AIBU to tell other people's children to put their hands over their mouths when they are coughing their guts up?

[17leftfeet]

Ok so I didn't actually do it but it was so tempting!

Just nipped to the shop on the way home and their was a little girl with a really nasty rattly cough which just kept going and going

My first thought was 'poor little thing sounds like she should be wrapped up at home with a hot chocolate'

My second thought was ew ew ewwwwwwe!

YABU unless you know the child/they're in your house.

YABU my 3 year old has a cough like this at the moment. He sounds like he has a plague or something equally hideous but he's not ill. He had a cold a few weeks ago but is well in himself now so doesn't need to be wrapped up at home at all.

I'm teaching him to put his hand over his mouth when he coughs but he's 3, so it's a work in progress.

On the plus side something is sinking in as yesterday he asked oh so politely for me to put my hand over his mouth so he could cough in it.

I don't think YABU at all. I can't remember how old DD was when she learned to put her hand over her mouth to cough.
Young I should imagine. It isn't a terribly complicated manoevre.

The girl was in school uniform but I would guess at reception age

And she was standing next to her mum who could have reminded her

And yes I know coughs can drag on but hand over mouth isn't hard

I've seen plenty of adults who don't bother. Should be encouraged from a young age so it becomes a habit.

I don't know, ds (3.6) has horrible chesty cough atm, and would not understand about putting his hand over his mouth.

You'd get no argument from me. Mine has a horrible cough at the moment, and has to be reminded constantly to cover his mouth. I'd be fine with someone else doing it.

Hand on mouth is actually not a great way of preventing the spread of bugs. Just transfers germs to hands which then touch everything/one. Much better to teach them to cough into the crook of their arm. Also, a larger area so the germs don't get flung around.

That's a point, by the time ds has coughed in his hand and schmeared it with copious amounts of snot, it is like a germ filled petri dish, bleurgh.

YANBU -

Anyone of any age who doesn't cover up when sneezing and coughing needs a jolly good talking to.

But at least if they cover their mouths with the hands the germs are more limited to the things they touch rather than just spraying everything within 6 ft

Do you not watch mythbusters? If you did you would know that coughing into your hand spreads more germs than not doing, and the crook of your arm is better!

And anyone who says children always remember to cover their mouths are talking tosh!!

Well, no 17. Actually it doesn't contain the cough/sneeze and it spreads the germs when they touch things.

I was about to say, I'm more bothered about what people have been touching before touching the food, but none of that matters really.

Food is either washed or cooked before eaten, the outside packaging I would guess have a high reading of germs thanks to other peoples hands...Don't get me started on money...

someone coughing without covering their mouth or coughing into the crook of their arm is the least of the problems really

reception class TA so have to remind them
all the time.

I think people should turn away or cover their nose/mouth with a tissue or similar. (I agree hands spread germs) I don't get many colds being a GP, maybe one a year but the number of people who think they have to cough in your face to prove they are unwell (or not as it happens) makes me feel lucky I am fairly immune.

YANBU!

My little boy has a compromised immune system due to chemotherapy and I have accidentally blurted out 'cover your mouth!' at adults who are coughing and spluttering all over the place

It works though....

It depends on the age a small child YABU
A school age child YANBU old enough to know better.

YANBU!!!!