DD smells weird

[SallyAnn32]

Hear me out...

DD (5) is currently isolating after someone in her school bubble tested positive. She seems fine and has a temp of 37 which is completely normal for her. But - she smells different. Do you know when your children have that poorly smell?

I do lateral flow tests for work and did one on her (I appreciate they're not 100% accurate) and it was a task but it was negative as was mine.

Could I book a PCR test on account of her smelling strange. It's not a covid symptom!

I know this sounds strange now I type it out 🥴 but I'll post it anyway!

As she has no symptoms and is isolating anyway, I don't think you should be concerned. If you're really worried then you could book her for a proper test, but I think you'd need to say she has shown the proper symptoms or you won't get one. I do know what you mean by the weird smell, I smell it on my dd when she's unwell, but it could be caused by anything.

Could it be your sense of smell that’s odd?

There's definitely a smell of poorliness. I wouldn't book a covid test on it alone tho.

Thank you. It's strange how our DC's have that smell isn't it. I wonder whether it's a primal/survival thing?

@ThePricklySheep

Could it be your sense of smell that’s odd?

Not this time. It's a distinctive smell that my DC's have x

One of my DDs gets a smell when she’s getting a cold. It’s strange isn’t it. Hope your lo is okay.

I wouldn't book a test. She might be ill but that doesn't mean it's Covid and she has no symptoms.

I know what you mean about the smell , my youngest was the same , it was the top of her head that smelled funny nowhere else .
If your daughter is already isolating with no symptoms they probably won't test her but if her temp goes up get it done .
I do believe though that people can have the virus with no symptoms so keep an eye on yourself too .

My children always develop a sickly smell I recognise straight away. I would keep a close eye on her, extra care and see how she is in a few days. I would probably isolate for the time being.

As a GP I tend to tell parents to listen to their gut feeling on things like this. If you're feeling that things aren't quite right, isolate and book the test. Lateral flow tests aren't very accurate.

It could be something else she's coming down with. I'd wait to see what, if any, other symptoms appear.

@midnightstar66

It could be something else she's coming down with. I'd wait to see what, if any, other symptoms appear.

But she's already a known Covid contact, why would you wait?

Because that's the guidance. She doesn't have any symptoms at all let alone one of the main ones to require testing

Hi it couldn't be head lice could it? Mine always had a really strange smell when they got lice.

If she is isolating anyway is a test really needed?

I wouldnt book a test unless she starts showing symptoms. Even if it is COVID, it'd tell you nothing if you test too early.

I ended up taking her for a test. My gut instinct was to take her. She said she had headache so I booked a test straight away.

It's her breath that smells poorly, not her hair. Yes she's brushed her teeth 😂

I hate to waste a test but she's a known contact and as soon as she said headache that was enough for me. I work in a school and our older children who have tested positive this last year have almost all said they started with a headache. Can't be too careful!

I think if your gut is telling you something is off and you know she's had contact with a positive case then I think it was ok to book a test.

Let us know what the result is.

I always recognise the poorly smell on my DC, it's so strange!

It would be interesting to know if some humans can actually pick up a scent signature from the breath of someone with Covid. Certainly dogs have been found to be able to detect the presence of the virus through their sense of smell - which is more sensitive than ours of course.

Not something to experiment with at home to find out though!

You did the right thing OP.

We really need to get out of this mindset about 'wasting tests'. The guidance is rubbish, a lot of people can have Covid and spread it without having any of the three main symptoms. I'm sure this rubbish guidance is part of the reason we're in this current situation, the rest of the world aren't relying on three symptoms.

Any excess urination? Is she dehydrated? Funny sweet smelling breath could be a sign of diabetes? If she is not acutely unwell can book telephone appt with GP tomorrow and ask them to test a sample of urine for glucose.

I know the smell you mean. I can smell colds on people before they start to feel unwell and so can my daughters.
There's no shortage of tests anymore so I'd have taken her too. I have heard that GPs are saying a runny nose is a common early symptom of covid and I do wonder if that might smell the same as the cold smell.

Years ago there was a long thread on here about a child who smelled odd and it turned out they'd stuffed something up their nose and it was stuck.

I know exactly what you mean and I think getting a test for her is the right thing to do. Both my DC get a strange odour about them when they are poorly. DD especially develops breath like a sewer! I hope she feels better soon.

The smell is Ketones

Look it up