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Original poster

Positive - have to isolate from toddler?

34 replies

wingingitalltheway · 01/09/2021 19:36

Hi,
I have just tested positive on an lft and have cold symptoms. Already been for a pcr so hopefully that will come back tomorrow.
I have an almost two year old - should I isolate from her? This is possible as my OH can care for her. My instinct says to stay away and in the spare room to try to avoid her catching it - although this will be awful being away from her 😢

OP posts:
shouldistop · 01/09/2021 19:41

Are you usually her primary care giver? Will she find it distressing being away from you?
A lot of experts now say that everyone will catch it eventually so there's probably little point in trying to avoid your child catching it assuming she has no health conditions.

Mum32021 · 01/09/2021 19:41

I didn't isolate from my 2 year old, she stayed in our bed as she has been having night terrors and I'm her main carer as my partner was working, she has not caught it from me and neither has my partner

MiddleParking · 01/09/2021 19:44

Hell would freeze over before I did that with my DD the same age. Unless you end up actually feeling too unwell to have her on you, in which case you’re more than entitled to have him do everything and keep her away to let you rest!

Lonelylooloo · 01/09/2021 19:47

Am I the only person in the world who thinks a few days isolation from their toddler sounds better than a 2 week all inclusive to a Greek island… in fairness I’ve had a VERY long day with my 2 under 2 today.

shouldistop · 01/09/2021 19:48

@Lonelylooloo GrinGrinGrin

Original poster
wingingitalltheway · 01/09/2021 19:48

@shouldistop Yes I am her primary caregiver. She heard my voice earlier and cried hysterically screaming mama so I think she will feel distressed.

I desperately want to be with her but I would be devastated if she caught it and was really ill with it. Don’t know what to do for the best.

OP posts:
JaninaDuszejko · 01/09/2021 19:53

Either she's been symptomless and given it to you or you've already given it to her before you knew you had it. It is very very unlikely that she will be very ill with Covid but she will be distressed in the short term not being allowed to have any physical contact with you.

shouldistop · 01/09/2021 19:54

I'd avoid face kisses but otherwise please don't stay away from a distressed child. She's vanishingly unlikely to be very ill from it. Would you isolate from her for any other illness?

Get well soon Thanks

undecided2022 · 01/09/2021 19:57

[quote wingingitalltheway]@shouldistop Yes I am her primary caregiver. She heard my voice earlier and cried hysterically screaming mama so I think she will feel distressed.

I desperately want to be with her but I would be devastated if she caught it and was really ill with it. Don’t know what to do for the best.[/quote]
My 18 month old had it. She recovered much more quickly than my husband and I. She had a fever for a couple of days a little cough and that was it. Best of luck.

aNewYorkerInLondon · 01/09/2021 20:06

I would play it safe. It is a serious illness even in children.

www.ft.com/content/31c30156-e446-469a-86d6-a1b93ccf91a0

aNewYorkerInLondon · 01/09/2021 20:08

I would at least wear a valve-free N95 mask and wash my hands before being anywhere near her.

Hyacinth88 · 01/09/2021 20:11

Hope this doesn't sound blunt but if she's going to get it she may well have by now.
I think the emotional effect is. Worse than the likely mild symptoms

Chessie678 · 01/09/2021 20:15

I wouldn’t isolate from my 18m DS. He would be very distressed by not being able to see me for 10 days while knowing I was in the house. I think it’s almost certain that all toddlers will be exposed to covid at some point during their childhood anyway. My DS has already had covid and it was indistinguishable from a cold so not something I’d be concerned about him getting again.

(I’d be tempted to isolate him from me if either of us got norovirus again because that was really grim but I wouldn’t actually do it)

dopeyduck · 01/09/2021 20:16

There is no way I'd isolate away from my DS.

I wouldn't isolate from him if I had any other illness either unless there was a particular risk or reason to and I was advised to by a medical professional. Nor would I have him isolated from me if he had it and I didn't.

I'm his mother and his primary carer. He is breastfed so would get my antibodies anyway but even if he wasn't I would not even consider this.

Covid is a very minor illness for almost all children.

Do you keep your child at home and not drive them in the car in case you crash? Or not give them food in case their allergic or they choke? Or not let them play at the park in case they fall and hit their head and die?

I find this utterly bizarre.

Original poster
wingingitalltheway · 01/09/2021 20:22

@Lonelylooloo I have many days like this too 😂

Reassuring that most are saying not to isolate from her. Will be talking with OH about this tonight and what we will do. I know it is mild in children thank goodness so perhaps we were being overly cautious in thinking I would need to isolate in one room!

As some have mentioned, very possible I have caught it from her! She does attend nursery a couple of days a week while I’m at work so could have caught it there!

OP posts:
Suzi888 · 01/09/2021 20:25

I think its highly likely you caught it from your lo too.
I wouldn’t isolate away from my DD either (unless she had underlying health conditions etc).

Hope you feel better soon OP.

Siameasy · 01/09/2021 20:32

I have Covid and I didn’t isolate from my DC. My DC never caught it although tests can be wrong we did multiple tests including PCR

whatswithtodaytoday · 01/09/2021 20:44

I wouldn't bother. If she goes to nursery she's going to get it in the next few weeks/months anyway, and as you say she may well have given it to you. At nearly 2 she's probably the best age to get it, really.

Imnothereforthedrama · 01/09/2021 20:51

No of course you don’t your dc needs you I’ll or not .

annlee3817 · 01/09/2021 20:52

I'm on the wouldn't bother camp, my DD clung to me like a limpet the whole time and didn't catch it, we lived in a flat at the time, DH didn't catch it either. I know that's not the case with everyone.

Chocolatebuttercream · 01/09/2021 20:52

Think of it like this: if you get a cough or similar (not covid), and your DD gets it, there is a small chance that she will develop dangerous complications, but its very unlikely. The same is true of covid, she is very unlikely to get seriously ill.

If you wouldn't isolate from her for a non-cpvid illness then I don't see why you would for covid therefore. And I think it would be extremely distressing for her too x

bookworm14 · 01/09/2021 20:53

No, please don’t isolate from your tiny child. Sad

Bobholll · 01/09/2021 21:36

No chance on earth I’m isolating from my children. I didn’t when I had it. We shared beds, cuddles, kisses, food & normal life. They did catch it or rather, I think we all caught it at the same time rather than from each other (removal men, we moved house a few days before). One had no symptoms, one had a heavy cold.

Honestly, I would look after my kids through hell & high water. I’d never, ever isolate from them unless I had an illness that was seriously concerning for them.

alphabetllama · 01/09/2021 21:41

Of course you should not isolate from your young child. This is madness. She has been exposed already. You will really, really upset her if you stay away from her, and for no reason at all.

Bizawit · 01/09/2021 21:42

Aww OP please don’t stay away from her she is far too young. Would you isolate from her if you had a cold? Covid isn’t dangerous to small kids. If she catches it at all she’ll likely have very mild symptoms. Plus will then build her immunity as a bonus 👍🏻.