Vomiting bugs - why are people so irresponsible? Grrr

[ohgoditshappeningagain]

Why why why do people take their children out to socialise when they have been vomiting recently?

A couple of days ago my 2yo went on a playdate with her regular babysitter, when the nanny of the other kid mentioned in passing that the kid had been vomiting the night before, (i.e. 12 hours ago) but was fine now. 48 hours later, DD starts with the d&v, and I'm bracing myself for the whole family coming down with it.

Last time this happened was at Christmas - very similar situation with another parent taking their kid out because they vomited recently but seem to feel better - and not mentioning it until our kids had already been hanging out for hours. Over the next few days my entire family including both my siblings, their kids and nanny, and my elderly parents got sick. It was total carnage, and I'm not sure I can bear this happening twice a year for the foreseeable, especially as my parents are getting older and I will have a newborn soon.

I wouldn't dream of taking a kid who'd vomited in the last 48 hours out with other children - without at least warning the other family! I thought this was just standard but clearly not?

I honestly don't get it... Do people not realise how contagious d&v bugs are? Do they just think they are not a big deal - like the common cold - and not think about the potential danger to those in contact with very young babies and elderly relatives? Do they just not care because being cooped up at home with toddlers is hell?

Ponocky I’d find out what the rule is at the nursery & talk to them about it.

The super duper contagious time is the first 24 hours, and obviously that’s when they most likely to throw up again if they are not really over it - and if that happens everyone nearby is screwed. I guess this is why some places have a 24 hour rule.

It’s not as though something magic happens at 48 hours, as opposed to 47 or 46. It just gets gradually less contagious (as pps have said, you can still catch it for 2 weeks it’s just much much less likely).

In case anyone is still unconvinced, here’s how this week panned out...

DH came down with it on Sunday night and spent all night in the bathroom and all day Monday in bed.

Babysitter came down with it on Monday (presumably caught it from the original baby as she hadn’t seen DD since she was ill), and threw up 17 times over 2 days, and was not far off being hospitalised with dehydration.

I took 2 days off work to look after DD but then got it myself on Wednesday morning while looking after DD (who by now is totally fine) in between bouts of vomiting. She spent a lot of time in her cot confused and crying as it’s the only place I could contain her safely while bent over the toilet. I’m not exaggerating when I say that was the worst 5 hours of my life until DH (only just back at work that day) was able to come back and rescue me.

I was throwing up every half hour all day and most of the night. I probably made it worse by drinking dyoralite but worried about dehydration as am pregnant. 3 days later my rib cage still hurts.

DH takes Thursday off work (self employed so no sick pay - he’s basically lost a week to this so far).

Babysitter better by Friday and able to look after DD but was going to have my nephew that day too as SIL had a job interview. Obviously they are taking no chances, so SIL cancels her job interview (Let’s hope she can reschedule it but not a great first impression).

And all this because one person decided to take their sick kid out too soon because they ‘seemed fine’.

The only saving grace is that we didn’t have a newborn at the time, and we will now be immune to it for a few months so at least the risk is lower for a while once s/he does arrive.

My sons school is strict with the 48 hour rule. DS has a medical condition which causes him to sometimes vomit after eating and we had to get written confirmation from his consultant that he would be fine to remain at school or go back the next day.

It has caused some stir in the playground with parents who don't know his condition and see him back the next day after hearing he's vomited in class/the playground etc.

My work has a 48 hour rule because we are in healthcare. It makes sense though.

I'm always a bit puzzled by these threads. I don't know what a vomiting bug is. I've never had one, nor has DH, or any of my three children (now in their late teens). Are they something that have become more prevalent in recent years?

