Should they isolate due to baby high temperature?

[Plussizejumpsuit]

My sister asked me to ask this as she's not on mumsnet. (I know!)

Her baby aged just under 10 months has a temperature. So do the family need to isolate? Temp is 38.6 previously 39. I don't know if the advice is same for under 1year?

Normally I assume the protocol is isolated until a negative test. But is it the same with a baby? Also how do you test a baby? Anyone got any experience of this?

Sorry if this is a stupid question! She's freaking out a bit and I said I'd ask here.

@Reviewsplease then you should be self isolating and getting a test. Which is exactly what the guidance says.

We really need to be logical about this.

Relying on people’s logic is why we are in such a mess.

If I seem irate about this it is because I am. Because I spent months working after critically ill covid patients and am gearing up to do the same again. Because my colleagues and I bear the mental scars of the first wave and watching numbers increase is terrifying.

You need to self isolate immediately if:

• any symptoms of coronavirus (high temperature, new continuous cough or loss or change in sense of smell or taste)

• if you have tested positive for coronavirus

• if you live with someone who has symptoms or tested positive

• someone in your support bubble has symptoms or tested positive

• you’re told to isolate by NHS Test and Trace or the NHS COVID-19 app

• you arrive in the U.K. from a country with a high coronavirus risk (see gov.uk for the current list)

I despair when I see people posting (not just on here, also FB) that they have stopped isolating and not booked a test as the fever has settled. Nowhere in the guidance does it say that the public should use their own clinical judgement to decide whether the fever might be due to a cold etc. Fever = test, and if you can’t/won’t get a test, then the household needs to isolate for 14 days.

The thing with trusting everyone's logic is you end up with twats going on the piss after they've tested positive because they feel better. A friend of the family did just that where I live and cant understand why the people who now have to isolate because of them are angry with her.

@countbackfromten but I dont have covid symptoms.... i have a cold... the same cold I get every year when the temperature suddenly drops... because my body cant seem to go from rapid hot to rapid cold (god knows why)

I dont have a temp... I was hot from being in bed. I dont have a cough. I can still smell my husbands farts and the babies dirty bum. I have a sore throat, lack of sleep and a blocked nose.

Obviously with a baby it's harder to see or hear the usual symptoms and they cant tell you If the milk tastes off but you can use common sense.

@Reviewsplease you had a fever, a temperature of 38 was what you said. A high temperature is over 37.8 so therefore yes you do have a symptom and yes you should be self isolating and getting a test. No matter what other symptoms you may or may not have.

Doesn’t matter how long it lasted, you had a temperature over 37.8 and therefore a symptom of covid.

My baby had a temp from teething every other week the first couple of years. Parents can’t be expected to isolate and test every time? I wouldn’t particularly want to put such a young child through a test either and I’m sure many parents won’t.

@Spanglebangle

Are people really isolating for 10 days because they had a temperature for one evening with no other symptoms? No wonder no one can get a test. My god use a bit of common sense people or the whole country will grind to a halt.

Yes! This is the guidelines. To self isolate for 10 days for a temperature and other household members for 14 days unless you get a negative test result in the mean time.

@TheEC currently yes, because now is a different time and we are living during a pandemic with a virus that is again spreading rapidly. This may be crude but until we have something better we need everyone to follow the rules and self isolate as said.

@countbackfromten

If family’s isolated for every teething temp many family’s would be out of a job quite quickly.

My DD is a medic and follows the guidance to the letter. Her baby is 16 months old and has had 3 Covid tests because of high temperatures. He was most likely teething one time and had colds the other times.
I questioned the need to test him and my DD said 'the advice says to have a test if you have a high temperature' it doesn't say 'unless you are a baby teething or have a cold or your grandma doesn't think you need one'!
She is absolutely right.

@mygrandchildrenrock she is indeed absolutely right. All the medics I know with children are sticking to it despite the obvious inconvenience. Hope little one’s teething is ok!!

Thanks countbackfromten, he has a mouth full of teeth! They make him look older than he is!

Just wanted to update, my baby niece is fine. Like nothing happened! She had a covid test which came back negative. But she was really hot and had a fast pulse so GP said to take her to hospital. So my poor sister had half a day in hospital with her. Various tests were done for urine infection, ear infection etc but nothing showed up. And she if fine now do maybe a bit of a cold or teething or she's just keeping us on our toes?!

Older one can go back to nursery this week which she enjoys so we're all pleased the test came back in 24 hrs. I do understand its a tough call with constant high temperatures if babies due to teething etc. But I do think it's better to be cautious. Thanks for the replies.

Glad your niece is okay, babies can be so up and down, it's better to be safe than sorry.

Babies get temperatures for teething etc - it will be very damaging for their mental health if they keep isolating. You can call 111 and get a triage that will allow you to avoid a test.

Look at the Covid figures for under 5s nearly non existent!

@Wondergirl100 as long as babies are with their primary carers they won’t have any psychological damage from self isolating.

Any triage will just ask if the baby meets any of the 3 criteria which this baby does and they will say they need a test.

@wondergirl100 the isolated for a day as the test came back in 24 hrs. For about 5 hours of that they were in the hospital (in a private room for most of it) but still it's not like they had weeks alone.