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Original poster

Should I test my DS again?

15 replies

squach · 29/11/2020 10:57

DS has recently started nursery PT as I really need to work more hours and I'm guessing because he's been at home all this time during lockdown and not had much contact with others he needs to build up his immunity a bit as after his 5th visit in he developed a cold. Runny nose, bit of a temp but overall ok, because he coughed a few times when he woke up in the morning (as you sometimes do after you have just spent the night with a blocked nose / breathing through your mouth) and I mentioned it to the nursery they asked we keep him off and test.

He tested negative last Thursday - the test was horrible for him. He was pretty much over the cold by the time we tested and was all ok and back at nursery this week Tuesday and Wednesday. On Thursday again he woke up with a runny nose, no temp at all and he coughed 4 times Friday morning, 3 times yesterday morning and 2 times in the day (and I mean 2 coughs not 2 coughing episodes) and again a few times this morning when he woke up as he's been sleeping with a stuffy nose and needed a drink.

Considering he has had a negative test on the 19th should we test again? He's fine in himself, happy throughout the day and sleeping well. Obviously I'm no doctor but I would say it's most likely just a cold.

I'm under pressure with my employer to do my hours which is proving impossible if DS is at home with me and would really prefer if DS went into nursery this week so I can catch up however I fully understand that we're in a pandemic and will keep him off and do a test if there is grounds for one.

Could anyone clarify if the above symptoms warrant another test also bearing in mind he tested negative less than 2 weeks ago?

OP posts:
starrynight19 · 29/11/2020 11:04

I should imagine if he starts to cough again in nursery he will get sent home for a test anyway.
The fact he was negative two weeks ago won’t matter.
Hope he is better soon , it’s so hard when they start nursery and pick up all the bugs in normal times never mind now.

BucksFizzForBreakfast · 29/11/2020 11:12

Yeah if the cough is new (so not lingering from the previous cold) they will send him home with a request to test. We are in the same boat - on about a 2 week cycle of colds and every single bloody time dd gets a cough again so we have to test. It's a royal PITA.

Timbucktime · 29/11/2020 11:15

Surely the nursery should be following NHS guidelines and only be saying he needs a test if he has a new continuous cough not just any cough.

Original poster
squach · 29/11/2020 11:26

See that's what I'm confused with @Timbucktime on the NHS website it says "coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)" which I feel doesn't apply to him as he's only coughing a couple of times here and there as mentioned in my OP.

He also doesn't have a temperature just a bit of a stuffy nose and sounds croaky when he speaks but overall is happy and bubbly and currently running around after DDog full of giggles.

OP posts:
Timbucktime · 29/11/2020 11:44

I think you may need to to ask the nursery managers why they aren’t following NHS guidelines and maybe try calling your local council Early Years department to clarify.
Hopefully they aren’t making up their own criteria like a lot on Mumsnet seem to be.

midnightstar66 · 29/11/2020 11:49

If our dc have a coughing episode (so more then one cough at one time) 3 times in an hour we send them home to isolate or test. It doesn't matter if they've already had one, if it's a new cough or or that has got worse again they need to retest as could have caught it in the mean time

mooncakes · 29/11/2020 11:49

A “coughing episode” is deliberately vague.

If he’s coughing through the day, nursery will send him home and you’ll need to get him tested.

I think you know if he’s got “a cough” or not. If you think he has a cough, get him tested.

Timbucktime · 29/11/2020 11:52

That’s the problem and confusion though midnightstar66. The NHS say a new continuous cough not just a new cough.

mooncakes · 29/11/2020 11:58

@Timbucktime

That’s the problem and confusion though midnightstar66. The NHS say a new continuous cough not just a new cough.
A new continuous cough is just a cough that isn’t a one-off or clearing your throat, or coughing because your tea went down the wrong way.

If a child has a cough, parents need to be considerate of the other children, families and staff at school or nursery and keep them home.

midnightstar66 · 29/11/2020 11:59

3 times in an hour or even 24 would definitely be classed as continuous though. It just means don't test because you've had a coughing fit from water going down the wrong way or a bit of toast getting caught. A cough from illness will cause you to cough again and will need tested

starrynight19 · 29/11/2020 12:10

The op has said he coughed Friday , Saturday and agin today that would count as a continuous cough. This is to keep the staff and other children safe. It’s not a one off it’s a new cough over a few days. Likely it could just be a cold but I honestly think your nursery will advise you the same.

Frazzled2207 · 29/11/2020 12:15

I don't know the answer but our local authority advised us (as parents of school children) that a covid cough would be 'different to their usual cough' and only if 'different to their usual cough' should we be keeping them off. My son is very snotty and coughing a bit but it's very much a clearing his throat of all the gunk kind of cough. As he gets this a lot school are fine for him to keep coming in (he did have a negative test a week ago)
I do think nursery are being a bit over cautious because young kids can be snotty/occasionally coughing pretty much all winter. It doesn't sound to me like he has a continuous cough. For everyone's peace of mind though it might be worth getting another test, I know how stressful it is

mooncakes · 29/11/2020 12:21

The guidance is “coughing more that usual” eg if a person normally has a cough due to asthma or being a smoker, then if they start coughing more than usual they need a test.

The official guidance is just a new continuous cough, no specific kind of cough Hmm That’s what local authorities and settings should be following.

I’d hope in a pandemic that has killed so many thousands of vulnerable people, parents would err on the side of caution rather than looking for loopholes to justify sending their ill children to school/nursery. But apparently not.
Amazing how many people now feel they can diagnose covid vs another virus based on looking at their kid, especially when the symptoms are the same.

midnightstar66 · 29/11/2020 12:24

How would authorities know it should be different from a normal cough when every child's normal cough is different, and many could sound exactly the same as a their COVID one. (Which will sound different in individuals too) what a bizarre and silly measure.

Birthdayhat · 29/11/2020 12:27

If you take him for a test today, it should be back tomorrow probably so would be better than waiting for nursery to send home and missing ?2 days+.

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