Suspected measles case in DD's room at nursery - what would you do?

[peppapighastakenovermylife]

Was concerned today to see a note on the door of nursery saying that a baby under 12 months was being treated for measles. Slightly concerned I wasnt told directly but left to see this notice but that is another matter - I was picking DS up after having DD home with me today.

DD is 8 months old and will obviously have been in close contact with the child. The note says they have taken swabs but wont know for a while.

I have literally come back from mat leave this week but as an academic I dont NEED to be in work at the moment - I can work from home but in reality that will mean being up half the night working but obviously thats not an issue if needs to be done.

What would you do? Firstly I am very worried she may already have it. Should I be very anxious about this or will it most likely be ok even if she has it? Am trying to avoid reading anything about it as obviously things like brain damage crop up.

I am thinking that if she doesnt have it now, others may be infected and could infect her over the next few days. If I can keep her home should I? Am I over reacting? Typically I will still have to pay but again not an issue if it avoids her getting measles.

Any words of advice? I am worried for her

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

How is she doing today?

[peppapighastakenovermylife]

Thank you

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

Will be thinking of you!

[peppapighastakenovermylife]

Thank you - fingers crossed they are just being mega vigilent due to the outbreaks here. Nearly 300 cases in Wales now.

She seems a bit better but is sleepy and grouchy - which is very unlike her. Perhaps that is the heat though

Going to be a long week or so waiting to see.

[NationalFlight]

Hi Peppa,

I hope it is nothing, just hayfever or similar...

Remember it isn't necessarily measles at nursery - there are other viruses that mimic it, one is called roseola infantum, and has a pattern of high temp/general misery for about 3 days then the rash appears.
The rash starts slightly differently (I can't remember how, appears in a different place first I think) and the temp tends to go at this point so you have a spotty but otherwise Ok baby

Measles starts in a similar way but the temp will drop, the rash appear and THEN the temp goes back up again.

Keep an eye on her of course, hope she is ok xx

[peppapighastakenovermylife]

I am hoping she will be ok - although quite worryingly has a runny nose/cough/red eyes this morning but could well be anything.

Am also hoping that although breastfeeding wont reduce it she will at least have some of my antibodies to help her with it.

Have looked at the vitamin A thank you - read somewhere that they recommended rubbing it into the skin as it was fat soluble. Otherwise she will be eating LOTS of carrots .

Its just hard not to worry as obviously DoH are trying to scare everyone into immunising now...

[saintmaybe]

I believe that vitamin A deficiency is very significant with regard to severuty/ side effects of measles. You need to be a bit careful because it's possible to overdose, but I'd certainly be looking at supplementing if mine were likely to get it. Cod liver oil.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

peppapig - you are at a huge advantage compared to the stories of people you are googling. Because if your dd does pick up measles (which she may well not) you won't be complacent and neither will your gp. It is clear that you are taking good care of her and keeping an eye on her and that will make a massive difference You have calpol and nurofen at your disposal and a variety of ways of being able to access healthcare advice. So you can enjoy the sunshine

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

Seeker - worth news-googling 'measles wales' and look at the hospitalised figures from the clusters. Made me raise my eyebrows rather.

[peppapighastakenovermylife]

Lol at the weather Seeker - does have its positives.

Every time I turn on the Welsh News here though Public Health are on warning that they are worried a child is going to die . I know they are probably trying to scare people into vaccinating but not nice to hear when your baby is actually at risk.

[peppapighastakenovermylife]

Lol at the weather Seeker - does have its positives.

Every time I turn on the Welsh News here though Public Health are on warning that they are worried a child is going to die . I know they are probably trying to scare people into vaccinating but not nice to hear when your baby is actually at risk.

[seeker]

I'm sorry, peppa - I was sort of thinking aloud and forgot that there's a real live worried person at the end of the computer. I suppose what I was thinking is that there was a time when practically every child got measles - I remember an epidemic in the village where I lived - and you didn't seem to hear of anybody being seriously ill. And, more to the point, parents weren't frightened of measles the way we are now. Which surely they would have been if the rate of complications is as high as "they" are telling us it is.

