To ask why parents bring out clearly ill children for days out

[squiddybear]

Probably going to be shot down in flames!

This week we had a week off and took DS to lots of places - we've always been very very cautious of covid and this was sort of the first time we did lots of things although we did test twice last week to make sure we were still ok to go.

It struck me how many children were being taken out to like the farm park or ceebeebies land who were clearly very unwell. Left to cough all over things, snot dripping down their faces and a few with what looked like HFM or chicken pox. Now I understand that children get ill but to take them to a public place and let them cough and sneeze over everything especially in the wake of covid is just unfair and unnecessary.

For context there was a family we were sitting next too who were there with another mum and child who said school wouldn't have her in but she's fine (said child was pale as a ghost, hacking cough and didn't really want to move!)

I don't understand the logic, if your child is ill then stay at home! Don't spread their germs round to everyone else! AIBU to think this

and a few with what looked like HFM or chicken pox.

That's unusual to spot a few children with that.

Were they all the same family?

"For young children, afaik, they can attend school after a 3 day 'solation' if they have tested positive for covid."

Ds has just had it and the school said that although 3 days is recommended, if he returns whilst still contagious and it spreads to staff ( who are still routine testing because it is a special school, they may have to shut the class to all till staff have returned.

@Olivestone
You misunderstand me.
I think a good vaccination program is better than the alternative and will probably be rolled out in the UK at some stage

www.theguardian.com/society/2021/may/02/the-chickenpox-party-is-over-as-scientists-call-for-uk-vaccine-rollout

@Olivestone Thanks for sharing, to be honest had to stop reading after a couple paragraphs. Had no idea.

Terrifying for those of us who's children were born during or just before lockdown.

My baby wasn't exposed to anything and didn't get her first cold until she was 18 months. Not intentional there just weren't any baby groups and we didn't know any other babies!!!

I wonder if there's any plan to mitigate this as there must be babies up and down the country and across the world in a similar position.

I'll read it properly another day.

@ChloeHel

I was speaking about this link btw

@Olivestone

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/05/180521131746.htm

My redhead always looks pale... Like ghost coloured, comes with the genes.

My 3 year old has been snotty since last September, with reductions in volume between viruses, comes with the territory of starting nursery after effectively 18 months of near isolation and no real exposure to germs other than those brought home by big sis. We went out and about in covid but there were almost no opportunities to mix indoors (soft plays closed until the summer around us).

Yep we'd be out for the day with pale redhead (normal for her) who might well have a strop about the food options/waiting for something (cue lying on the bench in a "restaurant") and a snotty toddler who might also sit and sulk spectacularly if he wanted to do the opposite to his sister. Probably with tears and snot pouring out until distracted by food...

@britneyisfree yep mine was born in 2020 and I had read about this a few years back so did everything I could to expose him but very difficult like you said as baby groups and normal life was missing!

For some people a trip to CeeBeebies land might be the only holiday they get this year. It might evolve a hotel stay and a drive of several hours so what might be a day out for you could be much more for someone else.
I've gone away for a couple of days with my children and they were fine when I left home, but then the youngest was ill for approximately 3 hours one evening then the same thing hit the eldest late the following afternoon. Children pick up bugs that can hit hard and fast but be fine the next day.

They didn't die of colds. NOBODY has died of the common cold or similar.

You might tell that to the grieving mother on another thread who posted about losing her baby in just these circumstances a few weeks back.

You are wrong, I'm afraid, simple as that. Colds can cause serious complications and infants are one of the at risk groups.

Well, to a certain extent you can try.
Having lots of pets helps build the immune system for example.

@Marynotsocontrary sorry I meant in terms of illness you can't select what your child comes into contact with.

Maybe it depends on how you were brought up. My parents very much kept us at home if we had colds and coughs/anything infectious and told us it wasn't fair on others to spread what we had so we carry on this.

If you've not been brought up like that then you probably see nothing wrong with it

So do you both stay home with your hay fever? Because what you think are hay fever symptoms could just as easily be anything else.

Yes, I agree, it's difficult. You really have no control at all if they're at nursery or school.
If I had a newborn baby though, I'd be asking visitors to postpone their visit if they were unwell.
On the other hand, another theory holds that allergies are on the rise because we're all too clean nowadays. I do think pets, messy play in the garden etc are things to be encouraged where possible.
Trying to get the balance right can be tricky and a lot comes down to the luck of the draw in genetics too.

I keep DS home if he has something I know is infectious.

but because of his disabilities he is always pale, he is always coughing and quite often his nose is running. Some days he is too ill for school but we can manage a bit of fresh air at the local petting zoo he loves.

I am sure people judge us, but I don’t care. I will do what is right for him.

Colds were serious things in our house when the children were younger as all are asthmatic.

@Ahurricaneofjacarandas People can and do die of the cold. My mum spent a week in itu and very very nearly died, her illness? Rhinovirus. A common cold.

I’m actually in therapy because of this very thing!

I know it might not sound like a big deal but being dragged out the house/sent to school when I was clearly unwell has had a lasting affect on me. I have a ridiculously high pain threshold and really struggle to accept help or take medicine when I’m ill.

It’s important to teach children that we rest when we are feeling run down. Even if it means you have to deal with them in the house instead of flinging them round ceebeebies land or wherever.

Did you not read my post? I’ve clearly said I have been vaccinated, but it’s not 100% effective so there is always a chance of catching it. It’s much safer to have caught chicken pox as a child than to rely on the varicella vaccine!!!

Between the ages of about 18 months to around 8 my kids had colds at least 50% of the time. With 5 children I’d never have left the house if I’d have waited until they were all completely snot free!

I'm often surprised (and a bit disgusted) when I see kids out with snot running down their faces. I would never take my DC out when they were ill and not would I go out myself, unless I really had to. I've heard the excuse about 'but I'd never take them out if I didn't take them out with a snotty nose'. Maybe if parents didn't try to justify dragging ill kids out, fewer people would catch these bugs in the first place.

Yabu, absolutely no winning with this. If we stayed at home everytime one of ours had a cough/cold/other mystery ailment we would honestly never get to leave the house! Always scale it back to what they can manage but can guarantee if we stay home they’ll stage a miraculous recovery and be climbing the walls.

My kid has had a running nose since he was born. He’s also still completely covered in chicken pox, that he had three weeks ago.

We go out all the time because he’s not ill.