Headache + Fever in 15 yr old, 12 days after haircut....covid test???

[TheReader]

Bleepity-bleep-bleep. 

We have been crazy-careful here at our house. We're in TX (though in our county, the positive cases are declining slowly but surely at the moment). 

DS15 has been to:
Orthodontist for retainer check, 7/15 - mask worn all but when the ortho was in his mouth; they did not let me back w/him for that (but their practices are crazy-safe)
Dentist for much-needed post-braces & overdue cleaning, 7/17 - same as above, I did go back w/him for that
Haircut (also much needed), 7/17 - DH went inside while he paid, otherwise just DS was in; he and hair stylist both wore masks the whole time (and whole store)
Sociall-distanced group of friends here at the house, 7/21 - 2 family groups, all with strict social distancing guidelines here, half masked on top of that, half not, no one in that group (including our other DS) reporting any symptoms or anything

DH had a 99.7 temp randomly one day last week or week before, no symptoms of anything. 

DH, DS, and I have each had a one-day bout of diarrhea, resolved (in other words, not "1 day so far" but that lasted only one day)

So....find a rapid response Covid test for him.....??? Or not, and just self isolate? (also, how much isolation does he need to do w/in the home, since he's not been all this time....does it make a difference for him to start isolating now?)

[MEmama]

I would absolutely get him tested ASAP. If he is positive, it sounds like you have a long list of people to contact. 😞 
 

We didn’t isolate in house when DS had symptoms, because it seemed too late to bother. YMMV of course (and I do believe in reducing viral load, so it might not be a bad idea). 

[Pen]

Absolutely get him tested!

 

[Ausmumof3]

Yep get tested if possible and the turn around time on tests is reasonable.  

[mmasc]

I’m so sorry! But I agree with others, I’d get him tested. 

[TheReader]

Okay, thanks, y'all. Will call our doctor in the morning and see what our options are. I know the county tests have a long turn-around; not sure about who/where is offering a rapid test.  

The list to notify isn't too long really; the D&D group is 2 families only (4 teens, 2 pairs of siblings). Dentist/hair cut would be likely where it came from, but of course we'd let both places know if he tests positive. 

Ugh. 

 

 

 

[RootAnn]

I'm sure you know this, but the rapid tests, so far as I know, give a lot of false negatives. It might be better to obtain a regular test and self isolate for as long as he has symptoms until he gets his results back or feels better. Just a suggestion.

[TheReader]

14 minutes ago, RootAnn said:

I'm sure you know this, but the rapid tests, so far as I know, give a lot of false negatives. It might be better to obtain a regular test and self isolate for as long as he has symptoms until he gets his results back or feels better. Just a suggestion.

yea, we're debating that. No testing place tonight regardless, so in the morning we'll assess. 

He can isolate easily, honestly the times he left the house above are pretty much it since March (he had his braces off in there a month ago, and we've done a handful of zero contact outings where he/we have not had contact with other people, but as far as people exposure....that's it for him). 

DH and I can likewise isolate, and putting the house on quarantine for the next 10-14 days/until DS  is no longer symptomatic for 3 days/assuming no one else shows symptoms, may well be the easiest; it's more in wondering who to let know, what. 

The only thing we'll need to cancel is the little girl I tutor, but I've already let them know as her grown-up was going to come over tomorrow to help me with some stuff. Otherwise we are very well stocked to just stay home until. 

Tomorrow I'll call around and see where we can get him tested, when, and how long it takes for results. If we could get IN with the county testing soon, even if not get the results asap, that would be okay. 

We've just been so careful (I guess "hosting teenagers" doesn't *sound* careful, but we have literally measured the distances in seating, provided single-serve foods, required strict social distancing, etc.). 

On the plus side, hey, if he/we get it now, at least I'll be immune (and not pose a risk) at school when we start. 

[ktgrok]

5 minutes ago, TheReader said:

 

We've just been so careful (I guess "hosting teenagers" doesn't *sound* careful, but we have literally measured the distances in seating, provided single-serve foods, required strict social distancing, etc.). 

