My son tested positive for type A flu today.Why doesnt he have a fever?

My son has all the symptoms of flu tested positive for flu type A,but he isnt running a fever.He rarely does run fever and it is usually low grade.MY question is how do i know when he is no longer contagious and can return to school?And why doesn't my child run fever when he is sick?His doctor was unable to explain why he has never ran much fever.

Regardless of age, in children, adults or the elderly, fevers are NOT a determinant factor of the flu. So it is possible to have the flu WITHOUT a fever, or have a fever in cold symptoms without having the flu. That is because every body's hypothalamic (the body temperature control center) responses vary in disorders. The key symptoms to look for in Influenza-induced flu is the body ache/muscle ache, like they feel sore as if they have been beaten up in a fight (fatigue symptom is not a reliable indicator, as it is also present in the common cold). So just ask him directly if he still feels achy all over, not just a headache. When they no longer ache, they will appear more energetic and able to do more around the house, such as playing or jumping around. If his appetite gradually returns, then his condition has improved. How long he should stay at home, even after the primary flu symptoms are gone, depends upon your son's school attendance policy, and what you feel comfortable with. Due to my daughter's school attendance policy, I send her back to school once the body ache is gone (if she's capable of sitting up to watch TV for a minimum of 3 hours) and the low-grade fever can be controlled by Acetaminophen for most of the school day (capable of working for a minimum of 6 hours). There's Germ-X available in the classrooms to prevent the cold virus from spreading to others.

The incubation period for Influenza viruses is 1 to 4 days, with 2 days being the average. Patients become infectious starting 1 day before their symptoms begin and remain infectious through approximately 5 days after the illness onset. Children can be infectious for 10 days or more, and younger children can shed the virus for up to 6 days BEFORE their illness onset. Contagion results from the virus' ability to develop new "subtypes" (change its genetic structure) that the population is not protected against, with Influenza-A virus undergoing through more changes than Influenza-B virus.

Some children, no matter how ill, never run fevers. Since you know this about your son, you just have to be more observant as to his other symptoms. Until most of his symptoms are gone, he should not be in school.

Well he could just have a small amount and be almost over it. But if he never runs a fever when he is sick I would have this checked , because our Body has A fever to Help fight off A infection. It is our way of healing. That's why they say if your Fever isn't over A hundred and one then don't take Tylenol so you can fight it off on your own. But Like I said if he never gets A fever that should be checked. I would go and look it up on Web MD and see what that Say's.