When they no longer tested positive or all symptoms are gone (except a lingering cough). It sucks. We did this all the time for any illness during the pandemic and it sucked. But for something I knew was RSV or strep or COVID or the flu, I couldn't do it any other way. (and we didn't have backup childcare during the pandemic, so I know it really does suck) |
Same but let's be real - almost no one is keeping their kid home from 8+ days for an RSV diagnosis. Certainly many with 'mild RSV" haven't even gone to the pediatrician to get a diagnosis and know. OP I would ask pediatrician and follow daycare policy re fever and other symptoms, plus see how your child is acting/feeling. |
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Fine, OP and PP's who can't google...The CDC says 3-8 days, so I'd keep my kid home 8 days from diagnosis.
"People infected with RSV are usually contagious for 3 to 8 days and may become contagious a day or two before they start showing signs of illness. However, some infants, and people with weakened immune systems, can continue to spread the virus even after they stop showing symptoms, for as long as 4 weeks." https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/about/transmission.html#:~:text=People%20infected%20with%20RSV%20are,as%20long%20as%204%20weeks. I'm a pp who's infant nearly died from it. Honestly, it's shocking and maddening how little pediatricians know about the risk. I brought my sick infant in and saw my ped's colleague. He said NBD. Thank god I ignored that @sshole. Hours later I brought my infant into the ER and they whisked DC away because DC didn't have enough oxygen. |
I have never had a pediatrician recommend returning for repeat testing until a negative test for RSV, strep etc. None of this follows standard medical advice. |
Fair enough. But OP did just have a positive test. So wait until no symptoms except maybe a residual cough. |
Please stop making up medical advice. |
Sorry if it wasn't clear, I'm not giving medical advice. I am saying what I would do and what I think is the right thing to do. Not sure when the thread became "medical advice only"- wasn't OP asking for what others would do? |
I’m sorry you did this, but it probably made no difference in stopping the spread of anything. Fever free for 24 hours, symptoms improving, and able to participate is sound advice, except for things like strep which are 24 hours from start of antibiotics. |
8 days from diagnosis is ridiculous. You do you, but that is not based in any sound science unless you just happened to get a diagnosis on Day 1 of contagiousness, before your child had any symptoms prompting you to seek out medical attention. I’ll also point out that HFM can shed in poop for weeks. Just because someone is hypothetically contagious doesn’t mean they actually are. |
You sound like you have more leave / a much more flexible work situation than the average parents using daycare. |
There are no specific treatments for RSV, prior infection does not make you immune, and it is endemic. Therefore, there really is no reason to test for it other than assuring the parent that their child’s runny nose is due to RSV and not one of the thousands of other viruses currently infecting daycares across America. |
I do, don't I? Except I absolutely did not. |
You do. Or an extremely healthy only child, given that you’re suggesting blowing an entire annual PTO budget the first time one kid catches RSV for the first time in a given winter. |
| Just took a kid to urgent care last week where they tested for RSV/Flu/Covid - doctor said to go back to school 2 days later irrespective of results. Kid tested positive for RSV but we got that result a few days after the return to school and when all symptoms but a bif of cough were gone. |
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I’m a child care teacher and I just want to add that dealing with a very small child with a very bad cough is hard and scary for the teachers. Coughs can suddenly seem much worse when a child lays down for a nap and a lot of wheezing is undetectable without a stethoscope.
Just adding the teacher perspective. |