Would you send your toddler to nursery with a common cold at the moment, if a symptom is a cough.

[Eloiss]

This may have been done to the death but I haven't seen anything so apologies!

I have two toddlers and they both have a common cold (very snotty, sneezy but with a cough) no temp.

We know it's not covid because we've already had that and it was very different. This is a run of the mill common cold.

DP sees no reason DS can't go to nursery tomorrow (DD hasn't started yet as she's just 17 months) whereas I'm saying no. Although we know it's not covid it's bound to be a cause for concern for the nursery and other parents if he's coughing everywhere.

It's bad timing as I could do without having to stay off work to be with the children but it seems unavoidable.

WWYD?

@loveisagirlnameddaisy

Is a symptom of Covid having a runny and snotty nose?

If not, do we have to assume if we have a runny and snotty nose AND a cough, we might have a common cold AND Covid?

Yes, runny nose is a fairly common symptom I’m children especially. And yes, it’s possible to have more than one virus at a time.

My nephew had the same symptoms as your child and tested positive for covid.

@Stripesgalore

My nephew had the same symptoms as your child and tested positive for covid.

How did he get on? I hope he only had it mildly.

I hope to god it isn't covid, my DM has been spending time with the children in the lead up to them getting snotty and coughing and she has hypertension and is older

You are very responsible OP. My toddler has come home with 2 viral colds in the last few weeks caught at nursery. When I questioned after his first day he had a runny nose, his key worker said all of his class seemed too & it was the cough & temperature they were concerned about.

@Eloiss I wouldn't presume your family have had it! My friend is NHS so was tested with symptoms April/May. Her partner tested positive with symptoms in August. They live together and presumed her partner had it the first time round

The thing is It's me they've picked this bug up from, and I've already had covid.

I've been feeling run down and crappy since Sunday (just not snotty or sneezing) and then the children have come down with this.

It seems extraordinarily unlikely that I would have covid twice within such a short period of time.

I mean yes it's possible that what they have isn't what has had me feeling run down for the past week, but in all probability it's the same thing.

I'm ran down and feel unwell (in a non descript way) and then within days the children get this.

I'm going to follow guidelines because they have a cough so people needn't worry I won't be sending them anywhere.

@violetfern

I think the difficulty comes with a ‘new CONTINOUS cough’. We rang 111 as DD (1) was super snotty and had an occasional cough due to horrible post nasal drip and were told that the odd cough to clear the throat did not count. So I am now taking this advice going through the cold season Children need to be in contact with colds to develop their immune system. We need to make sure the tests are being used appropriately so those who have one of the three symptoms can be tested quickly.

Well this is the kind of cough the OP is talking about no?

And everyone is saying they shouldn’t send her DC in. We’re in the same boat, DC with cough related to snotty nose. Am presuming we need to isolate and test, but no tests available!!

My child's school are being really strict and saying not to go in with even a mild cough, temp or loss of taste/smell. If a runny nose without any of those symptoms it's fine but if they hear a child coughing they will get sent home. They're worried all their teachers will be off and the school will have to close otherwise.

I suppose I was taking it to mean that if this occasional mucus clearing cough turned into a continuous one, or 3 coughing episodes in the 24 hours then it would mean testing, but if it didn’t develop into this then it wouldn’t fulfil the requirements to be tested? It’s really difficult, I think there needs to be some more guidance released to help parents as from all the threads I’m reading we can all have various interpretations of what a continuous cough/a coughing episode is etc

Hope you manage to get some tests soon! It’s so frustrating.

It's a fine line to tread as we don't want to take unnecessary risks but the much coveted test slots are being taken up by kids who coughed briefly, twice during the school day, maybe because something tickled their throat or they've got a mild cold etc, then sent home and refused back into school until they have a negative rest result.

Booking a test is excruciating and some people have waited days for results, it could mean a whole family bubble off school and work for a week just because a child cleared their throat a few times.

The NHS needs to be clearer on the type of cough that requires a test.

I agree with you that it's probably not covid. But with the rules as they are, passing those symptoms on makes it not just a massive pita for you but also others.

For example I am due to have a baby any day and where we are, if DH has a cough or runny nose he will not he allowed in to the labour ward with me and I will be giving birth alone. I will be pretty annoyed if he picks up any of those symptoms from our other kids who have caught them from kids at their nursery.

@violetfern

I suppose I was taking it to mean that if this occasional mucus clearing cough turned into a continuous one, or 3 coughing episodes in the 24 hours then it would mean testing, but if it didn’t develop into this then it wouldn’t fulfil the requirements to be tested? It’s really difficult, I think there needs to be some more guidance released to help parents as from all the threads I’m reading we can all have various interpretations of what a continuous cough/a coughing episode is etc

Hope you manage to get some tests soon! It’s so frustrating.

Absolutely. What do they mean by "continuously"? If I cough once a minute for an hour, is that continuous? Once every five minutes?

And if I cough for a minute three times in a day, are they "episodes"? How about ten seconds? Some people will apply for a test of they cough three times in 24 hours, others will ignore it as minor. I'd welcome more detailed guidance, though I understand the need for simplicity in the messaging.