My son's school is pretty strict with the 48 hour rule. I did see a parent being spoken to quite firmly and told to take her child home as it was not even 24 hours since he'd been puking.
Doesn't stop the numpties though. One boy had a mild dose of cp so mum brought him along in the afternoon to pick up her other child. He was running round the playground with his friends.
I asked one mum if her child had had cp yet. She said no.
He did two weeks later.
Luckily mine were immune, ds1 had it aged 3 and was very ill. My baby caught it two weeks later. We had 4 weeks of not leaving the house one summer. It sucked, but I know we didn't pass it on.

daisypond I was very lucky with my 3 - now aged 22, 20 and 18. Only the eldest ever caught a vomiting bug and was off nursery for 2 days aged 3. Other than that, none of them caught such a bug! In fact, the youngest achieved 100% attendance every year from Year 1 to Year 13. I know we are very very lucky . They were also in a small primary school - only 10-15 children per school year!

I hate this too, went on a playdate to be told dad was home as he had been up all night with it. Luckily we didnt catch anything but as I have emetophobia, I was not happy.

I have seen many posts on here where parents are told to do whatever they were going to cancel because its ok. Including one whose ill child still went to see the 2012 Olympics, because they "might" not be contagious.

And I dont understand those schools saying attendance is more important. If Child A returns to school missing little or no days, but they then pass it on to potentially many more children, some of whom may be off days, then surely they have lost more days, than making the first child stay off two days?

Can you tell, I also work in a school, one that does promote the 48 hr rule, but you still get the patents who know best. Worst was a teacher at the school, who kept bringing her child into school afterwards, it was only when they were ill at school, that she was made to keep them off.

And Im sorry OP you have had a nasty week by the sounds of it, hope thats the end of it for you all.

Baby in the corner

Ex teacher here. Children who come into my house are asked to wash their hands. I taught reception and checked the children's hands were washed when they went to the toilet before break and lunch! Bet that wouldn't be allowed now!

At the start of the svhool year someone allowed their 5yo child to return to school on the Monday after vomiting Sunday night as they didn't want to affect the child's attendance(and lose the 100%attendance award)

Cue the rest of the class getting the bug including my child. I was not fucking happy about it as my 5yo bought it home and gave it to her 3yo and 14yo sister and both us parents.

So then I wasn't able to go to work as a nurse due to the 48 hour d&v rule or visit my 83yo grandfather who I care for.

I'm also pissed off at adults who come to work after being sick or adults who visit hospital patients after having d&v. I've lost count of the number of times the wards end up shut because some selfish fucker has come in to visit/or work after being unwell despite numerous signs saying stay away. So it affects everyone and everything ie nhs finances when wards are closed and beds have to be left empty due to the ward being closed with d&v

People are selfish fuckers. If you are sick you stay home. If your child is sick then you stay home with them. Ugh I know it's not fun being housebound for 48 hours but people need to stop being such selfish fuckers.

I'm always a bit puzzled by these threads. I don't know what a vomiting bug is. I've never had one, nor has DH, or any of my three children (now in their late teens). Are they something that have become more prevalent in recent years?

Yes, more common in the last 10+ years or so.

YADNBU - this happened to us on holiday and it made for a very stressful time. Family in next caravan (2 adults 3 kids) - kids hit it off and 2 of theirs were playing with ours in communal outdoor space and in our van. Mum then says 'oh the baby is inside being sick, oldest just got over it today but it's fine as the rest of us don't feel ill'. Cue me having to coax mine away and immediately wash hands etc. Next door family went down like dominoes over the week, with the non-vomiting kids constantly trying to come into our van, parents not doing anything to stop them. We dodged a bullet as none of us got sick but not fun having to (kindly but firmly) keep kids apart and out of our van/away from our kids' toys.

Doubly annoying as they used the site swimming pool throughout!

Yes, more common in the last 10+ years or so

People are either more selfish and entitled or more stupid compared to 10+years ago.

Someone I know vaguely on Facebook who is a head teacher posted on Tuesday that her DC sort the while day being sick. Come Wednesday they posted he was getting so much better that she'd taken him to softplay where the DC had a great time playing with all the toys. That is precisely the reason why we don't do softplay