Mono!!!

[VTMom]

I just received a call from Mom saying DCB (2 years old ) has mono. Googling the subject says that exclusion isn't necessary once they are able to participate. Does anyone have specific guidelines on when they can rejoin?

Thanks for your help!

[lilcupcakes09]

With the experience I had with having mono myself several years ago, there is no exclusion, just depending on how the child feels. I was out of work for a few days just because I felt absolutely exhausted and my throat was severely sore. It is spread through saliva, hence "the kissing disease", however my husband never contracted it from me. Mom should keep him home until he feels up to participate with the other children, you shouldnt have to take care of someones sick child.

[VTMom]

Thanks! I guess hearing mono gives me the reaction. Sounds like no big deal (except for the symptoms themselves) and no way of avoiding it other then disinfecting like crazy.

[MarinaVanessa]

There isn't much you can do for Mono, she has to just wait it out. Hopefully the poor child doesn't get it too bad. I have a childhood friend that got mono in middle school and he was weak and unable to go to school for 5 weeks. We still make fun of him now because he was gone for so long there was a rumor going around that he had died . Hopefully your DCK is only out for a week or 2.

[SandeeAR]

I had it my senior year. I missed a month of school. First two weeks was like having a prolonged flu. After that, just didn't have the energy to get thru a day.

DD had it in Middle school, again in Jr High, and again in college. First week or two, fever, flu like. Then went back to school. Some days came home early b/c of lack of energy to get thru the day.

[Meeko]

I had mono at 19 years old. My glands swelled so much that my throat closed over and I had to be tubed. A week in the hospital...Six weeks off work and then only back part time for another 4 weeks after that. Climbing the stairs was like conquering Everest and taking a bath was like swimming the Atlantic. I got down to 85 pounds in weight before it turned around. My doctor put me on steroids...closely monitored by my mother who weaned me off them in time for my wedding. I had put on weight and was up to a whopping 98 pounds the day I got married!!!

My daughter had it at 14 years old. The tiredness was the biggest thing for her. It was months before she really felt back to normal.

I have honestly never heard of a small child getting mono! After the child comes back to day care be prepared for lots of napping!

[VTMom]

I had mono at 19 years old. My glands swelled so much that my throat closed over and I had to be tubed. A week in the hospital...Six weeks off work and then only back part time for another 4 weeks after that. Climbing the stairs was like conquering Everest and taking a bath was like swimming the Atlantic. I got down to 85 pounds in weight before it turned around. My doctor put me on steroids...closely monitored by my mother who weaned me off them in time for my wedding. I had put on weight and was up to a whopping 98 pounds the day I got married!!!

My daughter had it at 14 years old. The tiredness was the biggest thing for her. It was months before she really felt back to normal.

I have honestly never heard of a small child getting mono! After the child comes back to day care be prepared for lots of napping!

So what I'm getting from this is that it should be clear to Mom and Dad whether junior will be ready to return or not. Dope and dump shouldn't work. Is this true?

[MarinaVanessa]

With mono there isn't anything you can give him to make him feel better. Nothing is out there that can give him energy so if they bring him to daycare and he's not 100% or even 80% better he may be tired, lethargic, weak, sleepy etc. He probably won't do anything other than lay on your couch. I don't have experience with young kids with mono so I'm not sure if he'll be cranky or not but my friend just wanted to lay in bed all day and sleep.

There's not much for him to do in DC until he's better so maybe you want to talk to your DC parents and suggest or require that DCK stay home until he can play again? If you play outside or go on walks etc you may want to make sure that he can have enough energy to participate in that also.

[Unregistered]

If mom & dad insist on bringing him anytime this week, I would say they are probably dumping him on you. No way a little one can feel better that quick if just being diagnosed...now if they want to bring him back next week, lay down the law first-if he shows any sign of not feeling well at all, he will need to be picked up! It is not your responsibility to have to take care of their sick little guy!

[SandeeAR]

So what I'm getting from this is that it should be clear to Mom and Dad whether junior will be ready to return or not. Dope and dump shouldn't work. Is this true?

They will most likely bring him back before he really should. Once the fever is gone, he "can" come back. Don't allow shared drinks, food extra. I know we don't ever plan that, but kids do it.

He will tire out very quickly for quite awhile. He may choose to sit on the couch or floor and watch. Maybe look at books, while the others play. He just won't have the energy for months to participate like before.

[MarinaVanessa]

You know mono is still contagious for a while and even if the kids don't share drinks or food there is the risk that the child could cough, sneeze or put his fingers in his mouth and then whatever he touches could have the mono virus. Any other kid could come along and touch whatever this child did and then put his fingers in his mouth too. You may want to seperate this child and give him his own space to eat and play.

Typically a kid with mono can go back to school after their fever has gone away on it's own and when they are physically able to have enough energy to get through the day. I would follow these guidelines as well. Especially about the fever, if the child still has a fever then they are still very contageous. Keep an eye out on the other kids, it takes about 4-6 weeks for the symptoms of mono to even appear and it's during this time and the time that they have a fever that they are most contageous. That means that any of your other DC kids could have been infected and may still have a chance of showing symptoms, just keep an eye out and keep washing everything including hands as usual. Good luck!

[VTMom]

Thanks so much for your replies. I feel a little more confident now. Poor little guy! What an awful time of year to feel sick.

[Unregistered]

About 2 months ago my 2 year old son had 102 fevers 3 weekends in a row with no other symptoms. We had him in the doctor 5 times before we found out it was mono. Every Fri night he would spike a fever, be lazy, miserable all weekend and by sun night be fine. Our Dr said he was fine to resume normal activity and said there were no daycare exclusions. Nobody else ever got sick.

Good luck with this. It is never fun to have to deal with this.