URGENT - Need advice about stomach bug

[Anonymous]

Nanny to our 22 month old DD has had a stomach bug for the past week. She tells me that she had liquidy stools (sorry for being graphic) last night and it was solid but not completely normal this morning. I've read online that a person is contagious so long as they have symptoms and up to two weeks after. It seems excessive to say she can't come in for the next two weeks, I have to balance the risk. At what point should I say it is okay for her to come back? I've had to take a week off of work and am itching for her to come back, but not at the risk of infecting DD and the whole family.

I've read that it's the feces that is contagious so if she is taking an anti-diarrheal so not pooping while she is at work, plus washing her hands often, making sure DD washes her hands often, are we probably okay??

[Anonymous]

I think you are overreacting a bit here. As long as the nanny is not vomiting or running to the toilet every 30 minutes, and feels up to coming to work you should let her. I'm sure she will wash her hands regularly, any good nanny does this on a normal basis.

[Anonymous]

Your kid has already been exposed. As long as she feels up to it, let her return to work.

[Anonymous]

I agree with PP. If she feels well enough to work it's fine. I've worked the day after vomiting all night. Life doesn't stop because a bug hits and it certainly doesn't stop for days at a time. She needs to take some meds to calm her system and get back to it. Relax. It will be fine. Have her stay hydrated with whatever she likes to drink.

[Anonymous]

Unless she is also running a fever you shouldn't be concerned. That is what indicates contagion. She may very well be eating something that she hasn't realized disagrees with her. Something similar happened to me years ago. I was battling diarrhea for more than a week and thought it was a bug but then went over everything I had changed about my diet. Splenda was the culprit. My body didn't just pass it like others but instead broke it down and digested it and turned my bathroom visits into a nightmare.

[Anonymous]

This is OP. Thanks everyone for the responses. The nanny came back to work, but since her bowel movements aren't totally back to normal, she's still contagious. She's promised to wash her hands extra well and have DC do the same and hopefully this will be enough to keep our family from getting sick.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unless she is also running a fever you shouldn't be concerned. That is what indicates contagion. She may very well be eating something that she hasn't realized disagrees with her. Something similar happened to me years ago. I was battling diarrhea for more than a week and thought it was a bug but then went over everything I had changed about my diet. Splenda was the culprit. My body didn't just pass it like others but instead broke it down and digested it and turned my bathroom visits into a nightmare.

This is OP. What you said about fever is not correct. A person can be without symptoms, but still be contagious. I think you're thinking the flu, but this is the stomach flu, which is not the same.