On the plus side, hey, if he/we get it now, at least I'll be immune (and not pose a risk) at school when we start. 

The 6 feet apart is for short periods of time, not long periods indoors with circulating air, unfortunately. 

[Pen]

It might be helpful to give the friends a heads up as soon as possible so they know that

son has the symptoms he has and that you don’t yet know what he is sick with — and also to find out if they know anything helpful like that someone was diagnosed with some other similar thing already...   same with dentist and haircut place...    sooner os probably better than later for people to at least watch for symptoms—while also

being clear that testing not done and it might not be CV19... 

[Tap]

Yes get tested. I am curious why you think it is the hairdresser? 

[GoodGrief]

I'm still not clear on the symptoms. Your said your husband had a 99.7 temp? What was your son's temp? How long has this been going on?

I might not be running out to be tested, depending.

[TheReader]

5 minutes ago, Tap said:

Yes get tested. I am curious why you think it is the hairdresser? 

Not specifically the hair dresser; there were other people in there, and I would think of dentist or hair dresser, more likely at the hair cut place than the dentist just due to protocols in place. And while the protocol in the D&D group would have been the most risky, our other DS who was also involved in that has no symptoms, nor have any of the other kids/teens mentioned anything (and they all are good at mentioning these things)......which would seem to rule that out as his exposure incident, which would limit it to dentist's office or hair cut place. 

Maybe I'm wrong on all of that, I don't know. Should he test positive, we'll alert all of them, just in case. 

His fever is not responding to tylenol, so just gave him ibuprofen (but he is up and eating, so no loss of appetite or smell, no lethargy/tired/fatigue). 

[mommyoffive]

Now I am confused who are you testing?   

Your ds only had one day if diarrhea.    

Sounds like your dh had more symptoms diarrhea and fever.

Isn't day 4 or 5 the best time to test?

[TheReader]

8 minutes ago, GoodGrief1 said:

I'm still not clear on the symptoms. Your said your husband had a 99.7 temp? What was your son's temp? How long has this been going on?

I might not be running out to be tested, depending.

Husband had a random 99.7 a week or week & a half ago; I'll have to check the date. No symptoms, and he didn't even realize, but he stopped by work to grab something, had to get his temp checked to go in, and that was the result. 

DS has 100.8, up now to 101 after giving tylenol earlier (about 2 hrs ago). Just gave him ibuprofen now. 

No change to his headache. 

No loss of appetite, no fatigue, no loss of smell, no sore throat, no cough. His fever/headache just came on today (this afternoon) while DH & I were running errands. 

DH's previous "fever" was just that one random thing, never any symptoms. I *think* we can rule out the gastrointestinal stuff b/c everything I've read on covid and that is 4+ days of those type symptoms, so our 1 day then recovered is not likely to be related. 

[TheReader]

2 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

Now I am confused who are you testing?   

Your ds only had one day if diarrhea.    

Sounds like your dh had more symptoms diarrhea and fever.

Isn't day 4 or 5 the best time to test?

Sorry; different DS too. 

Current concern is DS15, with fever, headache, no other symptoms. I just mentioned DH's single day of a blip of a fever, and DS19's (and DH, and mine) blip of a day of diarrhea, as "here's what else has been going on in our house, in case this makes things more or less of a concern" (and DH's fever did not overlap the diarrhea)

The DS15 in question with the fever & headache has only that, only since this afternoon. 

[mommyoffive]

Ok got it.  

Has anyone else read that the best to test is on day 4 or 5?   I think I have read if you test to early even if you do have it you might get a negative.    I would for sure call the doctor.    Start dosing with vitamins.   

[Terabith]

5 minutes ago, TheReader said:

Husband had a random 99.7 a week or week & a half ago; I'll have to check the date. No symptoms, and he didn't even realize, but he stopped by work to grab something, had to get his temp checked to go in, and that was the result. 

