AIBU to Take Him to Playgroup when Slightly Poorly?

[QS90]

I have a two year old who has a sniffly nose, and a chesty cough (for some reason the cough is only at night). It's unlikely to be Covid as we had it a couple of months ago, and me and my DP aren't ill. He's not ill in himself - that is, still has plenty of energy. He's been like this about a week, not needed Calpol or had a temperature in that time. Still, is this too ill to risk infecting other toddlers? He's my first, so not sure what the social etiquette is, as he's snotty so much more this winter, being old enough to amble about touching gross things all the time 😕

Thanks.

I'd take him out and about to playgrounds and parks but not to playgroups.
I wouldn't want him coughing and snotting over other children and toys.
I can understand that with the lack of circulation post covid that children are racking up more than the usual occasional cough and cold but a permanent winter cough/cold isn't my experience in normal times. Maybe children need to get more outside play and less hygiene rigidity to build up their immune systems (dons hard hat).

Toddlers can have snotty noses for weeks at a time. Can't keep them quarantined all the time.

I wouldn't go with a chesty cough though.

I would bring him, and I also would have sent him to nursery with a snotty nose (and the night coughing is just caused by the snot btw).

A friend visited me this weekend with ‘her slightly snotty’ 18 month old. I am 30 weeks pregnant and Over the last two days have felt more unwell than any other time in my life!!
Not Covid, just a bug but I would say be mindful so others in this scenario! Yes kids have snotty noses but if he has a cough aswell and other symptoms then I’d say stay home!!

depends how snotty to be honest. If just needs the occasional nose wipe abs not activately coughing during the day I would take him.

If he has green snot dripping from his nose and onto hands and clothes then keep him at home. Not fair to risk other parents having to take time off work

A cough hangs around, you can have a residual cough from a virus that left a week ago. The runny nose though…. That moment when a kid sneezes and two lassos of snot catapult down their face. No. I’d give it a kiss on an actively running nose. If it’s just a bit then fine but my SIL would bring her kids out with toxic green noses.

@AMorningstar they have to build up an immune system somehow! Being around other kids is the best place for that. You can't wrap them in cotton wool forever.

Haha! Jinx!

Not quarantined but you don't have to go to places like soft plays and nurseries where there's stuff to touch and loads of other kids. I took my kids to an indoor soft play and there was a child there with green snot all over her nose, wiping it on her hand and she literally coughed in my DDs face. She also kept crying. Clearly wasn't having a good time and exposed my DD to whatever it was, where is the need?! Stay home with a blanket, some books and a movie, happier for all involves.

There's a middle ground between wrapping in cotton wool and sending your little bio hazard into a room of unsuspecting children.

snotty nose is a normal part of being a toddler.

i have a Ds who is now nearly 13 and has been made really poorly by the common cold throughout his life but I fully appreciate that others can’t put their lives on hold.

d and v or a temperature yes keep off, a lot
of other things aren’t as black and white though.

Everyone focusing on the snotty nose and completely ignoring the chesty cough.

Your child is unwell, so for their own benefit, before anyone else's, stay at home. There is absolutely no need to go to playgroup.

I would also buy a covid test because your logic there makes no sense.

Snotty nose and a bit of cough is pretty normal and nobody should worry about that

however I once went to a toddler group and sat next to a mum whose kid had a terrible rash and cough. I asked if she was ok and the mum said the doctor said it was fine to be out and she wasn’t infectious. Cut to two days later when DS got the same rash, temp of 39.5, can’t breathe to sleep and is very poorly for the following week.

we all know the difference between a cold and a virus. Please don’t put other kids at risk if you don’t have to.

I went to playgroup with my daughter a few days ago and she had a cold she caught from her dad. There were loads of toddlers with colds, loads.

Oooh no, I wouldn't take him with a constantly running nose / snot running over hands or anything. He's mainly just sniffy, I've had to wipe his nose twice this morning - once when we got up at 6am, once about an hour ago.

If its just the occasional nose wipe I don't think that's too bad? I was imagining rivers of snot from the description snotty nose lol.

I wouldn’t. I run a baby and toddler group and we have a zero tolerance policy for coughs colds and other symptoms, everyone respects it even though it’s meant we’ve all missed sessions, to date no child or parent has caught anything from coming to it.

It’s not just the kids who he might infect. In early pregnancy before I’d told anyone I was on steroids which trashed my immunity and if someone had brought a snotty child to the group I’d have asked them to leave. No one ever has and I keep my own DD away unless she’s well. It’s not essential childcare, it’s a playgroup, if you miss it it’s a shame but that’s all.

A slightly snotty nose and a cough that, since he's had it a week, sounds like it's lingering from his cold sounds fine to me. My 3 year old coughs for about 3 weeks after every cold. She's not contagious.

D&V, fever, really runny nose, then I would stay home. This sounds like the tail end of a fairly mild cold and I wouldn't stay home for that.

I actually hate it when people send snotty toddlers to nurseries or take them to soft plays, parka etc. Its really selfish and inconsiderate.

^ me too. Was pleased when a mum was told her toddler couldn't attend the group on Monday when she showed up full of snot. Mine has only just recovered from the last time someone came sick.

Sounds like he’s not actually poorly, but just has the appearance of it.

Probably Id got for a walk in the park/ feed the ducks instead, because people might be alarmed by the runny nose and cough.

Not a terrible thing if you do take him, but don’t be surprised if people steer clear. If you do take him, keep wiping his nose!

I wouldn't. I don't think it's right. To knowingly spread nasty germs around and make other children possibly. unwell. I'd stay home.

Thank you!

Being pregnant doesn't make you any more likely to have symptoms does it? Or does it?

If you do go make sure you're on top of the nose wiping. It's disgusting the state some people let their kids get into with snot sometimes.