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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to keep DS at home to avoid catching Scarlet Fever?

24 replies

WildStyle · 30/03/2015 19:52

School announced that Scarlet Fever is going around the school. It's 2 days until the Easter holidays start. My mother has suggested I keep DS (5) at home so he doesn't catch it.

He doesn't have any underlying medical issues that I am aware of. It would simply be to avoid him catching it and being poorly (and possibly giving it to his brother).

WIBU to keep him at home?

OP posts:

Sirzy · 30/03/2015 19:54

If you start keeping him off every time there is a bug going around then he will never be in. yABU

Katnisnevergreen · 30/03/2015 20:26

IsntScarlet Fever quite serious? Hardly just a bug.

SueChef · 30/03/2015 20:28

Do you have any special plans for Easter?

MmeLindor · 30/03/2015 20:29

Scarlet Fever goes around all schools, and they'll either catch it or not. I wouldn't keep him off for it. It's not particularly pleasant, but not life-threatening. It tends to be quite mild.

LIZS · 30/03/2015 20:30

Pointless, the contagious children will already have passed it on . also the bacteria causes a sore throat/tonsillitis but not necessarily sf.

soapboxqueen · 30/03/2015 20:30

My ds had scarlet fever when he was 3. He was given antibiotics and calpol. He was fine.

The only reason we knew it might be scarlet fever was because a notice went up on the door at nursery.

I think in times gone past it could be very serious and as with anything there can always be a person who gets seriously ill. On the whole I don't think it's the plague.

Hoppinggreen · 30/03/2015 20:34

My DS had Scarlett fever when he was about 3. He wasnt really ill, just had antibiotics and had to stay off preschool for a bit.
He was a lot worse with Chickenpox and his sister didn't even catch it.
I don't think that you can keep him at home every time there is a big going around.

Trooperslane · 30/03/2015 20:34

Dd and I have both had it in the last 6 months

As long as it's treated it's ok - not like years ago when you had to be treated in the fever hospital.

BarbarianMum · 30/03/2015 20:43

I wouldn't. Scarlet fever goes round every year. I have a friend who had it as an adult and who was really ill with it. The doctor told her that most people caught it in mild form as a child and built up immunity that way - she'd just been unlucky and missed it.

BlinkAndMiss · 30/03/2015 20:44

My DS might or might not have scarlet fever at the moment. The same bacteria causes tonsillitis and other respiratory infections, the rash he has keeps changing so we're unsure as to whether it's scarlet fever or a virus alongside tonsillitis.

His temperature is awful, he feels like crap and other than keep giving the antibiotics which are affecting his stomach there is nothing I can do. I also have to keep giving him Calpol and ibuprofen (a combination worked out by the dr) which is not something I like doing. This has been going on for 4 days and we've been to the drs 3 times.

Seriously OP, YANBU. If I could go back a week I'd do exactly the same thing. I know avoiding every little bug is impossible and maybe I'm sleep deprived and worried but on this occasion just avoid, avoid, avoid. Especially if you have another child who will inevitably catch it.

DextersMistress · 30/03/2015 20:47

Ds was diagnosed with sf today. No idea where he got it from, afaik he's the first from his nursery. He's got antibiotics and is fine in himself, just spotty. The gp said it's very very rare for sf to be dangerous these days.

BlinkAndMiss · 30/03/2015 21:08

DextersMistress is your DS struggling with a temperature and sore throat, or has the SF been diagnosed by the rash alone?

Sorry to jump on the thread!

DextersMistress · 30/03/2015 21:17

blink yes it started with a sore throat and temp on sat, the rash developed Yesterday. He also has the 'strawberry tongue' so they're pretty sure. Apparently someone will come to the house this week to take swabs to confirm, but he's being treated for sf.