DS has 100.8, up now to 101 after giving tylenol earlier (about 2 hrs ago). Just gave him ibuprofen now. 

No change to his headache. 

No loss of appetite, no fatigue, no loss of smell, no sore throat, no cough. His fever/headache just came on today (this afternoon) while DH & I were running errands. 

DH's previous "fever" was just that one random thing, never any symptoms. I *think* we can rule out the gastrointestinal stuff b/c everything I've read on covid and that is 4+ days of those type symptoms, so our 1 day then recovered is not likely to be related. 

If your husband's temp was taken with an infrared thermometer, I really wouldn't think it was necessarily accurate, especially if he was coming from outdoors where it was hot.  I had a GYN appointment yesterday; it started raining on the long walk from parking garage to clinic, and my temp was 95 and 96.5 at the entrance and then in the exam rooms.  I'm pretty sure neither of those were accurate.  

I would definitely get a test, but I also think the odds of it being covid are extremely low, given the low levels of interaction.  I think it's more likely a sinus infection or something like that.  

[TheReader]

Just now, Terabith said:

If your husband's temp was taken with an infrared thermometer, I really wouldn't think it was necessarily accurate, especially if he was coming from outdoors where it was hot.  I had a GYN appointment yesterday; it started raining on the long walk from parking garage to clinic, and my temp was 95 and 96.5 at the entrance and then in the exam rooms.  I'm pretty sure neither of those were accurate.  

I would definitely get a test, but I also think the odds of it being covid are extremely low, given the low levels of interaction.  I think it's more likely a sinus infection or something like that.  

That's pretty much what we thought with DH's temp; thanks for that. 

I intellectually know that it's unlikely to be Covid, but also......gah. I also know, intellectually, that even if it is, none of us is in a high risk group, at all (nor the people he's been in contact with, which is why everyone in the D&D group has agreed to the kids getting together). 

His headache isn't sinus headachy, but yes, I think it's very likely something else; I keep saying that to myself. 

[Pen]

 

I would say fever plus headache in someone who doesn’t usually get headaches is a red flag right now.

I might do a smell test rather than assuming he can smell well.  Like seeing if he can Name a spice by smell only with his eyes shut. 

 

[TheReader]

3 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

Ok got it.  

Has anyone else read that the best to test is on day 4 or 5?   I think I have read if you test to early even if you do have it you might get a negative.    I would for sure call the doctor.    Start dosing with vitamins.   

I did read day 5, BUT what I was reading/misremembering is day 5 post exposure, OR when symptoms appear; not day 5 of symptoms (and not "once it's past day 5 of exposure, it's too late to test, if symptoms don't show up until later"). So, I think, first day of symptoms/second day of symptoms is likely to be accurate. I think. 

Plan is call the doctor in the morning, see what they say, go from there. 

We did give vitamins this evening and will continue, per the MATH protocol thing that was linked in the other thread about covid exposure. 

[TheReader]

1 minute ago, Pen said:

 

I would say fever plus headache in someone who doesn’t usually get headaches is a red flag right now.

I might do a smell test rather than assuming he can smell well.  Like seeing if he can Name a spice by smell only with his eyes shut. 

 

He gets headaches off & on, so not unusual by itself, if that matters. 

I'll have to think what smells he is likely to be able to identify, and try that. Good tip. 

[Guest]

I’m sorry, that is so stinky. Personally, I would suspect the social gathering moreso than the hairdresser or dentist, partially because that was the most recent possible exposure. Even though it can develop in up to two weeks, it is really more likely to develop in five-ish days. 

I would def. get a test. 

[Pen]

Does he have any other potentially explanatory symptoms? Swimmers ear? Urinary infection symptoms? Tooth abscess symptoms?

 

[mommyoffive]

5 minutes ago, TheReader said:

I did read day 5, BUT what I was reading/misremembering is day 5 post exposure, OR when symptoms appear; not day 5 of symptoms (and not "once it's past day 5 of exposure, it's too late to test, if symptoms don't show up until later"). So, I think, first day of symptoms/second day of symptoms is likely to be accurate. I think. 

