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maryjk
Guest
Um, no.
The OP has said that she has gone to family functions while someone in the family had an active infection.
This isn’t a “oh someone was sick in the past.” This is someone that has a current, active infection.
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The OP has said that she has gone to family functions while someone in the family had an active infection.
This isn’t a “oh someone was sick in the past.” This is someone that has a current, active infection.
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12345678
Guest
Oh ok, for some reason I thought it was mostly one child. I’m so sorry you are going through this. I don’t know as much about staph (for me, like others, it’s just a red flag thing, I didn’t know it could be chronic). I would get as informed as possible and make decisions based on this. If this can happen chronically, I’m sure there are others out there having to live with it and probably guidelines to help you and others live as normally as possible. Even my wording sounds ostracizing a bit, that wasn’t my intention. Things happen, other families have issues with other types of health problems or situations and just learn what needs to be done to resume living life as as close as they can to how they want to live it.
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PhiloMed
Guest
That doesn’t change the validity of my statement. We’re talking future tense here.
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Mayita30
Guest
I’ve never heard about this infection and I’ve just read about it. JCecilia, how did your family get the infection?Is it really something serious? Be strong !!! It is wise to avoid parties until the infection is cured. Make it your decision not to go to these parties or gathering but don`t lose contact with your family members. Life is full of problems, be it Health, financial, relationships etc… All we have to do is keep going, make the most out of life and trust in the Lord. Remember if God put you through this, he will also provide you the grace to get you out of this… God bless you !
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EasterJoy
Guest
So your entire family have essentially become lepers? Have you arranged to start homeschooling DS in the fall? (I did not mean that seriously.)
Call your state health department and ask them to tell you in detail what your DS and you as a family need to do to keep everyone else safe. Have them tell you everything you can think of to ask about the infection your son is suffering from.
When you get an answer, start making one-to-one family phone calls, and tell your relatives what you have been told by an honest-to-goodness state epidemiologist. If that was not what you were doing, apologize. If it was essentially what you were doing, ask what else they would like to do in order to keep your son from being shunned by the rest of the family. Whatever the epidemiologist says is the best-case protocol, do that. If that is a part-time job, well, it can’t be helped. If the epidemiologist recommends home-schooling, try to get that done, but I don’t think that is going to happen.
Or just look at what the CDC says: cdc.gov/niosh/topics/mrsa/
This includes;
If I have staph, or a MRSA skin infection, what can I do to prevent the spread of MRSA at work and at home?
You can prevent spreading staph or MRSA skin infections to others by following these steps:
•Cover your wound.Keep areas of the skin affected by MRSA covered. Keep wounds that are draining or have pus covered with clean, dry bandages. Follow your healthcare provider’s instructions on proper care of the wound. Pus from infected wounds can contain staph and MRSA, so keeping the infection covered will help prevent the spread to others. Bandages or tape can be discarded with the regular trash.
•Clean your hands.You, your family, and others in close contact should wash their hands frequently with soap and warm water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, especially after changing the bandage or touching the infected wound.
•Do not share personal items.Avoid sharing personal items such as uniforms, personal protective equipment, clothing, towels, washcloths or razors that may have had contact with the infected wound or bandage.
•Talk to your doctor.Tell any healthcare providers who treat you that you have or had a staph or MRSA skin infection.
Call your state health department and ask them to tell you in detail what your DS and you as a family need to do to keep everyone else safe. Have them tell you everything you can think of to ask about the infection your son is suffering from.
When you get an answer, start making one-to-one family phone calls, and tell your relatives what you have been told by an honest-to-goodness state epidemiologist. If that was not what you were doing, apologize. If it was essentially what you were doing, ask what else they would like to do in order to keep your son from being shunned by the rest of the family. Whatever the epidemiologist says is the best-case protocol, do that. If that is a part-time job, well, it can’t be helped. If the epidemiologist recommends home-schooling, try to get that done, but I don’t think that is going to happen.
Or just look at what the CDC says: cdc.gov/niosh/topics/mrsa/
This includes;
If I have staph, or a MRSA skin infection, what can I do to prevent the spread of MRSA at work and at home?
You can prevent spreading staph or MRSA skin infections to others by following these steps:
•Cover your wound.Keep areas of the skin affected by MRSA covered. Keep wounds that are draining or have pus covered with clean, dry bandages. Follow your healthcare provider’s instructions on proper care of the wound. Pus from infected wounds can contain staph and MRSA, so keeping the infection covered will help prevent the spread to others. Bandages or tape can be discarded with the regular trash.
•Clean your hands.You, your family, and others in close contact should wash their hands frequently with soap and warm water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, especially after changing the bandage or touching the infected wound.
•Do not share personal items.Avoid sharing personal items such as uniforms, personal protective equipment, clothing, towels, washcloths or razors that may have had contact with the infected wound or bandage.
•Talk to your doctor.Tell any healthcare providers who treat you that you have or had a staph or MRSA skin infection.
