DD 6 got purple lips at school today

[LivingMyBestLifeNOT]

I am slightly concerned. I know ventilation is a must and they have windows and doors open but I didnt expect my DD Yr1 to have been given a second jumper to put on because she was so cold her lips were purple. It actually makes me feel quite sad. Ive had a massive panic tonight about buying new clothes but I am working all day tomorrow and cant get anymore and delivery/ click and collect isnt until 13th nov!
I have spoken to other parents who say their children are hardy and would still wear shorts but my just turned 6 year old weighs 15kg and is tiny!

@Bowerbird5

I agree with Denny. Purple or blue lips could be lack of oxygen. I would get a check up.

Get her a vest. Kids always used to wear them now hardly anyone does. It keeps them so much warmer.

It can also be a sign of Raynaud's - circulatory disorder which means you feel the cold more. It's how it was first diagnosed in me as a kid.

No hot dinners being provided in our school either, kids constantly freezing and they still thought it appropriate to have a class trip yesterday .
I've just had enough, this isn't sustainable, how is anyone going to learn effectively in this environment.

I have Raynaud's and I'm a secondary teacher. Have started wearing thermal ankle socks under my thick tights, which does seem to be helping maintain circulation although my feet are still cold. I'm also wearing fingerless gloves and a woolly scarf. I've discovered that if my nose and lips start getting cold, then the face covering doubles as an excellent face warmer - the staff work room is colder than the classrooms as there are less bodies in there to heat it up, I still have to take the mask off to teach but several students have been putting theirs back on if they are cold.

Lots of thin layers underneath her uniform as people have suggested.
Can you give her a hot water bottle / hand warmers?
We are using them in my workplace so we can keep our windows open.

Thermal under layers and getting outside every hour and moving about will help, but as temperatures continue to fall I think schools are going to have to be given more funds to run additional heaters in classrooms.

Unfortunately keeping windows open (and by more than a crack) is non negotiable. The virus is currently presumed to build up in aerosol form in unventilated spaces.

A longish read but explains it really well

@Danglingmod I feel so sorry for all teaching staff and pupils as the weather worsens I don't know what the answer is but know that it's going to be rather miserable in schools in the coming months.
I spoke with the deputy head yesterday and she said they are expecting a drop in attendance as the temperatures drop.
My daughter who doesn't feel the cold like I do thankfully said that it's cold at first in the morning but warmer in the afternoon so she's not being affected by it yet but I know it will come.

Flagsfiend - our staffroom is much warmer than our classrooms as it actually has working heaters (!!) but we're not allowed in there anyway other than in passing - to use the copier or the sink etc.

I bought my DD (who also runs cold) these trousers from Next. They are much thicker than the usual ones (but still super soft), and have an adjustable waist. Love them so much I've bought the next 2 sizes to keep us going in case they discontinue.

www.next.co.uk/g241472s21/758072

As well as the clothes try a hot /higher calorie breakfast - porridge, cheese on toast etc.

When my children were little they did ‘brain gym’ at school, maybe everyone needs to do star jumps (you can do them without jumping as an adult) to warm up from time to time.

My local Facebook page is up in arms as dd's school only allows 75 children in the dinner hall, then operates a one in one out policy. Hundreds of kids ate their lunch in the wind and rain yesterday DD is the primary school attached so ate in the classroom, but I do feel sorry for the poor secondary kids.

Thanks awful and I would be absolutely furious!
I also have a skinny yr1 child who suffers from chilblains on toes. But I would firstly complain and insist she is moved if she’s near an open door or window- put a more hardy kid in the same place - but also insist she wears a coat. The whole idea of teaching like this through winter isn’t going to work! It’s dangerous for our children and no child can concentrate or work in freezing conditions. It’s totally unacceptable. And I know teachers feel completely at a loss with what to do. I hope the schools/ academy’s will choose to close. Apart from the obvious COVID increases risk, working in cold conditions is barbaric and a risk to health.

My DD has a muscle condition, if she gets cold it can get into her bones. I have told school I will be layering her up in clothes as much as I feel she needs and they are not to comment on it.

She refuses trousers so she's got thick tights, with thermal vest, long sleeved polo shirt, skirt and jumper. She also has a thick coat that I've told her to put on her chair because otherwise she's not allowed to go and get it until the end of the day because the key stage 1 cloakroom is passed the other year 2 class and both year 1 classes.

So far school have said nothing. I got our thermals from m+s.

@Danglingmod

Flagsfiend - our staffroom is much warmer than our classrooms as it actually has working heaters (!!) but we're not allowed in there anyway other than in passing - to use the copier or the sink etc.

It's not actually our staffroom that we are using, because of the bubble and zone system there are some spare classrooms (the rooms that couldn't have the desks all facing forward) and each one has been designated to a subject for the staff to use for PPA whilst maintaining social distancing.

Poor kids (and teachers)! Sounds utterly miserable.

We had no heating at work for a week or so last year. For me beyond a certain point it doesn't matter how many layers I have on when sat at a desk. I got terrible back ache from being hunched up trying to keep warm.

Yes, there have been several says when it's just not been possible to get warm again when you get in from school in the evening even if you get straight into bed. And it's only November!!!

Thermal underwear is the way forward.

I've been worried about this so have stocked up in vests, long sleeved polo tops, thick grey joggers and tights for when it gets really cold.

The best thing I've done is to make up lots of pairs of fingerless wrist warmers out of old fleece pjs that don't fit anymore. I have some for me and DD she can wear them in class if it gets cold enough and still write but once your wrists are warm it really makes the rest of you feel warmer too.

If you don't see you can buy kids fleece wrist warmers online for about £10.

I would have thought that the lack of movement doesn't help either.

Sounds draconian!

Also agree that a bulky coat would be too restrictive.

Do they change classrooms a lot?

Would slippers be allowed?

Lack of movement definitely doesn't help - and if this were normal times, and it was, for example a broken boiler, we could give the kids 5 minutes star jumps or running on the spot time, but that's really not sensible in Covid times, is it, to have 30 full grown bodies breathing/panting heavily in a tiny space? This could probably be done in primary, though, as the bodies are smaller and the spaces usually bigger. Or they could go outside to run around which is probably warmer than inside.

My dd 14 wears 2 thermal vests and leggings under her uniform. So do her friends.

Loads of boys in year 7/8 were proudly telling me about their old man vests yesterday - a few weeks ago these same children scoffed at the mere suggestion

Why is she still wearing a uniform? They are unsuitable for sitting in cold weather. If the schools want to keep the Windows open then the kids should wear whatever keeps them warm including coats.

@gg12346

thermal inner wear from marks and spencer's is a must in winters .Very irresponsible of the teacher to make it go to that limit .

Gosh yes, not to mention irresponsible parenting to not ensure their child is dressed appropriately. Schools have been back with open windows since September , I would have thought two months long enough to sort out cold weather /cold classroom clothing.

I teach and it gets cold in school at times, especially this year with windows and doors open. At my school reception has always been like this as they have constant indoor and outdoor access, so I'm now prepared.

I wear thermal vests and thermal tights. Infact I've just ordered some more as this year every classroom is going to be the same, not just reception. I tend to wear layers too. I find tights and dresses, with cardigans etc over the top warmer than trousers personally.

I get arthritis and cold makes it painful so I've even ordered fingerless gloves!