Toddler coughed in my sons face today

[showmethewaytothemagic]

We were in an outside play sandpit and he came over to play near my Ds. He started digging by him. I wasn't worried as we are outside, but then he stood up, right next to him and coughed right in my Ds' face. My DS is mouth breather so I'm sure he breathed it right in. Looking at the coughing boy, his nose seemed snotty, so fingers crossed it's not Covid. The main thing I'm worried about is if my son gets a cough that's a pain for starting school next week. Then he won't be able to start reception as it might be Covid and I'll to get him tested.

Plus this place we went you paid to get in, so in the current climate outside venue or not surely you don't take a child with a cough

Asthmatic kids cough all the time

Toddlers cough, a lot! I’d say if you are worried that your child doesn’t get coughed on by a small child then you need to avoid places where they may be.

Coughs and colds are ripping through Scottish schools just now, I am sure yours will be the same when they open. Try not to worry.

I know it's a worry, but if your kid is in a play area it's bound to happen! Don't worry about it unless your son actually gets ill.

Lots of people cough for lots of reasons, the overwhelming majority don’t have Covid.

If you stress every single time a child coughs, this winter is going to be very miserable for you. Small children generally can be snotty and have coughs for some of the year. It's part of them developing an immune system. Unless you don't take your child anywhere at all, you will encounter coughing children.

I wasn't expecting someone to be coughing, mainly because it's the summer and because of the current situation being sensitive about it. I wouldn't be taking my child out to places with a cough atm.

I'm not Covid phobic, but I getting a cough just before starting school would be bad timing. It would mean DS would miss the introductions Whats the incubation period ? When will I know if he's caught the cough ?

It literally could be anything

I'm just assuming I can't send DS to start school with a cough if he gets it. Are schools asking for Covid tests for kids with coughs?

Wow. I wouldn't leave the house if I were you.

Hopefully this toddler hasn't passed anything on to your dc (very very unlikely to be covid anyway). But once they start school and start mixing with other kids they will almost inevitably catch a cold or something.

Small children get snotty colds all the time. Autumn/winter was just one long rolling snotfest when my dc first started at a new school! Then it seemed like once they got used to all ther kids germs, things settled down.

My dc went back to school a couple of weeks ago (in Scotland).
Almost immediately, kids started coming down with colds and some had to be tested (due to spiking temperatures). All negative of course and the swabs were not too bad.
Until then none of us had been ill for months!
However, exposure to normal childhood germs is probably good for their immune systems or something...
So I know you are anxious, but unfortunately you do have to learn to live with the idea that your dc will come into contact with germy children.

It's a continuous cough that matters. Coughing once or twice due to post nasal drip or whatever does not require a test.

When he starts school he'll be coming home with all manner of things. Coughs, colds and sore throats are rampant at the minute (and before you know it, it'll be Norovirus season again.) The kids' immunity will be lower because they've not had a chance to be round friends and build it up.
Cough doesn't = coronavirus. I really wouldn't worry too much.

Why were you so surprised at a cough? People cough all the time and toddlers do what they do.

TBH if you're that worried I'm not sure why you were there and letting him mix with kids you don't know.

Could of coughed once that whole day and it been coincidence your son was there.

People cough its a fact always have always will it does not mean its covid my dd coughs alot she suffers nasal drip which causes cough more so now with weather getting colder. Are you suggesting children who cough should not go out if that's the case my child would b home from now till spring.

@jelly79 doubtful. I looked at the toddler and gave him my best Paddington hard stare afterwards and his nose was also runny. He obviously wasn't 100%. I don't know how much he was coughing generally. There were only a few children in the large area and he appeared from the otherside and started playing by DS. I've not made DS paranoid, he doesn't know about social distancing, so didn't do anything about him being near the toddler. I don't mind him mixing, but I expect them to be well if out. It's just the cough issue and my DS starting reception.

@TinkersTailor So with MN thinking I wouldn't keep my DS off school if he develops a cough? Pre- lockdown his preschool sent him home for a cough and I was told not to let him come in for 2 weeks just incase. This was a normal cough he'd had a while, not continuous. My DS is a germ magnet. I'll have to find out his new schools policy. I wouldn't normally think twice, but now I don't think it's acceptable to be out coughing on people.

In our school if children display any of the symptoms they are not to come to school and must have a test and report status to the school...

🤞 it will be nothing, my 4 year old was coughing herself recently and we took her for a test (all clear but kept us all home until result was in) - as others say the usual kiddy germs are still there and as usual they’ll get their snotty noses and coughs several times over the years - but it’s up to people to do the right thing and keep isolated and test until result is hopefully negative

If your ds developed a cough you should keep him off school while you get him tested for coronavirus, then assuming he gets a negative result he can go to a school. Even in the current climate, children with non- coronavirus coughs don't have to be kept off school.

Basically this is in line with general government and medical guidance and the school and I would expect all schools expect parents to adhere to this.... but you have to consider that once tested and negative they can then be back in school (or playground) with a cough so you will see children out and about with coughs or colds etc

"I wouldn't normally think twice, but now I don't think it's acceptable to be out coughing on people."
This. He will probably be fine though. I'm in the minority though, I think if people can't/won't socially distance with strangers (not young kids obviously), then don't go to places where you might see them. In this climate, don't take an under-the-weather kid to a place with lots of people. OP is right - it's one thing to catch stuff at school and another to have to isolate before he's even started.

It’s never acceptable to cough on people, however, toddlers have very little grasp of social etiquette. You have no idea if this cough was due to a cold/virus or if he always has a cough due to a medical condition.

The toddler might not even have a cough. Sometimes people just need to clear their throat! Toddlers have runny noses all the time.

If he develops a continuous cough the school will ask you to get him tested, if it's negative he goes back.
If we had to keep kids off every time they had a cough (for the entire time) the schools might as well just not open, especially at this time of year.