows has kids share toothbrushes when sick to just get it over with. News to me! :ack2: :ack2: :ack2: That is absolutely disgusting -- and I also think it is incredibly stupid. Who would intentionally try to get the whole family sick??? That is beyond crazy. My dh is immunosuppressed, so although I was always careful (just because I didn't want anyone else to get sick,) I am now kind of fanatical about it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Brought to you by a discussion with a friend who said that most moms she knows has kids share toothbrushes when sick to just get it over with. News to me! No. Absolutely not. Never share toothbrushes. I try to keep it contained to the sick one. It is easier as they get older. It is not news to you, but what is a relatively minor illness can really impact my DD. A head cold can impact her sleep which can lower her seizure threshhold. And forget about stomach and intestinal illnesses...those impact her meds absorbing that starts a vicious cycle of not having enough meds in her system to stop seizures and needing emergency meds. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whereneverever Posted April 10, 2015 Author Share Posted April 10, 2015 No. Absolutely not. Never share toothbrushes. I try to keep it contained to the sick one. It is easier as they get older. It is not news to you, but what is a relatively minor illness can really impact my DD. A head cold can impact her sleep which can lower her seizure threshhold. And forget about stomach and intestinal illnesses...those impact her meds absorbing that starts a vicious cycle of not having enough meds in her system to stop seizures and needing emergency meds. Unfortunately my seizure kid is usually the first sick. :-/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Unfortunately my seizure kid is usually the first sick. :-/ :grouphug: I'm sorry. :-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Unfortunately my seizure kid is usually the first sick. :-/ :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 No. Absolutely not. Never share toothbrushes. I try to keep it contained to the sick one. It is easier as they get older. It is not news to you, but what is a relatively minor illness can really impact my DD. A head cold can impact her sleep which can lower her seizure threshhold. And forget about stomach and intestinal illnesses...those impact her meds absorbing that starts a vicious cycle of not having enough meds in her system to stop seizures and needing emergency meds. That must be so scary. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto10blessings Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 If it's a puke bug or influenza I will sanitize everything to try to keep it contained. Anything else I don't worry about it. No toothbrush sharing though. This last puke bug only went through 8 out of 12 of us. Good odds I guess. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 I can't imagine the toothbrush sharing scenario. Boggles my brain. I have never done anything to intentionally spread an illness. That just seems like asking for a whole mess of trouble. The only time I try to keep a child isolated is with a stomach bug that has caused yucky liquids out either end of the body. But I don't run around sanitizing everything either. It's been rare that we've all suffered from the same sickness. In all my years of mothering, I can think of only one time that every one of us was hit by a stomach bug within a one week period, some had it worse than others though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Unfortunately my seizure kid is usually the first sick. :-/ I'm sorry! This is why I don't sweat it it f my clan spreads stuff around on accident at home, but we avoid others if at all possible until the worst had passed. You just never know who is immune compromised, suppressed, or otherwise low immunity. In our family it's moi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Brought to you by a discussion with a friend who said that most moms she knows has kids share toothbrushes when sick to just get it over with. News to me! Wow, that actually made me gag. That is one of the most disgusting things I have ever heard of. Does she make them wipe dirty tissues on each others faces as well? It would make sense, not all illness are airborne. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 I do think it's convenient if the kids are exposed to the bug at pretty much the same time. For me, it's better than serial illnesses. Plus, if one of them manages to fight it, she still gets the benefit of having been exposed / built antibodies. It means fewer mother-of-sick-kid days for me. My kids don't have any special health issues, though. Sick is not a big deal here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 GROSS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 That must be so scary. :( It is. It is hard to find a balance between being reasonably precautious and creating a bubble with air locks and washing stations like Silkwood. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Strawberry Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 That is nasty and stupid. I did isolate Luna when we got a cold and she was 8 weeks, underweight, and frail. Any kind of illness would have hospitalized her. But normally, no. I don't go to great lengths. But intentionally infecting people is bizarre. