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Original poster

Can you smell when DC are getting ill?

58 replies

NoItsStillNighttimeDarling · 10/12/2023 15:56

DS 2.5 has been particularly whingey and although he didn't feel hot I could tell by the smell of him that he had a temperature/was coming down with something.

I can always smell illness on him and I remember my mum saying the same about me when I was small.

DH can't smell it and it's very difficult to describe - he doesn't smell bad, just not like him.

Anyone else or am I mad?!

OP posts:
gamerchick · 10/12/2023 15:57

Nope I used to be able to smell illness on mine as well when they were young.

StrictlyAFemaleFemale · 10/12/2023 15:58

Absolutely - more so D's than dd.

Neitheronethingnortheother · 10/12/2023 15:59

I can smell when my DH is getting a cold

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Children's health
TheFairyCaravan · 10/12/2023 15:59

I could always smell when DS2 was going to be ill. DS1 never had the smell though.

violetcuriosity · 10/12/2023 16:00

Yes- a weird vinegary smell around their ears!

Bleepbloopbluurp · 10/12/2023 16:04

I can smell when people are unwell, so can my brother and my DD.

In Chinese medicine how people smell is one of the things used to make a diagnosis.

Shinyandnew1 · 10/12/2023 16:05

Yes, definitely. It’s an odd smell. I can smell it on DH as well.

captaincalamari12 · 10/12/2023 16:06

Yes 100%! I always say to my partner and he thinks I'm mad but I'm always right.

LadyPenelope68 · 10/12/2023 16:10

Yes, I could always tell mine were going to be ill when they were younger and still can now (they’re 21 and 25). My eldest has a vinegary smell to him and my youngest’s breath smells of Brazil nuts.

LividSleep · 10/12/2023 16:12

Yep. We call it The Poorly Smell.

Recently I told nursery he had it on a Friday. They thought I was barmy but by the following week they’d had to call me twice to collect him.

They don’t doubt The Poorly Smell now.

Noicant · 10/12/2023 16:14

Yup definitely, theres a distinct smell which usually means she’s properly poorly not just a runny nose.

DappledThings · 10/12/2023 16:16

I've heard of people doing this but never experienced it. Can't imagine it.

LivingNextDoorToNorma · 10/12/2023 16:16

Yep. I never believed it before I had my own children, but I’m fully convinced now.

PanettonePuff · 10/12/2023 16:16

Can’t smell it anymore, (he’s 38) but definitely can hear it in his voice a good couple of days before he is actually ill. We live 100 miles apart and chat about twice a day, and so many times I’ve said , “are you ok? You sound weird today, are you coming down with something?” only to be told I’m fussing… then he comes down with the cold/ flu / Covid etc. It drives him daft that I know it’s coming - I must have some sort of special witchey instinct!

whatausername · 10/12/2023 16:18

Yep!

Onionsmadeofglass · 10/12/2023 16:18

Yes. Definitely. I can also smell if someone’s been drinking even 12 hours later when there’s probably no/little alcohol left in their blood.

Pixiedust1234 · 10/12/2023 16:24

No, and never heard of it from friends or relatives.

However I can tell from both DDs eyes whether they are coming down with something, and sometimes theirs and DHs voices have a weird echo if it's the beginning of a head/sinus problem. My mum and her mum were the same.

SimmeringSparkles · 10/12/2023 16:25

I can’t but have met a few others who can smell when folks are ill. This sounds far fetched and so I’ve changed my username temporarily but I can often see when me/my daughter are going to become ill. There are a few variations but one is that I see a flash of yellow ‘goo’ on us when it’s dark! Usually around one of the affected areas (eg chest, throat). It happened the other day and we were both fine but boom, next morning - a nasty virus started. I reckon it’s similar to what your experiencing… maybe just translates into a different sense!!!

Christmasss · 10/12/2023 16:26

Yes I can.

HippeePrincess · 10/12/2023 16:28

mainly on my daughter yes, she smells gross when she’s coming down with something like she’s not brushed her teeth for a week.

nancy75 · 10/12/2023 16:30

Yes, I can smell it with DD and also see it around her eyes. DH thinks I’m mad, but I’m never wrong about it

illbeinthegarden · 10/12/2023 16:31

Yep I can with all 3 of mine! It's not a horrible smell but the only time I ever smell it is when they either are or about to be poorly! I smelt it on my 16 year olds room last week and lo and behold a cold followed! Hadn't smelt it for years it really took me back

specialsauce · 10/12/2023 16:32

Yes my son would smell faintly of pear drops when he was getting ill - it's a giveaway for sure!

Original poster
NoItsStillNighttimeDarling · 10/12/2023 16:32

I'm so glad it's not just me!

@SimmeringSparkles absolutely fascinating!

OP posts:
AdventThief · 10/12/2023 16:32

Same here. Like another PP I can smell it around the ears and neck. I can smell a temperature mainly or if he's going to be sick I can sometimes smell that too. I'm glad it isn't just me!