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Covid

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Original poster

Advice about self isolating

27 replies

Covid19help · 14/03/2020 17:26

My DS age 8 developed a high temperature last night (39.5°c) along with all the usual feeling cold/shivering but being extremely hot to touch. Has woken up today much the same and feeling pretty miserable. No D&V or coughing/sneezing. Just a high fever. (39.9 today) I understand from the information available I need to isolate him for 7days from symptoms starting- so until next Friday - however is the advice the same for children? I have no symptoms and will absolutely be expected in work on Monday so unsure how to navigate this with my employers. Obviously if I start to become unwell it would be more clear cut but at the moment I am feeling fine. Should it be assumed that everyone with a fever has COVID19 & treat them as such? I also assume if I am isolating him it would be inappropriate for me to ask anyone else to care for DS. Sorry for all the questions but I cannot find any information relating specifically to children & their carers online!? It is difficult as he does present with a fever whenever unwell which usually resolves within 24hrs. Thanks in advance.

OP posts:

CoffeeRunner · 14/03/2020 17:29

What advice have you had from a medical professional?

There are several reasons an 8 year old could have an exceptionally high temp of 39.9. Only one of which is Coronavirus!

I am a nurse and also have an 8 year old. There is absolutely no way I would be “assuming Coronavirus” in your situation!

Original poster

Covid19help · 14/03/2020 17:34

I don't "assume coronavirus" if you read what I wrote I said I am 99.9% sure he doesn't have CV. However, the nhs & government advice is ANYONE with a high temperature OR cough should self isolate. I have used the nhs online symptom checker and it also advises to self isolate due to a high temperature. In Scotland we have also been advised not to contact 111/NHS 24 unless we are unable to manage symptoms at home & if only a high temperature OR cough is present and no shortness of breath etc to remain at home & no need to seek medical help. As far as I can tell I have followed the correct protocol but happy to be corrected.

OP posts:

KisforKoala · 14/03/2020 17:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CoffeeRunner · 14/03/2020 17:38

Is your child’s temperature going down with paracetamol?

You asked “should it be assumed that everyone with a fever has Covid-19”?

My answer to that was no. Certainly not.

Original poster

Covid19help · 14/03/2020 17:40

This is the advice I am following.

OP posts:

IsolationMum · 14/03/2020 17:40

You'll have to stay at home with him for the 7 days.

Original poster

Covid19help · 14/03/2020 17:43

Sorry perhaps I didnt explain myself very well, yes it comes down temporarily & shoots back up just before his next dose of nurofen/calpol. It just seems a bit overkill to isolate all children with a temperature for 7 days although I absolutely will follow the government's advice if it is also the same for children. I was just looking for some clarity. When I said should it be assumed everyone with a fever has CV I meant from a government perspective as they are no longer testing for mild stay at home cases anyway. Sorry this is all a bit muddled. I am confident he doesn't have CV, he is certainly under the weather with something but I think it's normal childhood illness, it's just the information available isn't entirely clear to me.

OP posts:

IsolationMum · 14/03/2020 17:48

You can't be confident he "doesn't have CV" - he hasn't been tested, and we're in a pandemic!

Rules are anybody with mild symptoms stays at home for 7 days. This is to try to slow the spread and protect everyone so the NHS isn't totally overwhelmed to breaking point. It's important to comply.

peoplepleaser1 · 14/03/2020 17:48

OP- I think it must be very hard to get your head around this when it applies directly to you and your family.

However the guidance is clear, and it applies to everybody. Everybody. Anyone with a high temperature has been asked to self isolate.

No one should be making themselves an exception.

DeathMetalMum · 14/03/2020 17:50

Dd1 has a cough, DP and I have discussed today. He will take some time off and I'll have to take a day at the end of the week. Neither of us are really able to work from home. We both work around each other luckily, as we can't ask anyone else to look after dd. There is a possibility that dp may be asked to stay at home anyway. I work in a pharmacy and we will be the last place to close - unless we all come down with the virus ourselves.

peoplepleaser1 · 14/03/2020 17:51

@DeathMetalMum so you think you are an exception to the very clear guidelines. If people don't stick to them, they are pointless.