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whereneverever Posted April 10, 2015 Author Share Posted April 10, 2015 I'm sorry! This is why I don't sweat it it f my clan spreads stuff around on accident at home, but we avoid others if at all possible until the worst had passed. You just never know who is immune compromised, suppressed, or otherwise low immunity. In our family it's moi. I know it's not intentional but it does irk me sometimes when my kid ends up in the hospital. I'm working on being more gracious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebeccaS Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 I'm an other. :D It depends on the kid. My oldest dd is a type 1 diabetic and getting sick is really hard on her blood sugar. I have a very difficult time keeping her within a normal range. We ended up in the ER when she caught a stomach bug that had her vomiting so much and so hard I couldn't get it to stop and I couldn't get her BS under control. So, I try harder to keep her from catching things from her sibs, but the rest of them I don't stress about nearly as much. Sharing toothbrushes is so, so gross. :ack2: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 I'm an other. :D It depends on the kid. My oldest dd is a type 1 diabetic and getting sick is really hard on her blood sugar. I have a very difficult time keeping her within a normal range. We ended up in the ER when she caught a stomach bug that had her vomiting so much and so hard I couldn't get it to stop and I couldn't get her BS under control. So, I try harder to keep her from catching things from her sibs, but the rest of them I don't stress about nearly as much. Sharing toothbrushes is so, so gross. :ack2: :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 :ack2: :ack2: :ack2: That is absolutely disgusting -- and I also think it is incredibly stupid. Who would intentionally try to get the whole family sick??? That is beyond crazy. My dh is immunosuppressed, so although I was always careful (just because I didn't want anyone else to get sick,) I am now kind of fanatical about it. I will put my bubble/airlock/Silkwood shower plans with the Nancy Drew PC games. :grouphug: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whereneverever Posted April 10, 2015 Author Share Posted April 10, 2015 I'm so sorry for all families dealing with extra concerns over sickness-- like feeling poorly isn't bad enough? :grouphug: 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 I'm sorry! This is why I don't sweat it it f my clan spreads stuff around on accident at home, but we avoid others if at all possible until the worst had passed. You just never know who is immune compromised, suppressed, or otherwise low immunity. In our family it's moi. That's tough when you're the main caregiver. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 We have never shared toothbrushes here. :scared: Both of my dds have an airway abnormality and one has asthma as well so I do try to have them keep their distance and we do more hand washing. ETA: Stomach bugs! I am fanatical about those because oldest cannot bounce back from them. One time she was ill for over two weeks, had three ER visits, and an overnight in the children's hospital. She picked it up from youngest who was only ill for half a day. Dh and I will divide and conquer with those to try and prevent oldest from getting it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luuknam Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 I voted for "if they'll get it, they'll get it", but I do sometimes worry a little bit more about hygiene when one or more of us are ill. But not much. More along the lines of not letting one kid finish the other kid's food (like, if we had something yummy and the ill kid took only a few bites, the other kid is out of luck, whereas normally we're like, sure you can have that if he doesn't want it) or changing my pillow case if snotty kid slept on it before I go to bed. We don't share toothbrushes. Although when my oldest accidentally used his little brother's toothbrush I didn't run out to buy a new one. I just rinsed it a little more thoroughly and called it a day. We do all use the one rinsing cup (for rinsing after brushing). I wash it more often if we're sick. But to say I'm trying to keep it to just one sick person. Not really. Very half-assedly, and mostly if we're in a long stretch of cold after cold after cold. I'm the one who always gets sick, btw (as a kid I got diagnosed with chronic bronchitis - as an adult I've had a few doctors tell me kids don't get that - I don't know). The kids get sick less often than me. ETA: stomach bugs are not really an issue here because they're rare and usually short-lived. It's all the respiratory infections that drive me nuts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 I definitely try to limit exposure to illness around here, but I couldn't really vote because sometimes I'm successful and sometimes I'm not. Norovirus ran through the whole family, and I think that's pretty typical. But when one dd got the flu/pneumonia this winter, I moved her sister out of the bedroom to the family room and she did not get it. She was in a musical and I really didn't want her to miss it due to illness. Some of our family members react badly to illnesses that are mild for others--I will take extra precautions to try to keep them healthy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucy the Valiant Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 I definitely try to limit exposure to illness around here, but I couldn't really vote because sometimes I'm successful and sometimes I'm not. Norovirus ran through the whole family, and I think that's pretty typical. But when one dd got the flu/pneumonia this winter, I moved her sister out of the bedroom to the family room and she did not get it. She was in a musical and I really didn't want her to miss it due to illness. Some of our family members react badly to illnesses that are mild for others--I will take extra precautions to try to keep them healthy. Same here. And if you're sick - you get the quarantined bathroom all to yourself! Sharing toothbrushes is . . . just no. