12mo with cold - will nursery expect PCR?

[jevoudrais]

Trying to get hold of nursery to ask (DD's first day this week). Her symptoms are cold like, very snotty, bit of a cough. When I look to book a test she doesn't meet the criteria currently. Would your nurseries expect a test for a cold, to prove it is a cold? I don't think that is unreasonable but I do feel mean doing a test on her if she doesn't need it, and going by the government website her symptoms don't fit 🤷🏽‍♀️

Based on the latest information about delta, yes she does fit. Sniffles is a symptom. Problem is that it is so common and overlaps with allergies. Some nurseries are insisting on pcrs

Ours wouldn’t for a cold, a new and continuous cough yes and a temp yes but a cold no.
If we did for a cold she’d be getting PCR tested every week 🤣🤣
Nursery are better now with coughs, at first the slightest cough and they’d get sent home to self isolate. Now they are more reasonable and lots of them do have coughs

*it should read our nursery is better now

A cough needs a test, even if it's unlikely. A child that is "very snotty" is really not well enough to be in nursery. Some poor kids have constant colds because they are never allowed to get better. If it's at all possible you should let her have a day or so to get past the worst stage of any virus before sending in; that way the poor thing can actually let her immune system get to work. (D&V has to be 48 hours from the last diarrhoea or vomit.)

She has a new cough which is not a one off so she does meet the criteria.

My nursery wouldn’t require a test for that as long as cough was occasional to clear throat and if I kept my DS off every time he had a snotty nose he would barely have been in yet. He can be completely fine in terms of energy levels etc and be snotty.

Speaking to a couple of people I know it seems like different nurseries have different rukes

The safest thing to do is wait until they are open and find out their specific policy

Ours would expect a test for a cough (as in when they have a cough, not the odd cough to clear some congestion). The official definition of a continuous cough is frustratingly vague. We've come around to thinking that it's best to just quickly book a test as soon as we suspect they might need one and save the agony of the deliberating.

Our nursery wants a test for any symptoms, including runny nose. I don't know why the government haven't updated the symptom list for booking a test in light of the Delta variant - which is characterized by symptoms very similar to a cold. I'd keep badgering the nursery about their requirements and if they do just tick whatever box you need to tick to get one.

Not just for a cold, but yes for a cough.

If she’s coughed more than 3 times then she meets the criteria.

Common snotty nose in a child. Don't give it a second thought.

...and so is Covid.
They won't exactly welcome her with open arms will they? Why can't you rush a test through, is she actually starting today?

She starts tomorrow. Nursery said they weren't really worried but if I wanted to test her I could say they said to. Decided to get her tested in case her symptoms get more covid like. Her cough isn't continuous I wouldn't say. But I had heard that delta symptoms are more standard cold like.

It felt like a catch 22. I don't think on paper she did need the test, but I also feel socially irresponsible not testing her. And I feel like w crap mum for making her have it, but she did get over it quickly. DH and I have done lateral flows as we are symptomless and those are negative. DD's PCR result should be through in 24-48 hours. Hopefully it comes through earlyish tomorrow and is negative and then she can still go to nursery for a few hours. She's done some settling in and found it hard so I would like to be able to take her tomorrow even if it's only two hours in the afternoon.

My little one starts later this month and I won’t be testing for colds, especially as I expect the first time they go to nursery they will pick up lots of little bugs etc. I don’t agree with covid tests for babies and very young children and not do I agree with testing every time someone sneezes or coughs it’s getting ridiculous.

It's easy to say you don't agree with it, but if it's nursery policy then you have to do it or you would need to keep your child home for 10 days every time they get ill(not possible if you are trying to work!)

It’s not our nursery policy thank goodness! If it was I would be looking for a different nursery especially as my little one has hay fever so is snotty the majority of the time at the moment.

If they give the cough to the other dc then their families have a period of worrying about this and may have to miss work themselves.

@Katie517

It’s not our nursery policy thank goodness! If it was I would be looking for a different nursery especially as my little one has hay fever so is snotty the majority of the time at the moment.

I would be wary about a nursery who is ignoring public health England - what else are they ignoring?

@Pissinthepottyplease I don’t think PHE are recommending testing under 2s every time their nose runs but thanks for your concern about the nursery I am sending my little one to, it’s ran by one of my best friends so I can assure you they aren’t “missing” anything seems a lot of other nurseries and parents are missing common sense though!

Not for a runny nose but yes to a cough.

Yes for “new continuous coughs” I agree but for the odd cough caused by congestion or hay fever I don’t think we should be testing, otherwise some parents of little ones with hay fever would be testing everyday from April- sept!!

Our nursery deffo not got a cold & I hate to break it to you OP, your kiddo is about to start nursery & get 500 colds & coughs a year. 🙈 that’s why as an experienced nursery parent, I exercise my own judgement on illness. So do nursery, ours are very good. Most will understand that children get ALL the germs, bugs & colds. And that children are very prone to coughing when snotty.

For me, colds, no. We’d be testing every bloody week. A minor cough associated with snot, nope. Feeling warm but no fever, nope. My youngest in particular often feels warm with a cold or teething but temp goes from 36.5 to 37. It’s just their little bodies not having full temperature regulation at a young age.

I do test for new continuous coughs, coughs I know sound unusual. My DD1 has cough dominant asthma & no way I’m testing her for every single coughing fit. I’m very aware what triggers her asthma & again, use my judgement. I would also test for an on-going fever & obviously if they complained their food didn’t taste of anything.

Also, it’s fine to send snotty kids into nursery. You’ll get people telling you not too on here but I don’t think they live in the real world where people are in full time employment & have to go out to work. If I didn’t send my snotty children, I may as quit my job. I’d never be in.

Rule of thumb- if your child is genuinely under the weather & not able to fully join in & enjoy a busy day at nursery, keep them home. It’s not fair to them or the nursery staff. If they are their normal selves, running around but just super snotty, totally fine!

@Bobholll finally someone else who speaks sense!

@Bobholll totally agree with everything you’ve said!!!