Changing my mind about sending dc back to school

[StoneCold316]

I know this isn’t an AIBU, but posting here for traffic as I’m having a bit of panic about dc going back to school next week.

I’ve been fine up until now and their school (primary) has sent us a very detailed plan about everything they’ve put in place for covid. They are only going in 2 days, in bubbles of 15, for the next 3 weeks. So it will be 6 sessions in total.

I have reception aged twins who were premature and have viral wheeze, usually in winter. They don’t have asthma as such, their viral wheeze is due to them being born at 29 weeks with premature lung disease. This is getting less severe as they get older but they have both been hospitalised with breathing difficulties when they were toddlers. They still require an inhaler, frequently in winter, less so in the summer where they can go months without needed it. They’ve been absolutely fine since Feb and haven’t needed the inhaler at all.

I had pretty much decided I would send the dc in but I’m having cold feet and dh thinks I’m overreacting. I don’t know why but I’m not sure it’s worth risking sending them in. Dh thinks it’ll be no different than sending them in September and thinks it will be good for them as they are getting very bored. The dc have had a few wobbles and a lot of fighting the past 2 weeks. I also have another dc in yr 4.

What do you all think? Is it too much of a risk sending them in or do I need to chill out and let them go? I’m so confused and don’t know what to do for the best.

My ds 5 was prem and has diagnosed asthma. He hasn't gone back. His db 11 has for the last week and 3 weeks to go.
Not sure how social distancing a 5 yo could go..

I think your dh is right, they'll be going back in September anyway , they need to socialise, you can't keep them home until their is a vaccine unless you deregister and home school

I'd let them go. My dd bubble closed very swiftly when one child had a (turned out to be non-covid) cough and it was dealt with very well. I think we will be living with this for months and it sounds like your DC need their peers.

My DS is 7 and has managed asthma and we have sent him back in.

In relation to the distancing, my 5 year old is back and is actually much better at the distancing than you would expect. They have been shown modified versions of tag etc which they play. Being back has been fab and DC have loved it.

If its anything like our school, option of 15 per bubble.
nursery 5, reception a 7 Rb 6 yr1a 4 yr1b 12 no year6 so what can happen and what actually does happen can be way different. I suggest try it for a week and see how many kids actually show up.

My 4 year old basically has the same back story as years, plus 9 months on oxygen and recurrent bronchiolitis until she was 2. Asthma not diagnosed but inhaler prescribed for use as needed - basically whenever she gets any bug.

I have had to bite the bullet and send her in as I am a teacher now needed in school, and she's not classed as vulnerable.

She has LOVED it, esp all the extra attention as smaller groups.

DH had a moderate dose of what we think was Covid in April, just before tests were available. About a week in, she came down with something. Now it might not have been it...but we had been in isolation for a fortnight before my husband was I'll as son had a temp, and then obviously we were isolating again due to my husband. So realistically what else could it have been as we'd been nowhere to pick anything up?

Anyway, it hit her just the same as any bug (although worse than my son.) A bit grumpy, tired, not wanting to eat much, temp that needed regular Calpol and out with the inhaler as happens pretty much any time she gets poorly. She was fine after a week.

Sorry for typos!

Hope that's reassuring.

Thank you so much for the replies, they have reassured me. I think my mind has just gone into worst case scenario mode and I need to snap out of it.

Lancrelady80 You have made me feel so much better. One of my twins also came home on oxygen, after 8 weeks in nicu, and he tends to get it worse than the other one. He was on oxygen until he was 4 months old. I think this is what worried me the most.

simonisnotme You make a really good point, all 15 may not even turn up. From the WhatsApp group, I know there are a few who are definitely not sending their dc in so it may be smaller classes.

I have drilled social distancing into the dc and am hoping they are able to implement it as much as possible

I'd let them go. It gives them chance in a very safe environment to start getting back to normality. The risk to children, even at the height of the pandemic was minimal and now it is even less. I think it will get harder no easier to let them go back the longer you leave it.

I don't know of anyone who is regretting their child going back.

Glad I've helped. It was the oxygen that really bothered me too. Dd was in NICU from 29 weeks to the day before her due date, and came home with diagnosis of chronic lung disease and home oxygen 24/7 until she was 9 months old. Had to have 2 blood transfusions and huge doses of iron in order to keep her sufficiently oxygenated. I remember being terrified of waking up with a blue baby in the Moses basket. And then the children's ward got to know us REALLY well as we were in there so much needing oxygen. So I TOTALLY understand why you are worried. I would have been too, but as we're pretty sure she's already had it that's taken the worry out for us. Although I would really love us all to have antibody tests to know for sure.

I have two former preemies, one a 29 weeker who came home tube free and I wouldn't worry about sending them to school. One a 28 weeker who was on home oxygen until 6 months adjusted (9 actual), their respiratory team's advice was if we could keep them home to do so for as long as we could - in their words 'they qualified for synergist, that's a good indication of how much protection the NHS felt it nessisary to give their lungs' (apparently one winter is about £6k of medication, we got 2 years worth which meant double dosing the second year due to their size as the vials are meant for small babies not toddlers, so £18k total just on that one drug)- for that reason I'd not send my 28 weeker in, although they have also had a shielding letter where my 29 weeker didn't and that's specifically due to their lung issues.