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Intebtionally sharing toothbrushes is seven kinds of weird. I try to isolate the sick one. I don't get out the bubble, but I would never intentionally make a child get some miserable illness if it could be avoided by simply keeping the sick child away from the others. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewellsmommy Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 I am considered a nut by some because of how I respond to stomach bugs. But I have a great success rate when it comes to keeping the viruses from one kid to the other, and I do well at keeping my viruses to myself. The last stomach virus took out dh and then dd. Unfortunately those are the two I worry about because they can't seem to get a stomach bug without requiring an ER visit. The last time anyone had the flu it was me, and I managed to keep it to myself. It was early in the season and no one had a vaccination yet so I thought everyone would get it. Thankfully, not. I absolutely do not consider it a foregone conclusion that everyone will get sick anyway. Therefore the "let's just get it over with" mentality is one that I do not support. So far, I have yet to have a virus* take down all four of us in the same time period (thank you Lord). *I don't really track sniffles/mild colds though, mostly because it can be hard to distinguish these type of symptoms from allergies. ETA: typo 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Let children share toothbrushes on purpose??? :ack2: :ack2: :ack2: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HS Mom in NC Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 I never allow sharing toothbrushes. Ever. I don't do anything to keep kids from making each other sick and I don't do anything to help them get sick . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyThreeSons Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 (Speaking from when my guys were little.) No to the sharing of toothbrushes. There really wasn't a way to keep the guys isolated from each other when one was sick. And I didn't go crazy with the disinfecting and such. We had our share of colds, but not much more. Middle son was the one who would spike a fever and puke whenever he got sick, but then get over it pretty quickly, mostly. He did get the flu badly two years in a row (105+ fever), and his brothers had milder cases of it. The one time I purposely exposed my kids was when a friend's kids had chicken pox. I took them over to play for an hour or so. It worked and I'm glad. I saw what my brother went through when he was 22yo and got them, and I didn't want my boys to go through that. They were saying the vaccine was good for 10 years, and I'm afraid that my boys wouldn't follow up on a booster once they were out of my house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbecueMom Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 I don't allow toothbrush swapping. I also don't allow using toothbrushes to clean toilets when I'm not looking, but that hasn't stopped all three boys from trying it at some point. As much as I hate puke, isolating only seems to work for about a week. The virus sheds for up to three weeks, and I no longer have the time to follow no-longer-sick-but-contagious poopers around with bleach and supervise every hand washing for two Happy Birthdays for three weeks. The only time we strictly and successfully isolated was me when I was hospitalized with shigella. I had the county health department on my back about that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristi26 Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 All right, I chose, "yes, and I'm usually successful." However! I'm usually successful only in LIMITING the spread. Typically, at least one or two other people in the house get it anyway. There are six of us here, so only half sick is still a win in my book. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaKinVA Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 There are some viruses that are more virulent than others, and once one has it, everyone is going to get it. But, on the whole, we are able to pretty much keep most illnesses at bay by quarantining, cleaning, and good hygiene. When kids are throwing up, it all goes into their buckets (no running for toilets). It keeps the germs from literally flying all over the room. Bathrooms are cleaned thoroughly every day. Dirty clothes/sheets/etc. get washed promptly (even if that means other laundry gets pushed aside). My youngest daughter sleeps on a mat in my room, so I can tend to her (which prevents sister from contracting the disease), or if sister is sick, she sleeps with me. The only two people in this family who seem to share illnesses more often are dh and I. My youngest is now 6, and my oldest is 15. We are much more successful now than say...6 years ago. Lots of little kids are just a bit more difficult to manage -- but I still wouldn't have them share toothbrushes to "just get it over with." blech. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocassie Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 We live in close quarters so I don't try to quarantine anyone, but I don't do anything to specifically to spread the germs. Sometimes everyone gets it, other times only one, and other times a couple of us get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandylubug Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Brought to you by a discussion with a friend who said that most moms she knows has kids share toothbrushes when sick to just get it over with. News to me! eww ewwww ewwwwwww I do believe they will either get it or they won't. However, I have tended to TRY to isolate a child if they have a stomach bug or strep. But some times that just isn't feasible all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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