Child feels hot and has diarrhea

[magicgoldpot]

He needs a test doesn't he?

Is it just him or all the household need tests?

Do we all need to isolate until results come back negative?

Does your child have a temperature or a new continuous cough or loss of taste/smell?

These are the criteria for getting tested.

A dose of the shits and being 'hot' isn't.

Yes. The nhs website says you don't need a thermometer reading to define the fever. Feeling hot is enough. Accompanied by diarrhoea too then definitely. Gastro symptoms are documented as being typical symptoms of covid in dc. It's just the UK don't seem to include it in the 3 symptom rule. The research suggests the symptom criteria needs revising. I hope he feels better soon and does t pass it on to you.

Does he feel hot or does he have a temperature? Diarrhoea isn't a symptom.

By "hot", I assume the OP means he has a fever. Not everyone has a thermometer, but it's usually pretty easy to tell.

If you think he has a temperature, OP, then yes, he needs a test. Diarrhoea can be a symptom in children.

The rest of you don't need testing (assuming you're not symptomatic) but you do all need to isolate until your ds gets his test results.

Hope he feels better soon.

Feeling hot does not necessarily mean having a temperature. I assumed OP said 'feels hot' rather then 'has a temperature' to differentiate. Maybe not, in which case yes, a temperature means he needs to be tested.

I went to check on him about half an hour ago and his hands, back and forehead were really hot. I haven't used a thermometer to be exact. I removed his duvet and just checked and he's cooled down now.

We had this dilemma at the week end. You can do the .Gov symptom checker online and it gives you a result. In our case he had nausea and a temperature and result was it could be coronavirus and to book a 111 call with a nurse. It was actually a Doctor that called. Not much help. Said if temp hadn’t gone down in two days then get a test.

But yes prob easiest to just get a test. You all self isolate until there is a result. If test is negative the rest of you don’t need tests or to self isolate. If positive you all self isolate for 14 days but then rest of you only get a test if you have symptoms. No point doing it without symptoms. Test only works once there are symptoms and needs to be done within 4 or 5 days of symptoms starting or it doesn’t work.

SS didn’t have a test in the end as his temp was down to normal after two days and Mum decided against it. Not worth going to court over even though we are high risk!

Yes child definitely needs a test. As detailed on NHS and Gov sites:

a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)

Yes he needs a test

The guidance says if you feel hot to the touch. Fwiw, my son also feels hot, ive taken histemp, its 38.

I've taken his temp and it's only 36.4. He still feels a bit warmer than usual. As he doesn't actually have a high temp does he really still need a test?

Really? Both DM and myself have had a gastric bug recently which gave us diarrhoea for about a fortnight (well, diarrhoea for a few days and then controllable but really loose movements for the rest of the fortnight). We probably were warm too but it didn't occur to me to check temperature as it was definitely just a gastric bug.

@emptyshelvesagain

Feeling hot does not necessarily mean having a temperature. I assumed OP said 'feels hot' rather then 'has a temperature' to differentiate. Maybe not, in which case yes, a temperature means he needs to be tested.

Research has shown a parent's touch reading is as accurate as a thermometer (because you know what your own children normally feel like) which is why NHS explicitly says thermometer reading not required.

@magicgoldpot

I've taken his temp and it's only 36.4. He still feels a bit warmer than usual. As he doesn't actually have a high temp does he really still need a test?

You said his hands, back and forehead were really hot and that you hadn't tested at that point. Therefore, based on this alone, yes a test should be done. He may not have a high temp now, but he may become "really hot" again later. This is what happened with my daughter a few days ago, she had a high temp, cooled down, but few hours later high temp again. You can never be sure with these things. So yes, based on NHS child should be tested. It is really down to you whether you arrange for one or not. You still need to isolate though regardless of decision either for full duration or until a negative test if you decide to get one.

Sorry first sentence of previous post should of 'read tested his temperature at that point' just to make it clearer what I'm trying to say.

Research has shown a parent's touch reading is as accurate as a thermometer (because you know what your own children normally feel like) which is why NHS explicitly says thermometer reading not required.

Quite. However being hot does not always mean a child has a temperature, which was the point I was making.

@magicgoldpot

I've taken his temp and it's only 36.4. He still feels a bit warmer than usual. As he doesn't actually have a high temp does he really still need a test?

No. He really doesn't

Gastric symptoms have been known about from very early on and more recently identified as a common indicator in children.

The biggest hurdle with covid is that so many of its symptoms are generic ‘bit of a bug’ symptoms which is exactly how it manages to circulate through the population unnoticed. I really feel the government need to be clear about this. It’s fine for them to limit the criteria for testing (I mean that’s not the route I’d choose in an ideal world but whatever) but if they’re serious about limiting the spread then it needs to be more widely understood that almost any illness could be covid and it’s wise to err on the side of caution until you can be sure otherwise or symptoms have resolved.

Test if temp over 37.8. Gov.uk website has very guidelines when to have a test

I bet you are glad you posted OP? As this thread shows it is all as clear as mud

In your positiuon I'd wait a day to see if he continues to be hot/has a temperature and if he does then decide if you will try to get a test. If not then just do what you would do if he was ill any other time waitmonitor etc until he improves then go back to normal

Good luck

@bumblingbovine49

I bet you are glad you posted OP? As this thread shows it is all as clear as mud

In your positiuon I'd wait a day to see if he continues to be hot/has a temperature and if he does then decide if you will try to get a test. If not then just do what you would do if he was ill any other time waitmonitor etc until he improves then go back to normal

Good luck

This isn't just any other time though. This is covid time. Everyone has a duty to themselves and to others to follow the rules/guidance. Fair enough, if OP doesn't want to get a test for child that is entirely their decision. But they do need to isolate for the duration if test is not taken as per NHS guidance.

I bet you are glad you posted OP? As this thread shows it is all as clear as mud

It's actually really clear until people bring in the 'but research or X shows' - this is irrelevant. If the child has none of the 3 criteria for testing the child doesn't need a test. That is absolutely crystal clear. The people trying to use other sources and things they have read, even the WHO or ZOE app are complicating matters unnecessarily. You follow the very simple guidelines.

@Char2015

But they do need to isolate for the duration if test is not taken as per NHS guidance.

What part of the NHS guidelines says a child who was hot but didn't have a temperature needs to isolate?

Gastric symptoms, diarrhoea and vomiting, is often seen in children with covid, but a fever is definitely needing a test.

Below 37 is normal temp so no need to test.