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• What I’m Seeing At Work: Mono

• Money-Saving Tip: Save On Glasses

• How To Prep Your Kid For Surgery

• Recalls & Alerts: Glowing Bunny Ears

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What I’m Seeing At Work: Mono

Unfortunately, we're seeing a spike in the number of kids with mono this past week. Infectious mononucleosis, or mono for short, is an illness caused by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). It’s common in kids, especially in teens—it’s sometimes nicknamed "the kissing disease" because it can also be spread from kissing. More accurately, it is spread from person to person in saliva, blood, and other body fluids.

Suspect mono if your child has the following symptoms:

1. Fever

2. Sore throat (with either little red spots, called petechiae, or white patches on the back of the throat)

3. Fatigue

4. Swollen lymph nodes (around the neck, groin, and/or armpits)

Mono can be absolutely miserable and make some kids very sick. If you suspect mono, definitely take your child into the doctor for testing. The most accurate testing involves a blood draw for titers (the quick finger prick mono spot test can be wrong with a sensitivity of only 70-90%). You will also want to have the doctor check for an enlarged liver and/or spleen as that can create complications, especially if your child is in sports, dance, or other activities.

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