AIBU to send son to school?

[Blizy]

My 7 year old son has developed hand foot and mouth over the weekend, he is well in himself and I'm aware that there's no exclusion period for h f &m, I am/was planning on sending him to school as usual tomorrow but my sister is aghast at the idea of it. AIBU?

All employees have a statutory right for emergency leave for dependents. Here is more info

www.gov.uk/time-off-for-dependants

Parental leave would not apply in this circumstance. It has to be planned in advance

www.gov.uk/parental-leave/entitlement

@CecilyP

thank you for remembering that! My son ended up with severe croup in the space of a day from the 37.7 and needed to stay at hospital for days plus take steroids for 7 days. He’s fine now but yes, I appreciate you bringing up that it wasn’t really “pearl clutching”.

HFM is tricky because NHS guidelines say to send them in but it does feel counterintuitive given how contagious it is!

You can fine all you like - some viruses are more obvious than others like chicken pox others less so - so some are affected and others have no symptoms

So a ridiculous statement

Hope this helps all the drama llamas...

Yes of course, if he's not unwell. Print off a copy of the PH guidelines saying no exclusion needed, put it in his bag and tell him to show it to the teacher if they question whether he should be there

Teachers will know he’s allowed - just the general public have an issue with it. No printing needed.

Of course he should be in school if not classes as contagious, and not unwell.

It's contagious. What about the parents of the other children you pass it onto? How about their employers? Are they less important than you?

It's contagious for up to 3 months! What is she supposed to do? Keep him off till then?

They can send there kids to school once they aren’t unwell too.

It's contagious. What about the parents of the other children you pass it onto?

I had two with HFM - nobody else caught it, and yes they went to school.

My daughter had hand foot and mouth twice as a toddler. The first time was tough enough, the second time the insides of her mouth were covered and she was in a lot of pain and couldn't even eat.
Just because your child is ok, why would you knowingly send him in and pass it on to someone who might suffer with it??
So selfish.

I would absolutely still send a child in with HFM if they seemed ok in themselves. Other posters on here who are aghast at the idea clearly have very accommodating jobs or are SAHM.

Because she can’t keep him off for 2-3 months until he’s no longer contagious can she.

I remembered your thread because I posted on it myself and thought your update would cause some posters to eat their words - I was obviously wrong there! Glad your son is better now.

Can’t be much help on HF&M as DS had it as a toddler. I had never even heard of it before!

I find it incredibly selfish when people send their sick kids.. but that is just me

Public health policy is to send them in if not unwell.

It's a mild illness, in respect of which the period of infection/contagion is often before the symptoms have emerged, so keeping otherwise healthy kids off doesn't prevent spread and only results in children missing school unnecessarily.

Redhotchilli

Define unwell.

A child could have all manner of other skin rashes like eczema or dermatitis and you don't object to them being sent in. OP has said their child isnt feeling poorly.

Completely unreasonable it's highly contagious. I don't know how you could even contemplate sending him in. It's completely irresponsible.

Amazing. You have new research knowledge on the infectiousness of HF&M which has escaped the attention of all those in public health in the UK. Do share your findings.

User3568975431146

What if it's highly contagious but incredibly mild?

Our immune systems work better if we are exposed regularly to mild viruses than if we live in aseptic environments.

@Redhotchillii so she should just keep him off the whole 3 months then?

@User3568975431146
So when should she send him back, seeing as though you are highly infectious with HFM for 3 months?

You need to keep him at home OP that's quite a contagious thing to go in and share with his class the day after half term!
Hope he gets well soon

@DoubleShotEspresso
For 3 months? Because that's how long you are infectious for with HFM...