Child symptoms and testing

[Lovingmylife]

So I'm pretty sure my daughter just has a heavy cold but she woke up with a fever and coughing. All day she has been off colour and we booked a test for all of us. I'm convinced it will be negative. Her nose is streaming which isn't a symptom is it. I am a bit paranoid as she has an immune deficiency.

I just wondered what your experiences were of your children who tested positive?

[Cornishbelle]

@RafaIsTheKingOfClay @TeddyIsaHe do you have any links or further info about the runny nose in children or the sore throat on adults being common symptom? Tried to find anything as a sore throated mum if a currently runny nose toddler! Thanks

[HarveySchlumpfenburger]

www.kcl.ac.uk/news/six-distinct-types-of-covid-19-identified

This doesn’t say anything much about how common sore throat is, but it is a listed symptom of most of the 6 symptom groups. It’s also listed as a reason to get tested in a number of other countries. And the trust I work for have it as a reason for self isolating and testing for their staff (and presumably inpatients).

I’d definitely get a test for you if you have a sore throat. I’d probably get one for the toddler as well.

[Merename]

I think this is going to become a huge issue as schools open. We took a test this morning based on cold and upset stomach symptoms - maybe not right but I just felt uncomfortable to go about normal business if we didn’t. My kids usually get constant colds and haven’t had a thing in months due to lockdown, and the 4yr old had a weird episode of itching in the night. When I went on the website there were loads of slots so I just thought better safe than sorry.

Although having had that experience now I agree that the test was so challenging to administer on a small child that only my result will tell us anything.

[Cornishbelle]

@RafaIsTheKingOfClay thank you

[YellowWave]

One of the children that I might has started to cough along with being off form. The father fcuked off to play golf (hardly essential) while the mother is sitting down watching TV with her teenage daughter (again hardly essential) while they get me to mind one of her sick children. The child has autism so doesn't understand to cover the mouth. The child keeps trashing about irritated. The child is finally resting while the other child with sore throat keeps herself busy. The mother is adamant it's not covid and it's just a cold. It's just a cold.

[Kitcat122]

My children's symptoms :

Teen (15) High fever, D&V, sore throat terrible ear ache and sinus pain, dry cough. Mentioned for a few months afterwards that she was abit breathless at times.

Teen (13) Low grade fever and sore throat, achey for a few days. Gets random sore throat the odd day since.

Child (11) no symptoms

Child (9). Sore throat feeling off 4 days.

Oldest by far the illest others very minor.

[Kitcat122]

It's so tricky with kids, mine were hardly ill. This winter is going to to be a nightmare 😱

[cantkeepawayforever]

www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/news/gloucester-news/anger-child-goes-gloucester-nursery-4397248

And people wonder why teachers are nervous about infections spreading when schools fully open, when faced with stupidity like this?

[Kitcat122]

Yes in my school we had a parent test positive and still sent their child in 😡

[Andsomywatchbegins]

I am a childminder and I am dreading this winter.

I have a duty of care to ALL of the children I care for. Plus, if there is a positive case in my setting, I will have to close for 14 days, unpaid. When I have just gone through 4 months of £0/very reduced income (as one of the estimated 3 million who did not qualify for government financial support).

Parents, please please think about this before swbding your children in with 'just a cold'.

[YellowWave]

Andsomywatchbegins

I'm so sorry to hear about your financial position. That's very hard.

If it's anything like the parents I work for, they don't care about anyone else except for themselves and their own social lifes. They have a child clearly showing signs of illness. It was self diagnosed as a cold yesterday completely sticking their head in the sand about covid19. The family has a party tomorrow. That's all that's concerning them. Getting dressed up for the day, attending mass, a having a big meal followed by house party. Never mind that there's a child who's sick and displaying symptoms. What if it's not a cold and it's covid? Children have covid differently and display cold like symptoms.
One of the parents is a gp. Good grief you would think they at least would know better.

Already I'm due to go to work soon in their house as a nanny.
The housekeeper is to come too
There's a home school teacher due to come
There's a play date for the other child with another child coming to the house
The eldest is meeting her boyfriend
There's a hairdresser coming to the house

Not once has the parents thought beyond themselves for a second.

