To take DD, who has conjunctivitis to birthday party?

[Snufflebabe]

My little girl has conjunctivitis, a runny nose, and teething pain. We all haven't slept in 4 nights, so a bit shattered. She is fine in herself, and this is day 3 of being on eye drops. The doctor said it was really contagious.

It's our friends DS birthday today, and Dd is invited. I explained yesterday she was under the weather.

Aibu to take her along? It would do her good to get out and have a play, she is 18 months. Plus, it would do me good too.

Any advice? Thanks.

I would be pissed off with a nursery too

YABVU.

DS came home from a birthday party last week with conjunctivitis. As nursery understandably will not have him I've missed a week of work (and pay) to look after him. Thanks to someone like you.

I'm pretty cavalier about snot / coughs etc but conjunctivitis is really nasty and your DD is far too young to feel she's missing out. So no, I'd keep her away. Did the doctor tell you how long she'd be contagious for?

YABVU, stay at home, agree she won't really miss the party, there will be plenty more soft play parties in the future.

it's a shame she'll have to miss the party, but you're doing the right thing. I'd take her out by all means, just not in amongst a lot of other children

I agree with most, YWBU to take your Dd to a party as she is. It may be good for her but not good for the others there. I would be annoyed if someone knowingly took a contagious child to a party.

If her eyes are still infected looking after 3 days I'd be going back for other eye drops

It would be unreasonable and really selfish to take her along. Surprised that anyone would need to ask tbh.

Health protection agency guidance is that kids with infective conjunctivitis should not be excluded from school/nursery.

It is entirely possible your GP knows something special about your child's case but for the vast majority of kids going to the party wouldn't be a problem.

www.cks.nhs.uk/conjunctivitis_infective/management/detailed_answers/acute_infective_conjunctivitis/advice_about_children_in_school

Definitely see a GP about her eyes if they're still nasty, since the drops can't be having an effect.

I wouldn't take her for a number of reasons: she might still be contagious; she and you are knackered and therefore not at your best; the other parents will give you Evils if she's all runny of nose and eye, regardless of how contagious she is; she is tiny still and won't care about not going; it is bloody freezing and I wouldn't be taking an off-colour toddler out unnecessarily in this weather.

YABU. Conjunctivitis is very contagious and the other children will catch it.

Gasman, yes but if it is yellow gunk it will be bacterial conjunctivitis which IS contagious and the child should be excluded.

I think gasman is a qualified doctor

Gasman=anaesthetist

If I remember correctly....

I agree with gasman, current advice is that children do not need to be quarantined when they have conjunctivitis. It is usually self limiting and in more severe cased easily treated (thanks to anti-biotic ointments)

This is a MN over-reaction, but I think a commonly held (old-fashioned ) view so unless you want all the other mums at the party to be discussing you in the same way as the MN jury, then I think best to stay away.

round here the doctors dont even give drops, they say just wash eye with cotton wool and warm water for a few days....

Oh I see, I'll ignore my Doctor then. DD had yellow gunk conjuntivitis last week and was told it was bacterial and to keep her from nursery.

Is it really 'old fashioned thinking'?

The HPA may recommend that children aren't excluded but nurseries and CMs can still insist that children stay away and then you're a bit up the proverbial. Especially if you're trying to argue the point first thing on a Monday morning with no back up childcare.

Or you can argue extensively waving a copy of the recommendations around.

Sadly that still doesn't always get your child into childcare and creates a problem only solved by Granny calvalry. This can be an issue if Granny lives 400 miles away. They joys of working parenthood.

Fanjo is right. I am a doctor. I have to confess to not knowing much about conjunctivitis but I do know the exclusion from childcare rules very well. I have a resident expert (friend from Uni) that I ring to back me up too. He wrote the damn rules and gets even more aerated on the subject that I do when his kids are turfed out of childcare needlessly.

All really rather infuriating.

You do all know the saying "the cobblers bairns..."

Please don't take her. YWBVU as it's so uncomfortable and VERY contagious.

I think you are BU because of your reasoning moreso than anything else! She's 18 months old, she won't care where she is! You want HER to have play time but you don't seem to be considering anyone else!

Had you asked if you would BU to ask her friend was it ok to come, explaining that she shouldn't be contagious after 3 days of treatment then that would be a different matter (though I still wouldn't take her. I'd feel awful if someone else caught it and I wouldn't want to drag a sick baby out to a party!)

I think you should sit this one out!

BTW. I'm not equating a childs birthday party to childcare other than that they are both situation in which large number of children gather.