Lulaloo · 30/03/2015 21:20

We have been through exactly the same as blink , severe strep throat, very high temps, earache, unable to move his neck, doctors thought he had scarlet fever but no rash appeared, he has been very poorly. Doctor said they are closely linked. He is on 40ml of penicillin a day for two weeks. It has been a week an he is only just getting better.
Whilst I understand you not wanting him to catch it, if he has already been exposed which I am guessing he has, there is little point in keeping him off.
Hope he is ok.

sanfairyanne · 30/03/2015 21:21

i would do this like a shot

we know someone whose child is seriously ill in hospital right now with sf

Muchtoomuchtodo · 30/03/2015 21:24

Yes YABU.

What else would you keep him home for if it was going round? Slapped cheek, verrucas, chicken pox, diarrhoea.....

And if the holidays weren't a few days away how long would you keep him off for? The absence would be unauthorised and rightly so.

Being exposed to illnesses at school is all part of it, and you have an obligation to ensure that your Ds's attendance is a high as it can be.

JohnCusacksWife · 30/03/2015 21:24

Think you'd be over reacting if you kept him off. Scarlet Fever isn't normally serious. A sore throat and a rash is about as bad as it gets for most kids.

MmeLindor · 30/03/2015 21:25

I understand wanting to avoid it, but as Lizs said - he's already been exposed to it. And complications are rare.

You simply can't keep them off school every time a nasty bug is going around, or they'd never be there!

BlinkAndMiss · 30/03/2015 21:35

Thanks DextersMistress and Lulaloo, sounds like they all have the same symptoms. I'm just so desperate for him to be better, it started in Thursday with a temp and sore throat, rash appeared yesterday and antibiotics started yesterday. I suppose it isn't a serious illness as it can be treated with antibiotics at home, but it certainly doesn't feel that way.

I do think the others are right in a way, he has probably already been exposed to it. I just think if you can avoid it them do so! But I'm not sure what the incubation period is so if it's long then he's probably already been exposed.

Ziggyzoom · 30/03/2015 21:42

DD had it a couple of yeara ago when she was 7. She was fine. GP was quite excited to spot it but he said, although it is still a notifiable disease, it is nowhere near as serious as it was before the development of antibiotics.

I learned that my grandmother had it in her youth and was sent to an institution for weeks!

DD was told to stay off school until the rash had gone. I have photos of us cycling through the forest as she was right as rain after a couple of days of feeling under the weather.

StickledPink · 30/03/2015 21:45

No I don't think YABU. Not at all. Yes, he may well have been exposed to it, but if I were in your shoes, and it was my DS , I would definitely keep him off.
It's hardly a cold and it can be v unpleasant ( despite there being few complications ).

Many on MN will in their opinion say that children shouldn't be kept off School for different bugs. I differ on that opinion but am clearly in the minority.
Really hope your DS doesn't catch it and you all have a great Easter :)

BertieBotts · 30/03/2015 21:47

These days it's no more serious than tonsilitis. Of course even tonsilitis can occasionally be serious, but it's not something you need to worry about. Sanfairyanne hope your friend's child gets well soon.

Icimoi · 30/03/2015 21:56

It isn't a valid reason in law for keeping him off. Do you feel it's worth paying the fine?

Original poster

WildStyle · 30/03/2015 22:16

Thanks for all the replies. We still haven't decided. Or should I say, DH still says keep him at home and I'm not sure. I couldn't give a toss at a fine TBH. I paid for the chickenpox vaccine, so this would amount to the same price. It's really because DS loves school and would be sad not to go.

And to the poster asking wether I'd keep him off for diarrhoea or verrucas, well that's just silly. Those aren't a comparison. Maybe slapped cheek or CP is a comparison.

To the poster asking if it wasn't near holidays - I'd probably send him in as I couldn't keep him off indefinitely. But that's besides the point. It IS near holidays.

I will sleep on it.

Sorry to posters with children who are suffering. I wish them a speedy recovery and hope you enjoy your Easter!

OP posts:

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