Anxiety over child catching covid

[Mb1978]

Hi all, please help. I have just realised tonight I have severe anxiety over my 11 year old son catching COVID-19.Everytime the poor boy coughs I’m there in his face checking. I’m constantly touching his back to see if he’s hot. It’s really getting bad. I feel sick every time he coughs. Which to be honest is not uncommon for him
As he he does have mild asthma but also a nasal drip issue where he constantly clears his throat.
It’s driving me insane and I don’t know how to deal with it. Because I have been off work
For a long time on furlough I sit there while he’s at school waiting for the call to say his bubble has been closed. A girl in his class did test positive but luckily she hadn’t been at school for 2 weeks prior as her brother tested positive. So no contact but still anxiety through the roof. I’m a middle aged dad that normally does not worry about anything but this has got me complete rattled. And I just can’t stop. My wife does not share my concerns and does not worry to much. But I just can’t stop. Any help or suggestions greatly received. Martin

Children really only tend to suffer very mildly with Covid. Look up the stats for children his age. I like to go with the facts and figures.

A Consultant Paediatrician I know said that the risks to children are ‘infinitesimally small’ based on research so far. Hope that helps.

It’s good your mind is sending you these thoughts. It shows your survival and protective instincts are there and that you are a good parent. You could try and chose whether to take notice of those thoughts though if they are not helpful and get in the way. Easier said than done I know.

I get it. I worry about every cough too - both kids have asthma so that's not a help. I am mainly worried about making a wrong decision and getting them tested / isolating unnecessarily or not getting them tested when I should and endangering people. I feel constantly guilty.

I'm less worried about the effect covid would have on them - I really hope they'd be ok based on everything I've read. I worry about me catching it from them as I'm overweight but mainly it's the decision making worry that's getting to me.

Obviously I do not want them to catch it but everything I've read said that the changes are absolutely overwhelming that they'd be fine.

It does worry me that he will catch it but also myself and my wife, who would look after him if we became ill. Just scares me. On top of that I have now been asked to go back to work which involves going into peoples homes in London to carry out surveys so the added stress of catching it and bringing it home. I know I’m not the only one in this situation. I just can not believe how much it’s affecting me. I wish it would just go away... I know it won’t but...

Have you had help for your anxiety? I feel like you know that this is very out of proportion. But if you have anxiety what other people say or tell you doesn't help. If you don't want to go to your GP you can self refer to IAPT. (Google it, it's the NHS mental health service). This sounds like a very distressing way for you to live and you deserve to not have to.

Please be mindful also of the fact that children pick up on their parents anxieties. If you're checking your child every time he coughs and trying to see if he is hot, this will not be good for his mental wellbeing. He needs to be able to relax and have fun being a child without having to worry about his health.

I think that’s exactly what I’m
Worried about making him worry and that is not my intention. I am trying so hard. But think I will call my gp

It's worth talking to your doctor about your anxiety

They might even sign you off from work as it sounds really bad