BadCatDirtyCat · 14/03/2020 17:52

He needs to self isolate for 7 days, and since he can't do it without you, you need to isolate with him (or his dad could, of course). And yes, the assumption is that everyone with a fever or continuous cough has it (or might have it and is therefore treated as if they do). It sucks I'm sorry!

Original poster

Covid19help · 14/03/2020 17:52

Yes of course I will comply. I simply wondered if there was any information specific to children that I had not been able to find online. My confidence that he doesn't have it is purely based on the fact he only has a fever and no other symptoms - of course I am not a medic or scientist but what I mean is I am certainly not overreacting and isolating him unnecessarily as people seem to think. I am following the correct protocol - now that I know there is no further information specifically related to children I will carry on with isolating us both at home. Many thanks for your help.

OP posts:

DeathMetalMum · 14/03/2020 17:54

@peoplepleaser1

What do you mean? Dd1 has symptoms we are isolating her. Dp and I are alternating who goes to work. Neither of us have symptoms. I'm not sure what else we are expected to do?

ineedsun · 14/03/2020 17:56

Regardless of what the nurse and person who work in the pharmacy say, the official advice is here. I'd go with that rather than a random off the internet.

Original poster

Covid19help · 14/03/2020 17:57

That is something I was also confused about @deathmetalmum as the advice was if you have been in contact with someone with CV you should isolate, however now they aren't testing (and nor do I expect they should test mild cases of illness) I dont know if parents are expected to isolate also on the premise we are treating anyone with symptoms as thought they do have it. Its so confusing! Although I am a lone parent so I will need to stay home with DS anyway.

OP posts:

ineedsun · 14/03/2020 17:58

Apologies deathmetalmum I misunderstood your post.

Original poster

Covid19help · 14/03/2020 17:58

Thank you @ineedsun I will isolate DS for the required 7 days.

OP posts:

peoplepleaser1 · 14/03/2020 18:03

@DeathMetalMum I may have misunderstood in which case I apologise. I thought you meant that you and your DP would have contact with your child whilst caring for them- and if that is the case you should isolate too. If however you are having no contact with your child then according to current guidance you can still go to work.

I just find it frustrating that so many people think they have a reason not to follow the guidelines.

Original poster

Covid19help · 14/03/2020 18:10

@peoplepleaser1 I hope I have explained myself properly. I have no intention of not following the guidelines, but in my opinion they need to be more specific re children. I am a relatively normal, well educated person and I only posted for clarity and to ensure I understood the information given properly. In the space of this thread I have had several different opinions already. To make it clear, I would never put my child or anyone in the community knowingly at risk however, as a lone parent, I wanted to ensure when my employer asks me to get someone else to look after him that I am doing the right thing by refusing. If I didnt think the rules applied to us I would send him to school as normal on Monday when he will probably & hopefully be full recovered from his fever and illness. I really do appreciate all the help I have received and hopefully if anyone else is unsure they come across this thread.

OP posts:

IsolationMum · 14/03/2020 18:16

@DeathMetalMum - are you really isolating your 7 year old? Keeping her in a separate room behind a closed door, staying 2m away at all times, getting her to clean the bathroom after she uses it?

peoplepleaser1 · 14/03/2020 18:18

@Covid19help apologies my post was referring to @DeathMetalMum not you. Sorry for the confusion. I hope your DC feels much better soon.

DeathMetalMum · 14/03/2020 18:25

@IsolationMum @peoplepleaser1

The advice is anyone with a cough to isolate- we are not able to fully isolate dd so yes we do have contact with her, however we are all washing hands more than usual separate towels etc.

The advice is not if you have been in contact with anyone with a cough to isolate yourself.

IsolationMum · 14/03/2020 18:27

Yes, but she shouldn't be having any contact with you if she is isolated. That's what isolation means.

peoplepleaser1 · 14/03/2020 18:31

@DeathMetalMum I will step away from this thread as you are not prepared to reconsider your own personal reckless interpretation of the guidelines.

If you are in contact with your child then they are NOT isolated, you have increased the risk of transfer to yourself and so are irresponsible to then go to work.

You may not agree, and this will be because it's inconvenient to you to do so.

Spare a thought for the many other people following the guidelines who are inconvenienced. At least their consciences can be clear.

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