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JLCecilia
Guest
Don’t get me wrong, I completely respect stringent guidelines during an active outbreak, but the vibe I’m getting here is that our entire family will be viewed as being contagious 24/7. Sports aside, my kiddos would have to sit out at recess and who knows what other sorts of school functions. I appreciate the gravity of the situation, but if we’re really suggesting the most extreme precaution AT ALL TIMES, well, I just want to cry.
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Mayita30
Guest
Do not be worried about what other people think. That should be the least of your concerns. The important thing is to be able to cure the infection. Do not worry about other people. The people who will really love you will always be there for you. In moments like these, you will know who your real friends are…
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EasterJoy
Guest
Talk to your family, and explain why this is not leprosy and what the CDC says is sufficient protection. Honestly, your son is being treated as if he has AIDS and it is about 1985. This is something that could happen to anybody, including them, and they should think hard about how they are treating someone who is a disease victim, not a violent aggressor.
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EasterJoy
Guest
Real friends and people who love you are subject to irrational fear, too. They need to be educated, but it is important to remember to keep it compassionate. If they reward the DS with their trust, he needs to be scrupulous about keeping others safe.
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12345678
Guest
This!
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maryjk
Guest
Right, but my point is that the OP has shown in the past that she has no problem showing up to functions with an active infection.That doesn’t change the validity of my statement. We’re talking future tense here.
What plans are there for the future? Until the family saw the information on facebook, and rebelled, there were no plans to change anything.
Essentially, the OP was going to events sick. And she wasn’t sharing that information. I for one would be very upset. My health is my business. And exposing me to an active infection, without even giving me the chance to stay away, is beyond rude.
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EasterJoy
Guest
If their doctor told them how to prevent transmission and they were doing that, they really don’t need to tell you about their health problems. I don’t expect AIDS victims to walk in and announce at every party that they are HIV-positive. I don’t expect people with hepatitis to tell everyone they meet that they have hepatitis. I also don’t expect people with staph infections to tell everyone they come near that they have a staph infection, either.Right, but my point is that the OP has shown in the past that she has no problem showing up to functions with an active infection.
What plans are there for the future? Until the family saw the information on facebook, and rebelled, there were no plans to change anything.
Essentially, the OP was going to events sick. And she wasn’t sharing that information. I for one would be very upset. My health is my business. And exposing me to an active infection, without even giving me the chance to stay away, is beyond rude.
About 1-3% of the total population are colonized with MRSA and in most cases no treatment is necessary as colonization does not lead to any harmful infection. This isn’t a bacterium that is going to cover you with boils if it gets onto you. It is resistant to methicillin, but most of the time it is no match for your immune system.
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Mayita30
Guest
Is it really that contagious and serious???
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PhiloMed
Guest
Exactly!!
Active infection vs being likely colonized with it are two different animals.
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EasterJoy
Guest
No, sports are not necessarily out of the question for a person with a chronic staph infection that does not require hospitalization.
cdc.gov/mrsa/community/team-hc-providers/index.html
*Excluding Athletes with MRSA Infections from Participation
•If sport-specific rules do not exist, in general, athletes should be excluded if wounds cannot be properly covered during participation.
The term “properly covered” means that the skin infection is covered by a securely attached bandage or dressing that will contain all drainage and will remain intact throughout the activity. If wounds can be properly covered, good hygiene measures should be stressed to the athlete such as performing hand hygiene before and after changing bandages and throwing used bandages in the trash.
•A healthcare provider might exclude an athlete if the activity poses a risk to the health of the infected athlete (such as injury to the infected area), even though the infection can be properly covered.
•Athletes with active infections or open wounds should not use whirlpools or therapy pools not cleaned between athletes and other common-use water facilities like swimming pools until infections and wounds are healed. *
Nurses are in contact with people who are immune-compromised every day. They need to make certain that neither they nor a patients other visitors become carriers of MRSA in the hospital. The nurses in particular spend all day checking wounds and changing dressings, so it is very important that they not become carriers.
Just because this is not something that calls for a draconian quarantine does not mean that is not worth worrying about–you are right that this is serious!! The thing is to contain the concern and do what is prudent, rather than grossly over- or under-reacting to the threat.
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EasterJoy
Guest
It is very important that the OPs DS and the rest of the family adhere strictly to all of the protocols suggested by their doctor and by the CDC. If they have questions, they ought to consult with their physician. Don’t go overboard, but don’t stray at all outside the protocol, even if it becomes tiresome. You owe to people to be trustworthy on this. To do less is far beyond rude. Rudeness just causes personal affront, while this could cause someone else the same suffering the DS is going through. No one wants that. With care, however, he ought to be able to be around other people without putting them in danger.Exactly!!
Active infection vs being likely colonized with it are two different animals.
