Can you smell when your child is ill?

[TomRaider]

Okay is it just me?

But I can smell when my child is ill. Ever since he was about 8 weeks old I can smell when he's coming down with something be it a cold, cough, chicken pox, hfm, stomach upset even when he had cellulitis. I think it is more the fever I can smell but I can detect it sort of before he becomes feverish.

Everyone thinks I'm nuts. A very nice GP listened to me and clearly thought I was bonkers and a hospital nurse once seemed interested but didn't say anything to say it was common.

The smell is usually when he snuggles up close and I get to smell his breath but I can sort of pick it up on his general person. The smell I can only describe as being a bit like raw, but fresh chicken. Or old fashioned butchers shop.

What seems odd is that I don't really have a particularly good sense of smell and suffer with blocked sinuses and sinusitis and allergic rhinitis. Though I doo have a keen sense if smell for bull...... And bacon sandwiches.

That said smells are probably one of the most powerful things that can take me back to childhood if I get a whiff of something particular.

OP this is so weird! Just putting child to bed and thought his breath smells ill- is that a thing? Lo and behold!

Omg I’m so glad I just saw this in active!

My DC is currently ill for the first time and I’ve been sniffing him because something has been, I don’t know, off. My DP can’t smell it either so I felt like I was going nuts.

He definitely smells different.

Yes!

Yes, DP thinks I'm weird for this. The cat knowing when I'm coming down with something and sitting by my head all night is normal according to him though!

My mum used to be able to tell with myself and my sister if we were heading for something by the touch of our skin. She can do the same with her grandchildren. Not by temperature but by their skin and the sort of vibration. Not sure how it works but I get it now with my own and my DN. it feels like a vibration type feeling and normally comes in a couple of days before a period of illness. Mum had to show me what it felt like before I got it though

Those of you who answered yes, does your partner have the same ability?

Ok I must be a shit mum because their illness always catches me by surprise

Yes. Their breath goes weird. Their foreheads smell like burning when they have a fever.

I can also tell a lot by the smell of their poop

I can but the colour of their skin is more of a signal to me.

@cheezy No, he'd be oblivious

Yes absolutely

Yes , I can. His sweat just smells different , less fresh and more sort of musty. With my older kids it's their eyes that show it.

I have a really vivid memory of a family gathering when my first child was about 6/8 months old and a bit out of sorts. I said without thinking “well she doesn’t smell ill”. Husband scoffed but DM and MIL both nodded knowingly. I felt part of a club

Yes! It's like raw chicken, it's a very obvious smell

Yes I can and I don't have a very good sense of smell.

DD had COVID and the only 'symptom' she has of being ill was that she smelt funny for a couple of hours.

Yup! A kind of tangy smell on their breath.

Yes- there is also a woman who can smell a Parkinson’s disease. This is true.

Not in the slightest tbh

@pinkgin85

Ok I must be a shit mum because their illness always catches me by surprise

I'm so glad someone else said this! I can tell when DS is under the weather because he's super grumpy but he doesn't smell any different to me!

Yes, very much so. They smell so wrong

And my mum can too.

Yes, he’s 15 and one whiff of his ill smell takes me straight back to him being poorly as a baby.
It’s his breath!

Yess I can smell this too, on their breath, it sort of smells like a bad morning breath kind of smell to me
I can always tell by their eyes too if they are feeling ill, I don't really know how I just can
And also do you find their feet smell funny too? Or is that just me?
Yes i sniff my babies feet all the time 😅

Yes 100%! DH thought I was mental when I first mentioned it, but my Mum, gran, mother in law and sis in law all confirmed they had the same with their DCs

I don't have children, but have read about this so I know it's a thing.
There are people who can smell certain illnesses in adults and can be used for diagnosis as there are dogs who can do the same thing, notably some being trained for Coronavirus detection.

Yes, my dc both have a very distinctive smell when coming down with something. I can't describe beyond a musty smell. I only ever smell it on them. My dh can't smell it.

Absolutely yes. Often in the car on the way to school and when questioned child says they're fine but I take them home again. Very distinctive smell.