Keeping my DD off school: justified or catastrophising?

[thepeopleversuswork]

Fully prepared to be told if the latter.

DD is 9 and has asthma. More or less controlled most of the time but occasionally flares up badly enough for her to need hospitalisation. I'm a single parent, no family near enough to step in if it were needed, friends all work or have their hands full. Work full time (currently at home but that won't be indefinite) and couldn't self-isolate from her if I became sick.

My doctor's surgery has just informed that it is not taking any visits at the moment but calling people back by phone if they need help urgently. Have been told that people are sitting on the phone all day waiting for callbacks. No-one with respiratory issues can go to A&E at the moment. In reality if she had an asthma attack in the next couple of months, I couldn't have any confidence of her getting seen in time to save her life. This isn't so much about the risk of covid-19 to her its more about the burden on health services.

I'm not generally an anxious person and until last few days have been quite chilled about this. But having seen what is either total denial or a cynical attempt to force people to develop herd immunity from BoJo this evening I've totally lost confidence in the government's ability to manage this.

I've just drafted not yet sent an email to her headmistress saying I'm taking her out of school for the foreseeable. I realise the local authority will come after me and it will make working from home a nightmare etc but at the moment the prospect of an asthma attack frightens me enough for those other considerations to pale into insignificance.

Should I do this?

I'm pretty sure its the case that you cannot officially work at home for an employer with a child at home. Some employers turn a blind eye for the occasional day here and there but I doubt they would permit this for weeks on end.

The stats re children getting ill with this are fairly reassuring, as are the stats for how much asthma raises the risk of serious complications. Different longterm conditions are the ones hogging most of the stats.

INeedNewShoes you can't officially work from home with a child there indefinitely, but these are not normal times. To be frank, if I have to lie to my work in order to not endanger my DD I'm prepared to - I have quite often worked from home with DD here.

The stats are indeed ok on children. It's not so much I'm worried about her being at risk from covid-19 its more that if she does have a respiratory infection of any kind and it does lead to an asthma attack she will need prompt medical attention and I can't guarantee getting this.

OP I think in these strange times you've just got to do what's best for you. Just do what you think best and don't give yourself a hard time or worry about what other people think.

OP’s DD is 9. If she is anything like my DS (quiet and can keep himself busy) it’s perfectly ok for you to work from home with a child around. Any younger, I’d have doubts but it depends on the child tbh.
I’d keep her out of school OP.

I’d keep her out too, situation will be clearer in a week and schools may be anyway closed by then. I understand your concern - my main fear for my kids is that either they pass it onto someone sick or elderly and that they wouldn’t get decent care if they needed it whilst the nhs is overloaded.

Thanks all. Its funny because however much I dislike this government ordinarily I would be inclined to accept their guidance. When I watched Boris tonight I instantly knew they were way way out of their depth. I do feel its up to us to exercise our judgement now - the authorities are either in denial or struggling to cope and its down to us.

Just do what you feel, hard times for everyone, keep safe x

The scary thing is we are all out of our depth and countries are taking slightly differing views on damage limitation but we won’t know until afterwards which approach was best. The individual case only really matters to that person’s family in these circumstances.

Anyone that can work from home and keep their kids at home is sensible particularly if their child has respiratory problems.

I don’t quite understand your logic, your fear seems to be around her treatment in the event of a severe asthma attack - what about her being at home reduces the risk of an asthma attack?

Why can’t you go to A&E with an asthma attack?
They’ll ask you not to go with a new persistent cough - but even if that’s how her asthma presents if she is becoming sicker you can still call 999.
And how will keeping her off school help?

I'm in Ireland so didn't see the news piece re Boris this eve.
The schools are closed over here until March 29th.
My DS is thankfully perfectly healthy yet I am glad he is off.
If I were in your shoes I wouldn't hesitate OP. You know your daughter best. Having Peace of mind will allow you to work better from home too.
Do it.

I didn't realise asthma was catching. How is keeping her off school going to prevent an asthma attack?

Just do what you think is right OP. Stay Safe.

notreallybotheredaboutausernam because her asthma is always triggered by respiratory infections.

Both my girls are off school this week. They have no conditions. Informed the schools & don't care what they say, but they were ok with it. It's difficult but safer. Don't wait to be told, follow your gut.

I don’t think your wrong and I’ve had the same thoughts with mine. But what are you going to do with her? It sounds like your going to have to keep her off until May/June. Taking her out to supermarkets / general errand running negates the benefit of keeping her off school.

I think your twitching quite early, but I do understand the need to do something.

I understand your concern, if I were you I would say she is ill or self isolating. Schools may close anyway in a couple of weeks.

I wouldnt draft a letter, just keep her off if you want. I'm sure lots of people will and lots of schools will close soon

I think your twitching quite early, but I do understand the need to do something

If we believe the Head of Public Health he says that the peak is a few months away which means if you isolate now it will be for at least 3 months.

Not criticising your decision just that it will have to be a long term plan. Will your work tolerate 3-4 months at home? I guess money of know.

Techway I may be massively over-reacting. I could work from home most of the time tbh and could sustain over a fairly long time as long as my work has no objections. Under normal circumstances they would but atm all bets are off. Not going to prioritise office protocol over my child’s health right at this point in time.

Does she get nebulised?
Maybe you could buy the machine?
Then i think you only need tablets???
Anyway mine are off as i have asthma. Though tbh i fear we already have it.
I did read the peak was 2w away then they started saying something different.
If they fine me i will take it to court to say they have not acted in my child's best interest (or mine) to force her to school. Plus mine are both high risk for getting asthma too and im not sure im convinced even children will be treated

Can only tell you what I'm doing. I have a DS with asthma, he's only been in hospital once. I am sending him to school unless I'm told not to. He loves school, I'm making sure he doesn't skip his inhalers and that they are in school. It's worrying but I'm going with the apparent lack of serious illnesses in kids, which must also include asthmatics, given the number of kids infected in China. Ive reordered inhaler prescription early to make sure I'm stocked up.

I wouldn’t ask (or take) opinions or advice on here. The level of ignorance I’ve read from posters is jaw dropping and plain dangerous.