To take my baby to baby groups? She's just had scarlet fever

[juniper44]

My 6mo dd was hospitalised this week with scarlet fever. It was an incredibly stressful, upsetting and scary time for all of us, but she responded well to her IV of fluids and heavy duty doses of antibiotics. She had IV antibiotics at 2am on Wednesday and Thursday and then 10pm on Thursday night (Friday's dose brought forwards). From Friday (yesterday) onwards, she's been on oral antibiotics 4 times a day. We were discharged from hospital on Thursday night, hence why they gave the final IV shot early.

She is getting better and is happy to roll around and play.

The nhs website says that it's no longer contagious 24 hours after starting antibiotics, so that would have been 2am on Thursday. I did ask the doctor at the hospital but she didn't know about the infection period. I think she's their first case.

Wibu to take her to my usual baby groups this week, assuming she is well enough? She still has the rash so looks like she's ill, but the information I've read says she isn't a risk.

I had it last year and am still exhausted. DD sailed through it

What were your symptoms Fanjo? Petrified of my 2 getting it.

Red rash sore throat felt fluey, fever

I wouldn't take her, I don't think you really need to take a 6 month old to groups anyway. I can see that an 18 month year old would go stir crazy in the house for a week, but a 6 month old will just eat, sleep, get rested, have cuddles.

TheRealJoanWarburton Scarlet fever used to be a lot more serious than it is now. Today, it is a lot milder and more easily treated.

Sorry, that was meant for BornFreeButinChains

There was a thread a couple of days ago where the dd had recovered from sf then went straight on to have chicken pox, despite having never succumbed through years of pre-school and school (the dd was 5). I really think something like this does make children more susceptible to everything that's going, so from that pov I would keep her at home for a week or so.

Glad she's recovering though, it sounds scary!

Having said that, I've had scarlet fever twice and it was not nice, so I wouldn't take your dd to a group until you're sure she isn't contagious.

When I last had scarlet fever, the GP explained that the strains of scarlet fever were a lot less serious than they had been a few generations ago (when it was a killer), and that nowadays scarlet fever is tonsillitis with a rash (although I have no tonsils).

I hadn't really considered that her immune system may be compromised.

I am worried about the other children on the ward, though- we were kept in isolation for the first 15 hours as they didn't know what was wrong, but then moved to an open ward as they needed the room. I really hope those other babies don't catch it from her.Her rash only appeared on Thursday night, prompting the diagnosis, so before that no-one had been taking any precautions.

I guess it is selfishness that's making me want to take her out. I've spent most of this week in the hospital and all of last week at my mum's, who's just had a hip replacement. It's been 3 or 4 weeks since I've met up with my mummy groups.

Nursery excluded my kids for a week after scarlet fever.

I wouldn't, even if she's not infectious any more her immune system will have taken a dive from it and she will be a sitting duck for the bugs that all the other little Petri dishes at toddler group will be carrying

I can certainly understand that Juniper. But I think that while your baby rebuilds her immune system you should probably restrict interaction. Could you arrange a night out for you and said friends instead?

Glad to hear your baby is on the mend. At 6 months there should be no problem for her staying away from groups.

TheRealJoanWarburton Scarlet fever used to be a lot more serious than it is now. Today, it is a lot milder and more easily treated.

"Remembering that, even though times have changed I'd keep away from other children for a while."
[sighs]

Could you meet for a walk round the park with buggies maybe? Sounds like you have cabin fever, and no wonder. Babies in the fresh air in their own prams wouldn't pose any risk.

If she's not infectious then it's fine to take her as far as everyone else is concerned however my big concern would be her picking something up from others.
Some kids take longer than others to recover from illness. I always have to keep DS1 off longer after being sick than DD. if I send him in the day after he starts feeling better he ALWAYS picks something else up. DD is good to go once she feels OK. Her immune system is stronger than his obviously. Once she's better she better. With him he may feel OK but his immune system is still susceptible.
You know your kid best. If she always recovers quick from any bugs then she's probably OK. If not I'd keep her away for another week.

TheRealJoan..she said she had addressed you by mistake :)

My lot had scarlet fever about 5 years ago, it was going round the school. Ive no idea why its making the news now? The kids sailed through it, but the adults I know who caught it took a bit of a beating for a week or so.

I wouldn't, because it's not essential. Give her time at home to rest and strength her immune system.

No YABU. It isn't essential to go to babyclubs jeez just give it a miss for a week. Your childs just been seriously ill and hospitalised, surely it would be kinder to just let her play around at home.

It would hardly be cruel to take her baby to a baby group.

Jeez back at you.

As an aside, are your groups even running? Most of our toddler groups aren't as it's the school holidays.

notadoglover eh???

Liker even.