RSV and how long one is contagious..?

MrsBeckO

Camy was officially diagnosed last Wednesday but was showing symptoms 2 days prior. So she is somewhere between 7-10 days out. She has been fever free for almost 24 hours (knock knock knock on wood) and for daycares, that's usually the rule for return to childcare - fever free for 24 hrs, right?

The CDC says this:

People infected with RSV are usually contagious for 3 to 8 days. However, some infants and people with weakened immune systems can be contagious for as long as 4 weeks.  

..but it doesn't really say if there's a way to tell if one is still contagious. Does cough = contagious? She is still coughing but can be for weeks still. Is she safe to be around other kiddos once her fever stays gone, or do we need to wait until she's not coughing at all?

WWYD?

(Can you tell I'm going a little stir crazy?) 

ali-1411

I don't know...but can I add on a question?  Last week, Layna was kinda sick.  No fever but runny nose and a cough.  She was fine two days later.  Now my friend's 3 kids are sick and the doctor told her they had RSV.  None of them are running fevers.

Can you have RSV and not be that sick?  Not have a fever?

MrsBeckO

ali-1411:

I don't know...but can I add on a question?  Last week, Layna was kinda sick.  No fever but runny nose and a cough.  She was fine two days later.  Now my friend's 3 kids are sick and the doctor told her they had RSV.  None of them are running fevers.

Can you have RSV and not be that sick?  Not have a fever?

When I told the dr I was a nanny for 3 kids ages 3 & 7, she was not at all concerned saying that unless they had respiratory issues such as asthma, if they were to get RSV now it would just present as a bad cold. Not a big deal at all.. she told me I didn't need to avoid contact with the older kids unless the parents were super worried about colds. So to answer you - yes. Its really only dangerous in babies and those with weakened immune systems or resp. problems.  

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DD had RSV at 3 months old with no fever and generally no other symptoms...other than congestion.  She didn't even really have a runny nose.  But they tested her anyway and it was positive.

thegastons

I don't have any advice, but I hope she's better soon so you can get out and enjoy yourself soon