Having said all that, in your situation I would keep your dd home. Particularly seeing the weather's so nice!

[peppapighastakenovermylife]

If you do please dont tell me

I made the mistake of searching on here Seeker and there were lots of examples of great aunts and uncles having serious side effects but I wonder how much of that was less to do with the measles but more the lack of health / medical care 50 years ago.

However the cases closest to me, with the youngest children - all were in hospital . That may not count as 'serious' but is enough to really worry me.

[seeker]

Does anybody actually know anyone who has had serious side effects from measles?

[peppapighastakenovermylife]

Biscuit - you have lost me sorry . I am not sure when baby was diagnosed but was in nursery on friday so presumably over the weekend. As luck would have it DD did not go to nursery today as I was with the HV for 8 months check and talking about how worried I was about measles but how the risk was low

If she has therefore not been in contact and I could get her v'ccntd would it offer protection? HV was saying local health board will not allow them to bring it forward unless there has been more than one diagnosed case - by which time she would probably have it.

[NationalFlight]

lol at felt pen!

[NationalFlight]

I think they give it after 12 months as before that any conferred immunity from maternal antibodies would make it take less well? Or something. (not sciency type)

[BiscuitStuffer]

Peppa - she's not too young to have the MMR - babies are given it from 5 months old in certain circumstances.

[peppapighastakenovermylife]

The notice said the child was last in nursery on friday when DD was too. Will talk to them properly tomorrow as DS will still go but has had MMR and is in a different room.

Am praying said child has just really got hold of a red felt tip or something

[NationalFlight]

absolutely!

I think you're doing exactly the right thing.

[peppapighastakenovermylife]

NationalFlight - sorry to hear your DS had it but glad he was ok. All the information out there is emphasising the risk which I guess they have to do and I am trying to put it into perspective, but if I can remove that risk I will. Am glad to know there are people who dont think I am being precious - she's not even my PFB lol!

I also hope breastfeeding offers some protection / help for her if she does get it - then I will have a tangible reason for having two teeth marked shaped cuts in my left nipple!

[NationalFlight]

Yes I kwym, it was heartbreaking to see ds so tiny and so poorly.

He was better in about 5-7 days though, on antibiotics and so on. They won't test his immunity though so I still don't know if it was or not!

[Nappyzoneisabeetrootrunner]

i would ask the nursery for further details. we had something similar at ds nursery a few weeks back - it turned out the child had measles but hadnt been in in the run up and was off now anyway, also the child generally comes in opposite days to ds but as registred to attend ds nursery they had an obligation to notify us. Find out more info then you can assess the risk properly. Good luck.

[peppapighastakenovermylife]

I am right in the middle of two clusters in Wales . My mum (whilst also giving me the 'we all had measles when I was little' speech to cheer me up) is going to come and look after her for a couple of days this week so I can get some work done. On a positive it gives me an excuse to spend more time with her .

All the information suggests that 90% of unvaccinated children who are exposed to it will get it so am guessing she will have it . But just in case she hasnt I am going to keep her home. Just makes me sad to think of all the little babies quite possibly having measles as were too young to have MMR.

[NationalFlight]

Peppa, try not to panic.

Ds2 was dx with measles last year at 10mo. He was quite poorly but didn't have to be admitted to hosp, although he had an ear infection with it...he was swabbed but the results were inconclusive, ie one was positive but they said that was my antibodies as he is/was still bf.

So it isn't necessarily that awful.

If there's been a probable case I'd keep her off, for sure, at least until you know.

It's highly contagious - apparently it hangs about in the air for up to three hours after the infectious child has left the room which led me to suspect ds caught it from our gp surgery when we were there for something else.

Anyway - follow your own instinct, it's there for a reason, and don't be put off by other people's phlegmatic approach!

It's no fun and there could be several children incubating it already. I hope she is Ok x