If a family member is particularly vulnerable, such as having a catheter, a surgical wound that isn’t healed, or immune compromise of some kind, extra care is appropriate. It would not be a bad idea for those two to stay apart.
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maryjk
Guest
A staph infection would put me in the hospital.
Depends on who you are.
A health adult, with a full immune system, would be fine.
Someone with a depressed immune system? That would be a different story.
And keep in mind, the OP’s doctor hasn’t told her of *any *protocols. He leaves treatment and standards up to the OP. And as she has said here, she doesn’t even clean the shower.
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EasterJoy
Guest
Read the CDC standards and talk frankly with the infectious disease specialist who is helping you, the doctor most acquainted with the particular infectious agent your family is contending with. Sports may be an option, but you must strictly follow the protocols you are given. This is not ethically negotiable. Absolutely you should talk to the school about the infection and how to handle the worst case scenario. You have a right to live, but you have to be responsible.
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Hobbes42
Guest
MRSA is nothing to play around with.
We are talking about a serious, life-threatening disease which is capable of causing death, or loss of a limb.
To unnecessarily expose others to that threat is irresponsible, especially within sports (Which is one of the most common places it is transmitted)
We are talking about a serious, life-threatening disease which is capable of causing death, or loss of a limb.
To unnecessarily expose others to that threat is irresponsible, especially within sports (Which is one of the most common places it is transmitted)
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insideitall
Guest
um, what?
mrsa can be controlled by disinfection. you’ve admitted to rarely cleaning your shower and not wanting to disinfect your home even once, so I’m willing to bet that the reason your family is constantly getting flareups is because you’re constantly reinfecting yourselves. if your dr doesn’t seem at all concerned and isn’t giving you the advice that state health depts do - that you should be disinfecting your bathroom, sheets/towels, and other commonly touched surfaces (doorknobs, sink handles, remote controls, computer keyboards, etc) on a daily or near-daily basis - you should find a new one asap. he’s obviously telling you what you want to hear but it’s not good medicine. and even without an active infection, mrsa can still be transmitted to others because apparently it hangs out in noses, so someone doesn’t need to touch your active wound - you can pass it to them just by wiping your nose and touching a doorknob. also, pets can get it or harbor it, and need to be treated as well.
your entire family is currently acting like typhoid mary. let me ask you this - if you haven’t told anyone your whole family is chronically sick, why would you expect anyone you ever came in contact with to tell YOU if THEY got sick, or if they were immune compromised? you’re making assumptions that your family has never transmitted it to anyone and that anyone you do come in contact with would be able to fight it off, when there’s absolutely no way for you to know. very arrogant, selfish, and dangerous, and I do hope it stems from complacency, and isn’t your normal attitude.
you seem to be viewing this whole situation as either “act as usual” or “become recluses,” totally ignoring the middle ground of “act prudently when contagious.” no, you don’t need to shut your whole family inside for the rest of their lives - but you sure as hell shouldn’t be pretending nothing’s wrong. we all have a responsibility to protect others from our nasty germs (whatever they may be), within reason, or at the very least to alert others so they can protect themselves.
I really hope you can manage to change your family’s behavior. remember that the right thing to do is not always the most pleasant or the easiest!
mrsa can be controlled by disinfection. you’ve admitted to rarely cleaning your shower and not wanting to disinfect your home even once, so I’m willing to bet that the reason your family is constantly getting flareups is because you’re constantly reinfecting yourselves. if your dr doesn’t seem at all concerned and isn’t giving you the advice that state health depts do - that you should be disinfecting your bathroom, sheets/towels, and other commonly touched surfaces (doorknobs, sink handles, remote controls, computer keyboards, etc) on a daily or near-daily basis - you should find a new one asap. he’s obviously telling you what you want to hear but it’s not good medicine. and even without an active infection, mrsa can still be transmitted to others because apparently it hangs out in noses, so someone doesn’t need to touch your active wound - you can pass it to them just by wiping your nose and touching a doorknob. also, pets can get it or harbor it, and need to be treated as well.
your entire family is currently acting like typhoid mary. let me ask you this - if you haven’t told anyone your whole family is chronically sick, why would you expect anyone you ever came in contact with to tell YOU if THEY got sick, or if they were immune compromised? you’re making assumptions that your family has never transmitted it to anyone and that anyone you do come in contact with would be able to fight it off, when there’s absolutely no way for you to know. very arrogant, selfish, and dangerous, and I do hope it stems from complacency, and isn’t your normal attitude.
you seem to be viewing this whole situation as either “act as usual” or “become recluses,” totally ignoring the middle ground of “act prudently when contagious.” no, you don’t need to shut your whole family inside for the rest of their lives - but you sure as hell shouldn’t be pretending nothing’s wrong. we all have a responsibility to protect others from our nasty germs (whatever they may be), within reason, or at the very least to alert others so they can protect themselves.
I really hope you can manage to change your family’s behavior. remember that the right thing to do is not always the most pleasant or the easiest!
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