Just found out we were probably exposed to the flu...

[vald1977]

The little boy I baby-sit was here on Friday coughing up a storm. He had no fever at the time but a horrible cough and very runny nose. Unfortunately, he's not old enough to cover his mouth so he ended up coughing directly in my face quite a few times.

I found out yesterday that he's been running a very high fever (104.9 rectal) off and on since Saturday. His mom took him to the dr. on Monday and they said he had two things going on. One was some kind of cough thing he needed an antibiotic for and something else that's probably the flu.

So far no one in my house is sick. My question is how long do I wait before I assume we are out of the woods? It's been 5 days since the little boy has been here. Anything we can do to try to lessen our chances of catching this?

 

[Toby'sFriend]

you can call your dr. and see.

I know a couple of people that have dr.'s that put them on the anti-viral med as soon as somebody close to them came down with the flu. My doctor made me wait until I had symptoms, but as soon as I did she just called in a prescription and didn't make me come in for an office visit. It really made a difference in my case, I didn't get very sick at all.

You could also try the Zicam over the counter stuff.

 

[zakatak]

Well, I can tell you my experience with the flu. I am not certain (who can be?) but I think my dd(3) caught the flu from her best friend (3) over lunch. The reason I think this is because the following night the friend came down with the flu (tested + at drs office, symptoms high fever, runny nose, cough) and one day later my dd(3) came down with the same thing. Her fever hit 105 for two days straight, then 103-104 for the next 4 days. She also tested + for the flu at the drs office.

Now, she sneezed/coughed/sputtered on me for 6 days straight (even slept with me) and I never caught the flu. Neither did anyone else in my family (dh, ds 7, dd 5) so who knows??

Good luck... what I read and what the drs told me is the the actual FLU is contagious one day before symptoms appear to when the fever subsides. Everyone in our house washed hands more, we used lysol and upped our Vit. C to 1000 mg.

Happy New Year!

Karen

 

[damo]

Try Oregenol.
http://www.myhealthpro.net/cgi-bin/store.pl?user=&pass=&bai=&a=disp&pid=181818

 

[TammyNC]

I don't have an answer to your question, but sending you PD that no one will catch it.

 

[my3kids]

I'm pretty sure I read 1 to 4 days, with 2 days being most common for incubation of influenza.

 

[joats]

I'm pretty sure you are in the clear. I believe 4-5 days tops you would have it by. I've been dealing with the same fear of getting the flu as my 3 year old niece was here on christmas and the next day in the hospital with a 106 temp. Her whole family got it, we managed to escape.

I sprayed the house with lysol disenfectant and was careful of not putting hands near my mouth/eyes.

I think you should be ok! But I'm still afraid I'm going to get it!! LOL!!

 

[Christine]

I think I read that 2 days in the most common incubation period for the flu. Also, it wouldn't hurt to try some Zicam. Although, Zicam is marketed for stopping virus caused by "rhinovirus" it does stop virus replication in the nose, which is EXACTLY where the flu virus replicates.

 

[Xtine76]

For now just be stringent with cleanliness practices, disinfect your doorknobs and faucet handles frequently, use paper towels for drying after handwashing instead of cloth towels and handwash frequently. These are just a few precautions you could take to avoid yourself or others in the house getting infected.

Oh and next year if you can-get your flu shot! (i'm kinda partial because I take care of all the flu shots where I work) The flu shot does not make people sick, I have gotten it every year for the past four and I have not gotten sick since I started getting the shot regularly, and I work in a hospital. I think there is a lot to be said about getting the shot.

Hope you are all ok and have a good day!!!

 

[Jenn Lynn]

You are probably ok. DH had the flu and neither DD or I got it (thank goodness.) I did not overly disinfect things, but just kept DH in one room by himself.

 

[vald1977]

Thanks everyone for replying. Looks like we were lucky and didn't catch it.

 

[Blue Skies]

We eneded up in the emergency room last night with DS who is 5 1/2. We have all had a bad cough for a week or so. Two days ago he came down with a fever and began to throw up a couple times. His fever spiked last night and was throwing up again, so we took him in. We ushered in the new year in the waiting room. I was quite suprised that DS DID test positive for the flu. We ALL had flu shots! Go figure! That's always our luck. They did do some chest x-rays, and at least those were fine. The doctor recommended motrin instead of Tylenol, and we got a prescription for some flu medicine that's supposed to lesson the flu by one day.
I have been lysoling and cleaning for weeks! I have no idea how he caught it. I am hoping DH and I make it through this without cathching it. It's going to be tricky, since we have both been thrown up and coughed on more than once.
I hope DS will be able to make it to school on Monday - he starts at a new school.


Melissa

 

[vald1977]

Hope your little guy is feeling better by Monday, Melissa, and keeping my fingers crossed that the rest of your family doesn't catch it.

 

[lillykat]

The incubation period is 1-5 days - but basically if you don't have symptoms 2-4 days later you are most likely in the clear -