Is there a 12-24 hour virus/flu going around?

[ilovetivo]

I just told my sitter not to come. She was vomiting for 3 hrs this morning. But now she says she's fine. Last evening she felt "tired and cold". She thought it was food, but no one else got sick. She's all afraid I'll fire her b/c lately she's missed a lot of work with back problems and stuff.

If it is a current virus, what are the symptoms and when do you think it would be ok to have her back?


ETA: I'm in the northern burbs of Chicago

[annasmom]

I don't think your going to be able to tell because I have heard anecdotes about all sorts of stomache bugs going around.

I am in New Jersey, and I sure got something similar to your babysitter last week. I left work a bit early on Thursday because I started feeling sick and by the time I got home I was sick as a dog! I thought it was food poisoning too because I don't think I have ever been so violently ill. I was alright the next morning, just a bit shakey. I was COMPLETELY fine by late Friday. However, my nanny was telling me stories about her friends being sick with a stomache virus for DAYS. Also, when I told my sister on Friday morning (she lives outside of Boston) she said that there is a stomache virus going around near her.

[Lynnie]

I think there has been, pretty much everywhere.

My sister's family had it over Christmas, and hit all 6 of them in a domino effect. When I posted for advice on whether to cancel my trip to visit them (which I ended up postponing) many people on the boards had experienced the same kind of virus.

With my sis, it lasted about 12 hours of being sick - severe nausea, bad diarhhea, and some vomiting, and 12 hours of being wiped out and recovering. Don't know how long it was contagious though. And sounded pretty yucky.

I'd definitely not have her back today (you told her not to come, that's what I would have done). As far as tomorrow goes, I don't know. If she is coming to your house, and washes her hands constantly and doesn't slobber on the baby or anything (ew, sorry, but you know what I mean) I might risk it tomorrow.

good luck.

[ilovetivo]

Eileen - sorry you were sick! Thanks for the info.

Lynnie - I remember your post. I'll have to go back and look. Good for you for postponing! ITA w/ that, since so many of them had it and you'd be in their house. With the "domino" effect, any idea how long between 1 person to the next?

For tomorrow, I guess i'll see how the sitter is today. She may lie to me though w/o me knowing it. If we get sick after that, I'll know though I guess. On top of everything, Zoey's having her 1 year appt tonight (shots right?) and we're dealing w/ food allergies and stuff. We started a new food yesterday and if she got sick we might not know what it was. Come to think of it, Z's immune system might be down after the shots. I'll ask the dr abt tomorrow.

Thanks!

[Lynnie]

I think the longest between people at my sister's house was maybe a day and a half. And I think the whole house might have been infected. It started the wed before christmas, and lasted through Christmas night, which was sunday, so maybe the largest time between was less than a day and a half. It was sortof a half day thing, with kid1 getting it one day, kids 2&3 the next, my mom on christmas eve day, and my sister and bil on christmas night.

But if your DD is getting shots, I would probably err on the side of caution and give the sitter tomorrow off too, if you can swing it - and maybe the sitter can make it up one night later on or something and you could go out, see a movie, whatever.

[ilovetivo]

and maybe the sitter can make it up one night
>later on or something and you could go out, see a movie,
>whatever.

Ooh, good idea. The dr said if she doesn't have fever or symptoms she should be ok. I know the sitter still felt icky by 3pm, but no other vomiting. She swears it's food related. We'll see.

[brittone2]

Dh had it last week. We visited friends in PA when we were home for the holidays, and they had all had it 5 days or so before. We figured that was safe, but DH got very sick about 2-3 days later. He was very very cold, vomited violently 2x, and was very nauseous and actually sore from throwing up. It took him about a day and a half after that to recover his strength. DH slept in a different bedroom and so far DS and I have been in the clear.

My mom also mentioned that her cousin and her husband had a bad stomach virus around the same time. I'm pretty sure there's something going around.

[ilovetivo]

Well she came yesterday and *said* she was ok. Hopefully we'll all be fine :)
Thanks all!!!