Plan is call the doctor in the morning, see what they say, go from there. 

We did give vitamins this evening and will continue, per the MATH protocol thing that was linked in the other thread about covid exposure. 

Yeah, I am not sure what it really is.  That is why it is so hard to know what to do.  And everything keeps changing too.

[Pen]

4 minutes ago, TheReader said:

He gets headaches off & on, so not unusual by itself, if that matters. 

I'll have to think what smells he is likely to be able to identify, and try that. Good tip. 

 

Do his headaches usually respond to Tylenol? 

 

There’s actually debate about whether it is good to bring down fever.

 

 

[Pen]

Example of issues in the fever:

https://youtu.be/md6BGwGnekw

https://youtu.be/md6BGwGnekw

 

Edited July 30, 2020 by Pen

[Pen]

Caring for possible CV19 st home;

 

https://youtu.be/DAjLdCPIgY0

 

 

https://youtu.be/DAjLdCPIgY0

Edited July 30, 2020 by Pen

[Selkie]

40 minutes ago, TheReader said:

Not specifically the hair dresser; there were other people in there, and I would think of dentist or hair dresser, more likely at the hair cut place than the dentist just due to protocols in place. And while the protocol in the D&D group would have been the most risky, our other DS who was also involved in that has no symptoms, nor have any of the other kids/teens mentioned anything (and they all are good at mentioning these things)......which would seem to rule that out as his exposure incident, which would limit it to dentist's office or hair cut place. 

Maybe I'm wrong on all of that, I don't know. Should he test positive, we'll alert all of them, just in case. 

His fever is not responding to tylenol, so just gave him ibuprofen (but he is up and eating, so no loss of appetite or smell, no lethargy/tired/fatigue). 

It's also possible that someone else in your household may have caught it and passed it on to your ds.

[Janeway]

Have him smell the Ketchup. That usually has a strong smell.

[Tap]

This  is coming from the point of view of a health care worker.

You know how you had a little gi thing, and dh had a mystery temperature variation and you both felt fine after wards? That is how very mild, or asymptomatic people feel and how they spread the illness. The fact that no-one in the unmasked DND group have talked about symptoms, doesn't mean they didn't have any. Just that they were possibly mild, and maybe dismissed as TacoBellBelly, or This-room-is-hot-itis. I would at least call everyone in the unmasked group and tell them that he has some symptoms, so if they have symptoms too, they may about the connection and not put the blame somewhere else. 

BTW...there is a salmonella outbreak right now too, which could possibly be the cause of the GI issues.....

Edited July 30, 2020 by Tap

[TheReader]

thanks, all; I am reading, paying attention, and we'll call our doctor in the morning and proceed accordingly. 

We'll stay home in the meantime, either way, and let folks know, just in case. 

[TheReader]

1 hour ago, Pen said:

Does he have any other potentially explanatory symptoms? Swimmers ear? Urinary infection symptoms? Tooth abscess symptoms?

 

Nope, none. 

1 hour ago, Pen said:

 

Do his headaches usually respond to Tylenol? 

 

There’s actually debate about whether it is good to bring down fever.

 

 

Mixed on this; sometimes yes, sometimes no. He ate dinner, drank water, and felt well enough to watch a movie with us upstairs, and seems to be okay at the moment. 

1 hour ago, Selkie said:

It's also possible that someone else in your household may have caught it and passed it on to your ds.

This is true. DH and I mask if we go out, but we do go out (grocery store and the like). No one else has been anywhere (well, me and tutoring the 4 yr old, but I mask with her). 

1 hour ago, Janeway said:

Have him smell the Ketchup. That usually has a strong smell.

He was able to tell that they had burned the popcorn pretty immediately when it happened. And he could smell his waffle/the syrup at dinner. 

1 hour ago, Tap said:

This  is coming from the point of view of a health care worker.