[jblue2018]

So - genuine question to most posters on here.. you are saying that you would get your child tested (and therefore everyone in the family is off work until result) every time your child has a cold symptom eg runny nose? Even though in the UK they are not currently listed as symptoms to get tested for?

My daughter is starting nursery for the first time in 2 weeks and I’m genuinely curious. A cough/ fever of course - but anything else? I feel it may happen a lot and dh & I are both teachers it’s so disruptive being off even for 1 day.

[HarveySchlumpfenburger]

I think if you have a child in nursery and you are both teachers, the disruption of being off for 1 day is going to be the least of your worries.

[jblue2018]

@RafaIsTheKingOfClay not sure what you mean? My main worry is having to get tested constantly which will involve letting work down for a day or two while we wait

[jblue2018]

If you mean worried about catching Covid then Obviously would prefer not to but I would much rather all the children I teach get back to school and life gets back to some resemblance of normal for them and my DD

[HarveySchlumpfenburger]

No I mean the disruption. Return to school isn’t going to be anything like returning to normal. With two teaching parents and a child in nursery there are likely to be significant periods when someone will be at home.

And the more people who send their kids into school with Covid because they didn’t have a cough or fever, the bigger that disruption is going to be.

[jblue2018]

@RafaIsTheKingOfClay I see what you mean. I agree to some extend but there’s a bit different imo between a school bubble being sent home due to a confirmed positive case, and us calling in multiple times to say we are taking DD for a test as she has a runny nose. All hypothetical of course - hopefully it won’t happen at all!

And surely if the government wanted the workforce to get tested everytime they/their kids have a runny nose or sore throat they would list them as symptoms ?!

[Zooforhouse]

Anyone know how testing for snotty noses works in young children? Don’t they all come back void?

[QuiteGood]

My son’s school has been very clear that cold symptoms should be viewed as suspect & a test should be carried out. I think the inconvenience of the odd teacher staying off whilst results are waited for is outweighed by the prospect of the virus spiralling out of control & the whole country going into lockdown.

Surely any decent school would encourage this approach? The alternative is that a massive outbreak happens within a school, spreads to the community & the school’s lack of diligence would be seen as endangering lives.

A new culture towards sickness HAS to be fostered going forward, Not just in schools but all work places, to avoid further lockdown, economic meltdown down, nhs collapse and loss of lives. The concept of soldiering on when ill needs to be reassessed & viewed as selfish rather than a Badge of honour.

[MinnieMousse]

A new culture towards sickness HAS to be fostered going forward, Not just in schools but all work places, to avoid further lockdown, economic meltdown down, nhs collapse and loss of lives. The concept of soldiering on when ill needs to be reassessed & viewed as selfish rather than a Badge of honour.

I agree. I just wish there would be funding available for schools to get supply teachers in. It's even more difficult taking time off when you have to plan things that a TA can teach and then feel guilty that they re being paid a pittance to do it. I would be far happier leaving my class with a supply teacher who could just pick up my plans.

[YellowWave]

How's everyone here?

Did you or your family get tested because of experiencing cold symptoms?
What were the results? Positive or negative?

The family that I work, 3 of them of colds to varying degrees and they have refused to get tested and refused to self isolate as a family and continued to have me working in their home. They have a party tonight that they are still continuing with. It doesn't bode well with me. Hopefully it's just a cold but Iot doesn't sit well with me because of 3 of them having cold symptoms.

[Merename]

We were negative yellow. I expected it but was really a relief as I could comfortably go about my business without feeling like I was going to infect everybody. We could’ve just stayed at home a couple of days to see if anything developed but test result was back within 18hrs so was really helpful. Ideally going forward they will roll out the 90m home tests and we will all have a supply that we can just check in these situations.

Hope you are ok and it is just colds in your employers house.

[Northernsoulgirl45]

I had a sore throat followed by textbook cold symptoms for me but took a test. It was negative.

[YellowWave]

The family that I work for is still showing signs of sickness with mainly cough. Other symptoms is sore ear, sore throat.

This makes me completely uneasy. With an increase in hygiene measures, colds should be reduced some what. The family is refusing to test and isolate themselves and still has me in work today. Not only me but 3 other workers too came into the home.

[Northernsoulgirl45]

I still don't understand how I got my cold but the symptoms are the same as the family you work rget @YellowWave although I don't have much of a cough. I did have a hospital appointment and had been in holiday for a few days.