Sick Child with Virus , Should Stay Away from Other Kids?

Updated on January 02, 2012
Y.K. asks from Clifton, NJ
23 answers

my nephew has HSV1 - virus , his lips , tongue, gums are covered with painful bloody blisters, he's weak, feverish and extremely sick. Is there a definite chance that my kids will get sick as well if they are in the same room as he is, of course we will tell them not to touch each other, but they are 3 & 5 yo so unless we watch their every move, i dont think it possible for them not to share some sort of contact, even touching the same toy, is there possibility that they might not get sick? i told my sister that i dont want to take chances , but she's extremely upset that we wont be seeing each other for a big family celebration.

Also need to mention , the reason she is upset is because she is the one not coming, because like someone mentioned below , since its her son thats is sick its not fair that she might get other kids and adults sick, so i thought she shouldn't come over. but she is sad to miss it, and thought she can take a chance by coming over and hoping no one get it! i wish it was so, but no one knows and its not fair to other people..

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Featured Answers

M.L.

answers from Houston on

Yes, he needs to stay home. Plus her poor baby is suffering, she is being selfish to lug him around when he is feeling so ill.

6 moms found this helpful
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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

Contagious.
Stay home.
Common sense.
Why on earth, let other kids and adults, get it too?
Especially those that may have weak or compromised immune systems.

Kids, always have contact with each other.
They play.
The lack total control over their impulses.

She is wanting to choose an outing, over the illness of her son.... and others who may have a chance of getting it, too.
Selfish.

She should be staying home with her very ill son who is in pain.
That is what a Mom does.
Without blinking.
It does not take, thinking twice about it.

AND..... for all you know... SHE may have the virus too.
Incubation period... is a few days.
And if she is also harboring the virus, she can get sick too and/or infect other people. Even if she is not displaying symptoms, actively, like her son.
You NEED to tell her this.
Because as a Mom, she has DIRECT contact, with her ill son.
THUS, she may ALSO be harboring the virus illness.
SHE should STAY HOME TOO.

6 moms found this helpful

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S.H.

answers from St. Louis on

not only should he stay home in order to protect others, he should stay home to protect himself. If he's sick, his immunity is down...& he needs to be kept safe.

Sometimes parenting means sucking it up.....thru the years, we've missed many, many birthday & holiday celebrations....& survived to live another day. Not being mean....simply factual. Our own children come 1st!

7 moms found this helpful

C.B.

answers from Kansas City on

OKAY why is your sister still participating in said "big family celebration" if her son IS SO COMPLETELY MISERABLE!?!?!

HECK NO. what happens if, in this weakened state, he catches something else on top of it?

WRONG. SO very very wrong. i don't care if this is the biggest wedding of the century. he needs to stay home. no family gathering is worth putting him through that.

5 moms found this helpful
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J.B.

answers from Atlanta on

YES -very contagious and personally I would freak out if my children were somewhere and that child was there. It's part of being a parent that your sister needs to understand -sometimes we miss things we really don't want to miss, but it can't be helped. Your nephew shouldn't go anywhere until he's well. It's pretty awful to try and make such a sick child do something anyway!

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I.G.

answers from Seattle on

Yeah it's very contagious - apart from the fact that I don't get why she would drag a kid that's miserable to a family function...
Why don't you suggest to her leaving the boy at home with Dad or a sitter so she can attend? Unless she is also sick...

4 moms found this helpful

M.J.

answers from Milwaukee on

Painful bloody blisters got me. My answer is - no way!! LOL If it was a cold that would be fine but that sounds like a really crappy thing to have and I would not want my kids to have it. Plus, it's a virus so there is no way to cure it. Just wait it out. Tell your sister sorry. I know it sucks but that is a crappy sounding virus that I would not want to expose my child to.

4 moms found this helpful

L.C.

answers from Washington DC on

OMG! Tell her to stay home.
Why would you take a chance on infecting everyone???
There are people who look perfectly healthy who are immunocompromised. Do NOT put your family or others at risk.
LBC

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C.B.

answers from San Francisco on

I think she should stay home; it would be horribly selfish for her to attend. Not only because of the risk of spreading the illness, but also because I can't imagine her little guy feels like going to a party! Poor little thing probably just wants to stay home.

3 moms found this helpful

B.K.

answers from Chicago on

Your sister sounds like not a very good mom. And also a very inconsiderate one to expose people to a nasty virus. Who drags their sick child around anyway!?

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P.K.

answers from New York on

Tell your sister to stay home. How can she possibly think of coming! How
inconsiderate.

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R.M.

answers from Minneapolis on

Whew if I hear of any sicknesses in advance I definately stay clear from them. This time of year with gatherings things are spread so quickly and why chance it. In researching this it is contageous and why chance it. We all like to celebrate together but do we really want to infect anyone or in turn be infected. I would hope she would understand...best of luck in your decision.

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K.P.

answers from Seattle on

If it were me, I wouldn't go and have my kids around him. He sounds very sick, and I would hate it if my child got that sick too. I'd rather be safe then sorry!

It will be sad that you miss a big family celebration but, if you ask me, she should be the one missing it if her little guy is that sick, not you. If I were her, I wouldnt take my kid around others if he was that sick. He should be at home in bed, while doing everything to get better.

3 moms found this helpful

A.P.

answers from Portland on

Stay home!! Kid is probably miserable anyway and doesnt want to go out. I would not want my daughter to be anywhere near a child that is so sick. Poor little guy. Hope he feels better soon!

2 moms found this helpful

H.G.

answers from Dallas on

Stay as far away as you can!!!

2 moms found this helpful

☆.H.

answers from San Francisco on

It doesn't matter whether or not the sick child is contagious, it matters how the other parents and/or immune compromised adults attending a function feel about it.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.T.

answers from New York on

This isn't about not fair. It's about the fact that others could be infected, and that this little boy is very sick and needs to be at home. He should not be out and about - he is weak, feverish and covered with painful blisters. He needs to be in bed. Your sister needs to get over it. When you have kids, sometimes you need to miss events due to illnesses.

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R.Y.

answers from New York on

Yes, the kid needs to stay home. If your sister can work something out for childcare maybe she can come herself for part of the celebration. I'd be disappointed too if I had to miss a big family gathering. Maybe you can arrange a family get together in a few seeks when no one is sick.

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J.K.

answers from Dallas on

I personally would not allow my child to get anywhere near the ill child. Nothing personal...I just wouldn't want to take a chance. So sorry for all that is happening. I hope he gets to feeling much better.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.B.

answers from New York on

Do not go near him. HSV (herpes simplex virus) is a virus that you will have for life if you catch i. It's not just bad when you first get it, the child will get cold sores for the rest of his life, and the virus will never be gone. You don't want your children to catch it.

Secondly, he's "weak, feverish and extremely sick" and she wants to take him out? Ignore the fact that she's putting her own sadness over missing a party above every other guests' health, what kind of mother takes an extremely sick child out to a party? That child needs to be home, in bed, getting well.

1 mom found this helpful

J.P.

answers from Lakeland on

They need to stay home.
1. Her son needs to rest and so he can get better.

2. Why would she take a chance of getting anyone else sick.

Germs travel so easily between people you don't have to even touch. Set up a visit when her son is better so that everyone can enjoy seeing each other.

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J.M.

answers from New York on

We had to postpone our Christmas Eve celebration due to the fact my brother in law was brought to the ER. We celebrated Christmas Eve on News Years day. I twas enjoyable, maybe you could try that approach. Reschedule it.

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T.M.

answers from Philadelphia on

It is not fair to you guys.... but it is also not fair to the little boy. I am sure he does not want to be traveling so sick.

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