You know how you had a little gi thing, and dh had a mystery temperature variation and you both felt fine after wards? That is how very mild, or asymptomatic people feel and how they spread the illness. The fact that no-one in the unmasked DND group have talked about symptoms, doesn't mean they didn't have any. Just that they were possibly mild, and maybe dismissed as TacoBellBelly, or This-room-is-hot-itis. I would at least call everyone in the unmasked group and tell them that he has some symptoms, so if they have symptoms too, they may about the connection and not put the blame somewhere else. 

BTW...there is a salmonella outbreak right now too, which could possibly be the cause of the GI issues.....

Thank you for this; we'll let everyone know. 

And I'll look into the salmonella thing; that might be a possibility. It hit the 3 of us (me, dh, 19 yr old ds) at the same time and for the same super brief duration, which is what made me think not Covid, b/c only DH & I leave the house normally, so we'd have had to catch it, bring it home, then spread it -- meaning the other(s) with symptoms would have been later. 

[TheReader]

well, no cases of the salmonella in TX from that link, so probably not. 

I'll update y'all as we learn more; heading to bed. Thanks for all the feedback. 

[ktgrok]

Well, whatever he has, it shows that he WAS exposed to someone with an illness - so safety measures broke down somewhere. My bet is having people indoors for a long period of time, unmasked is the source of exposure. The other kids are young enough they could easily be asymptomatic carriers. 

But I get the frustration. My 3 yr old had fever and a headache and fatigue. I didn't get her tested,but had any of the adults come down with it, we would have gotten tested. 

[RootAnn]

Based on what you've posted, unlikely to be covid, but I completely understand wanting to be careful. 

Hope he feels better soon!

[mommyoffive]

Sending good thoughts his way.  

[Terabith]

How is your son today?

[TheReader]

12 hours ago, Terabith said:

How is your son today?

Forgot to come update 🙂 Thanks for asking. 

Yesterday he still had fever off & on, but no headache, and felt very totally fine (eating well, all normal activities, cheerful, laughing, goofing off, etc.); fever was lower than the day before. 

We did take him to get tested, just in case; results in 3-10 business days, so.....we'll see. Until we know, we're to pretend he's positive and stay home accordingly. As we mostly do just that anyway, minus that DH and I go to the grocery store and such, we can easily adjust and stay home, no problem. 

He's still asleep so far this morning, but did not have a fever when he went to bed, so....maybe he's on the mend.  He actually gets this headache/fever every so often honestly, and if this weren't Covid-19 time, our area wasn't a hot spot, etc, I wouldn't have even thought anything of this. Very likely this is just the normal thing that he sometimes gets. But just out of an abundance of caution, because the last thing we want to do is spread it to someone for whom it would be disastrous, we're operating as though he is positive and we've all been exposed. Just in case. 

We did let the friends know from D&D, just in case also. His symptoms showed up 8 days after that gathering, 12 days after dentist/haircut, and 14 days after the orthodontist (which gosh makes it sound like he's just out & about all the time, but he's really not). He's been nowhere/around no one since that D&D gathering, so that's good. 

 

[mommyoffive]

Glad he is doing better.   

[TheReader]

Okay, he's up now, just came down, and is fever free. Fingers crossed, it doesn't come back today. 

We will continue to isolate regardless, but would certainly be nice if he were done with whatever this is. Still no other symptoms in him, nor in anyone else in the family. 

[Pen]

Glad he’s  doing better!

some people get fever with migraines, but fever plus headache can be significant symptom of some other underlying problem and would probably be worth following up on when you are able, if it turns out that he has something other than mild CV19 

[TheReader]

1 minute ago, Pen said:

Glad he’s  doing better!

some people get fever with migraines, but fever plus headache can be significant symptom of some other underlying problem and would probably be worth following up on when you are able, if it turns out that he has something other than mild CV19 

I'll look into this; he tends to have a 24-48 hr thing of this maybe once/twice a year at most; enough that I feel like probably this is that; not enough that it's ever worried us or I've ever tracked it or anything to see if it's seasonal, etc.