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Tue 8 Feb, 2011 09:33 pm
Hi! I have a couple of questions and I am hoping it's okay to ask here! I thought some other parents might be able to help me. It's probably a very silly question.. and I'm sorry if it is. I've been told enough that I just need to get over it. I'm brand new to parenting, I have 2 stepsons. I have a fear of vomiting and probably a mild case of emetephobia.
The two boys both got sick throwing up on Sunday morning about the same time... and it lasted until about 12 or 1.. or that's when they stopped. We have disinfected everything.. using a diluted bleach solution to spray on hard surfaces, washed all bedding and clothes and have even steam cleaned the carpet and couch where they were. Pretty much everything they might have touched. So I think we've killed pretty much most all of the germs. The boys bounced back quickly and well! They were back to complete normal by bed time that night.
But anyway, I was wondering how long when your kids have bugs like this that it takes for them to spread from one kid to the next.. and then also to you? It's been nearly 60 hours since they were last sick. They went back to their moms on Monday morning. I've had many many people tell me not to worry, kids get these things more than adults do. Lots of parents have told me they rarely catch the stomach bugs when their kids get them. I was just wondering if these things are true? And I was wondering and hoping that maybe by 60 hours the rest of our house should be in the clear. I'm just a little nervous about catching it and I want to relax.. I've heard usually after 48 hours you're probably in the clear if you don't catch it.
Please don't judge me about this, I'm just looking for some advice from real parents.. rather than people on some of the sites like yahoo answers that come up when you google the questions.. most of those people are not serious in their answers.
Thanks so much for your time and listening to me!!
You don't say where you live, but the stomach bug has been going around for about 2 months. It's a 24 hour thing; for the kids, it hits hard and then leaves just as fast. Dehydration is the big worry. It's a virus and can't be treated with antibiotics. Most likely they got it at daycare or school.
Try to relax about it. If you get it, it will pass.
If you don't, you just dodged a bullet.
Encourage EVERYONE to wash their hands more often.
Most of these types of things are contagious before and during the episode, not after. Kids do get them far more often than adults because their immune systems aren't as strong as adults.
If you feel fine 60 hours after, I'm pretty sure your safe.
Sometimes "stomach" flu is anything but, and usually it has something to do with something they've eaten, like eggs. It's best at these times to keep kids hydrated with watered down juices, gingerale and jello, never milk products. They'll need the sugar and salt.
Starve a fever, feed a cold as the old saying goes.
I realize you've sterilized the house, but normally these bugs have a very short life span on cold hard surfaces and not much longer on blankets and the like. The important thing is to wash your hands frequently.
If the kids have another vomiting bout that lasts longer than 24 hours, or if their fever is high get medical help.
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