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Original poster

Probably a stupid question but can you catch tonsilitis from a dummy?!

7 replies

Embelline · 17/08/2023 22:57

DS has just had tonsilitis and been on antibiotics from it which he’s just finished. He lost a dummy when he was poorly and I couldn’t find it for love nor money. I’ve just gone into him and he had that dummy in his mouth and the one that he went to bed with in his hand 🙈
he’s obviously wedged it somewhere and I just hadn’t been able to find it.

im now worrying that because he would have used that dummy when he had the infection that he might get it back again from it? Is that possible? Am I being insane? DH thinks I’m worrying about nothing but I’m worrying because we go on holiday on Monday and I know how these things go!

OP posts:
Original poster
Embelline · 17/08/2023 23:06

I’ve googled by the way and I can see that you can get reinfected but doesn’t say how long germs will live on things if that makes sense.

I think I need wine. Or sleep. Or both.

OP posts:
scrabbledabbl · 17/08/2023 23:09

I wouldn't trust google here OP - the body would have fought off and built up immunity to that particular strain of the bug / bacteria so I would be completely surprised if he were to get reinfected by it.

Original poster
Embelline · 17/08/2023 23:10

@scrabbledabbl i prefer your answer! Do you think that would be the case even if he has had antibiotics?

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Original poster
Embelline · 17/08/2023 23:11

It’s a bit of a nudge to get rid of the dummies anyway, he only has them to soothe himself to sleep generally then they get spat out - but he does seem particularly throne to throat infections and I’m wondering if there’s a link there!

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scrabbledabbl · 17/08/2023 23:27

So I've asked my mum who is a qualified GP and she said there is no way the bug could live on the dummy for that long 😊 I hope that eases your mind.

Apprenticenomore · 17/08/2023 23:36

Microbiologist here- if it was bacterial then it was probably caused by a streptococcal species which can live (depending on the species) for up to 6/7 months on inanimate objects. Even done viruses can survive for a few days. So it’s not IMPOSSIBLE, but I wouldn’t worry over it. Just sterilise it now.

Original poster
Embelline · 17/08/2023 23:54

Thank you both. Hopefully he will have built up some immunity @Apprenticenomore so even if there was some bacteria still present it won’t cause a full infection again!

it would have been used after he had been on antibiotics for a few days as well so hopefully wouldn’t have been in the full throes of infection.

will be trying to ditch the dummy over the next few weeks.

@scrabbledabbl thank you for asking your mum that’s so kind of you

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