Argh, first residential and DD is poorly, help!

[Rolypops]

DD has Autism/SEN and has her first ever school residential overnight for two nights this week. She has done so much work to prepare for it and has been so excited. However yesterday she got a cold and is stuffed up today. She doesn't have a temperature. The trip is for two nights but is less than a 15 minute drive away. Should I still let her go? I know it's been doing the rounds through her class already. I just think she'll be heartbroken if she can't, but I'm worried about her being wet and cold and generally just bloody worried full stop!

Does she want to go? Are the staff good with her and do you trust them to call you if she needs them to? If so and she doesn't develop a temperature or any other symptoms then I would send her.

If it’s just a bit of a cold I’d send her if she feels okay. I.e. would she be well enough to go to school would be my test. If no temp sounds fine. If she feels poorly then not as she’d probably want to be at home?

Tough timing. I empathise - we had 4+ weeks of emotional meltdowns in the run up to DD1’s first residential and a huge amount of coaching from me to get her to go. It was the final trigger for us seeking an autism assessment as her emotional reactions were so high/unusual. I hope your daughter makes it. DD loved it once she actually got there and then couldn’t wait for the next one. This year the year 6s go to France which I am the nervous one about!

Be led by her, having done the work and as she is excited let her go if she is keen. You can always pick up if she feels too poorly.

Yes she desperately wants to go! And I may have told the school more times than was necessary that I could be there in eight minutes if there wasn't much traffic!

I think stopping her after her working so hard on her independence these last few weeks would just crush her, especially as so many things were cancelled over lockdown that she's still gutted about.

It's two nights, eight minutes away from home.

It sounds like you'd be stopping her for your own sake (to allay your worries) rather than for her sake.

Let her go. If she becomes too ill to stay, they'll call you.

I know you're right but it's not just separation anxiety, I am worried about her being in the water etc when she has a cold already. But seeing her pack her suitcase and how excited she is there really is nothing for it, she would be heartbroken.