Rabies- My cheese is sliding

[NervUs]

off the cracker!!!

Th weather is turning cooler, and we get critters this time of year. I feel like I have been hearing animal noises in the attic, but it's not been consistent. I haven't called a trapper yet b/c I haven't been sure.

Anyway, in reading about trapping, I got the notion that bats might be colonizing my attic, something I've never before considered! Apparently, googling wildlife trappers will do that!

So, this morning, I am in the shower and my 3 year old daughter comes in to say hi. I noticed a lot of red on her nose, which I assumed to be chapstick, as she just got this new red Minnie Mouse chapstick that she is delighted with. I had her come over and I smudged it off. When I got out of the shower and looked closer, there were two little dots spread apart, just as you might imagine bat fangs. I scrubbed and I am pretty sure they came off, but my HA is playing tricks on me big time. I have gotten it into my head that she was bitten by a bat in the night and that she is going to die of rabies Mind you, I did not see a bat. I have actually been looking for them every night after reading the trapper page and I have not noticed any, nor any poop, nor any smudges of black on the wall. We do have them where I live though. I would see them in the skyline in the summer, and I know there were a couple living behind my shutters as the painter found them (but this was 3 years ago).

There is no evidence to show that she was bitten by a bat, but my mind just keeps going back and back there!

I am really just getting this off my chest. I know there is nothing anyone can say besides you are crazy. I really hope I am crazy and this only happens like once a year in the US, but just knowing it happens is making me sick. I don't know if I should call her doctor or what, but I didn't see a bat (although I probably could convince myself I did if given time :-( )

[RJJones]

Jesus, i hope she will be ok, nothing worse than stressing over your own kids.
Im pretty sure you cannot wipe bat bite marks off.

Im not out to make you stress either, but to settle your own mind, maybe just bring your little girl to the DR for piece of mind.

REMOVED, ITS OFFENDING USERS!

[NervUs]

OMG, now I've had a heart attack!

[MoleHill]

A bat would not come into a room, bite, and the leave unnoticed. Once they get loose inside a house, they get confused and make a lot of racket because they don’t know how to get back out.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Lets return to what you know:

1) She wasn't upset.
2) She hasn't cried out.
3) She appears all well.
4) She hasn't mentioned about anything happening to her.
5) You haven't mentioned she has been in the loft.
6) You haven't seen any signs of bats.
7) You mention only 1 case occurs in a country with hundreds of millions of people (plus us tourists)

Now what do you know that confirms your fear? It appears all we have is two little marks on her nose.

Couldn't they be something else?

Wouldn't your daughter be upset, mention being attacked on her face by a flying thing?

[NervUs]

Yes, you are both right....My husband checked in the daylight (I was at work all day) and he saw no signs of bats. Plus, the marks came off when I rubbed them (but I had to rub hard-ish). She noticed nothing, but "they" say you can be bitten without knowing.

I know on some level this is OCD. It's got to be, right?

I mean, I didn't see a bat and have never seen a bat in my house or attic. She has never been in the attic, just her room,

She is my little girl, though, and I will not be able to live if anything happens to her!

[MyNameIsTerry]

But bitten on the face? How can someone not notice that? I've been bitten on the ankle by some mysterious little creepy crawly ones that gave me some swelling but that's an ankle, under a sock & trouser leg, on the face is very different.

You also assumed it was a chapstick. Wouldn't blood look very different? If you saw your child with what looked like blood on her face I think you would have reacted quite differently thinking she was hurt.

And wouldn't she notice she was bleeding after something flew straight at her face and bit her on the nose?

And if the marks have come off, they won't be puncture marks. Perhaps it could be the chapstick getting into some open pores on the nose? The fact they are two together is likely the only reason your subconscious blurted out "bite" at you. And I bet it was an intrusive thought too.

[Annaboodle]

Jesus, i hope she will be ok, nothing worse than stressing over your own kids.
Im pretty sure you cannot wipe bat bite marks off.

Im not out to make you stress either, but to settle your own mind, maybe just bring your little girl to the DR for piece of mind.

What a thoughtless post. Honestly. "I'm not going to stress you (but HERE I GO posting some ridiculous catastrophising I've just Googled)".

OP ignore that and sorry it stressed you. There is just no way your daughter has contracted rabies. So many reasons, but the marks came off when you rubbed them should be enough. It's chap stick or pen or crayon or something. My toddler is forever appearing with "strange rashes" that turn out to be soup splatterings or similar.

[RJJones]

What a thoughtless post. Honestly. "I'm not going to stress you (but HERE I GO posting some ridiculous catastrophising I've just Googled)".

OP ignore that and sorry it stressed you. There is just no way your daughter has contracted rabies. So many reasons, but the marks came off when you rubbed them should be enough. It's chap stick or pen or crayon or something. My toddler is forever appearing with "strange rashes" that turn out to be soup splatterings or similar.

Thoughtless??? Maybe your post is...thoughtless!!

I was not trying to stress anyone.

1. You CANT wipe off a Bat bite!!

2. It's pretty obvious her little girl DID NOT have these symptoms. I thought that was helping yea???

Maybe some would say, thank god my girl doesn't have those symptoms to put your mind a ease.

Pretty harmless post if you ask me!!!

So many reasons, but the marks came off when you rubbed them should be enough.

Oh WOW, What i said to, my BAD...

Nothing worse than people out to make you look bad, when infact i actually cared and worried a little, then thought, naaa, somethings not right.
I'm a very caring person, and will try to help anyone, don't down talk me or down grade me.
Next time i wont bother trying to help.

NervUs, im sorry my post FULLY stressed you out. Not all of us are perfect ok.

[NervUs]

The post did stress me out RI, but I know you didn't mean that. THe incident JUST happened, so I have months and months to wait and see if anything comes of this, months and months of possible worry every time she gets a cold. I know that is my problem and no one else's, and I do fight to try to see the reality of the situation. It's really hard, though, and I guess I was hoping to hear validation that this is you really imagining something that you had just read about.

I did check my attic last night and I didn't see anything up there or notice any evidence of bats or other animals. There's no poop that I saw anywhere, no foul smells. I mean, I couldn't see 100%...and....I am still scared. I woke up at 6 this morning thinking straight about it. I know I will desensitize over time.

Planning to call the local health department today. I think they know more than peds. Hopefully, I will get a you're crazy out of them!