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Original poster

Does DS have to stay in his bedroom?

38 replies

whydoIhavetodoeverything · 22/10/2020 12:59

DS has been sent home from school. He has been in close contact with someone with covid and told to self isolate. The rest of us in the house don't. But does that mean that he has to stay in his bedroom for the next 2 weeks or can he walk around the house? He has 3 sisters and both me and DP are wfh. Guidance that I have read is not clear, help!

OP posts:
Jrobhatch29 · 22/10/2020 13:01

How old is he

Sunny4876 · 22/10/2020 13:02

My nephew was sent home in same situation and he was confined to his room,his mum and dad were still allowed to work.

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 22/10/2020 13:03

He should be isolating from the rest of the household. How feasible that is will depend on his age.

ApolloandDaphne · 22/10/2020 13:04

As I understand it, if he is old enough to stay in his room and not need you to undertake any element of this care then he should do this. Obviously you need to be sensible as he will still need to come out to go to the loo so that will need to be managed. What age is he?

lorisparkle · 22/10/2020 13:14

Ds1 had to self isolate because of symptoms and we tried really hard to get him to stay in his room until the test was negative. He is 14 but also autistic and it became increasingly difficult.

Redwinestillfine · 22/10/2020 13:15

Really? I would only be restricting to his room if he has symptoms... We have had two lots of isolating here so far (no Corona symptoms for the whole isolation period either time, got the same letter) put of a class of 30 1 other person got symptoms and tested positive after being sent home.

MessAllOver · 22/10/2020 13:15

How old is he? Obviously, if he's five, it's a non-starter. If he's 15, don't teens usually hibernate in their bedrooms most of the time anyway so self-isolation isn't that different for them Grin? Do you have a separate bathroom he could use?

Redwinestillfine · 22/10/2020 13:16

As I understand it they just have to stay in the house and get tested if they get symptoms

Seriouslymole · 22/10/2020 13:18

No! Good grief, are we really wanting to inflict the worst mental health crisis ever on our children. Regardless of how old he is, you should not be isolating people from all human contact for 14 days.

The likelihood he will never develop Covid anyway.

The world has gone seriously mad.

I have had DS 11 home for 14 days from school and it's bad enough he has to stay in the house, there is no way I would make this worse for him by completely isolating him from any contact. 5 or 15 it makes no difference.

3littlewords · 22/10/2020 13:20

My DS is home isolating it's bad enough he can't go out the front door im not going to confine him to his bedroom too whether it's guidance or not he's not a prisoner in a cell

Jrobhatch29 · 22/10/2020 13:20

@Seriouslymole I agree with you. I would encourage an older teen to stay in room as much as possible because they probably spend alot of time there anyway. However I would not be making my kids of any age stay in their room for 2 full weeks on their own, I think its quite cruel

Mindymomo · 22/10/2020 13:22

My son is 24 and is isolating due to a work colleague testing positive. He is staying in his room, he says for our sake, DH is vulnerable, but I’m the one running up and down with food and drinks etc., He does spend most of his time in his room anyway. He’s on day 3, no symptoms as yet.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 22/10/2020 13:24

Mine is 5. He is on his second set of 14 days. He isn't staying away from us. Its simply not possible. We have one bathroom. He has to come in the car to drop/collect dc1 from school.

So I'd say no, your ds doesn't need to stay in his room.

fekinekkerslike · 22/10/2020 13:29

My DD is in 2 weeks of isolation but not been banished to her room, she's spent time with us as a family and played all day with her sibling. Even if she has shown symptoms I wouldn't have made her stay in her room, if your child gets covid you do what you do every other time they get sick including giving them hugs!! Expect that everyone at homes going to get it and be grateful if you don't.
Yes it's serious but you still have to parent.

FippertyGibbett · 22/10/2020 13:41

I wouldn’t banish him to his room.
If he’s contracted it from his contact I would think he will have passed it on to you all by now.

Original poster
whydoIhavetodoeverything · 22/10/2020 13:42

Thank you everyone, I’ve made him stay in his room til I got this guidance! He is 12 but has been very anxious recently anyway and I think it would be just cruel to keep him in his room and would worry about his mental health. Think just make sure he keeps distance and strict cleaning routines!

OP posts:
Holidayaddict · 22/10/2020 13:44

DDs entire year group were told to self isolate due to a positive case. We didn't make her stay in her room but she mostly does anywayGrin She never developed symptoms. A boy in the same year group was seen at football training when they were supposed to be isolating. Apparently, the mum said it was fine as outdoor sport. A quick Google told me that's utter bollocks Angry

Original poster
whydoIhavetodoeverything · 22/10/2020 13:44

He has no symptoms but he has cuddled and kissed us all this week so if he does have it we will probably have it too. I think the child who got tested got a positive result on Tuesday so can go back Tuesday after half term.

OP posts:
Original poster
whydoIhavetodoeverything · 22/10/2020 13:46

He has already asked if he can get his PlayStation in his bedroom, he got a swift response as we’d not see him for a fortnite (excuse the pun 🤪)

OP posts:
SpaceOP · 22/10/2020 13:46

This is the problem ... the government's recommendations are not only unclear, they're nonsensical. Realistically, if he has it, the chances are that the whole family will get it because restricting him to his room for 14 days is not practical. And if I understand it correctly, he can't access a test unless he develops symptoms? So no, I wouldn't be confining him to his room but yes, do try to take additional precautions - eg if you have two bathrooms, perhaps he only uses one; lots of hand washing and surface wiping for the entire family etc. I also would not be letting anyone else into your house at this time and limiting what you and your family do elsewhere as realistically, the biggest risk is that if he does have it, and give it to you, you could spread it without realising it.

SpaceOP · 22/10/2020 13:47

@whydoIhavetodoeverything

He has already asked if he can get his PlayStation in his bedroom, he got a swift response as we’d not see him for a fortnite (excuse the pun 🤪)
To be honest, I'd allow this. Less time he spends in communal areas the better and hours spent in the living area would be better.
Dustballs · 22/10/2020 13:51

Is it law that he must isolate or a recommendation?

Where are these laws/ recommendations recorded? At the point now where every rule is hearsay. How do we know/ trust what to do?

Porcupineinwaiting · 22/10/2020 13:53

Depends on how safe you want/need to be and his age. Our would be confined to their rooms and front room (Play Station) w mask to minimise risk to me (I'd be holed up in my room and only released for domestic purposes) but they are older and pretty much have to be forced out of their rooms at the best of times.

bellinisurge · 22/10/2020 13:55

Unless he has symptoms, he can move around your house. If he had symptoms, you would have to self isolate too.
Done it twice now.

toptreeroots1 · 22/10/2020 13:58

I wouldn't be asking a 12 year old to isolate from there family that they live with.

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