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Original poster

DS tested positive- allowing him in shared living space

113 replies

LuckyVal · 23/10/2021 01:55

Hi all,
I’m just wondering when your children have tested positive if you have all done your best to keep them separated from the rest of the family?

DS10 tested positive on an LFT on Wednesday. He had a headache and was a little bit sniffly. It was confirmed on a PCR tonight that he is positive.
Since the LFT I haven’t kept him isolated in his room. I’m in such a head spin about it as know I should have done but he was inconsolable when he found out. He is missing out on so much that was planned for half term, including seeing his cousins who we’ve now not seen for 15 months. He was also very emotional yesterday for the whole day, which I think is part of him being run down. To then separate him from the rest of us by confining him to his bedroom for 10 days felt too much.

I’ve tried where possible to keep him and DD separate. They’ve spent a lot of today in separate rooms anyway and when they have been in the same space (watching tv for example), they’ve kept as distanced as possible - but it’s not a large room. We’ve had windows open and I’ve been reminding him not to touch anything and sanitising anything he has including toilet flush, light switch, taps etc
I feel like I’ve been irresponsible by not confining him, but at the same time I can’t risk the emotional toll it would further take on him to be separated from us all.
I’ve also cuddled him when he was sobbing- but how could I not?!
😫😭

OP posts:
Basilandparsleyandmint · 23/10/2021 10:15

My dd 11 tested positive on Tuesday and was quite frightened and had a few tears. I couldn’t see her like that have gave her lots of cuddles for reassurance. She has mar been in the living space downstairs and my older child lives their room practically anyway.
When she has wanted cuddles we have both worn a mask which makes us both laugh and we have all eaten together but her just further down table with windows open.

MarshaBradyo · 23/10/2021 10:16

We haven’t isolated any positive dc

Thesearmsofmine · 23/10/2021 10:18

Nobody should be isolating a 10 year old, in our house it is me who had a positive LFT, I can’t isolate from my dc, I still have to care for them and be their mum, in a family it often just isn’t possible to isolate.

Clovie · 23/10/2021 10:19

My dcs (dd16 and ds14) have both tested positive and are out of isolation today. They have been isolating together in their rooms. I am cev, but managed to get it anyway and was fine. Just like a very bad cold. They were both symptomless and tbh i think it was good for them to have some bonding time! If they were younger, didn’t have each other or were actually ill they wouldn’t have been isolating.

Samanabanana · 23/10/2021 10:19

I can't believe anyone would isolate their poorly child Sad

plus3 · 23/10/2021 10:43

My DD (15) tested positive on Tuesday. She is a very happy bedroom dweller, so has mostly stayed in her room. She is not feeling particularly ill but...she has found it difficult as I am CEV (was shielded but now am double jabbed plus literally just received my booster) and was very defensive about being the one who tested positive 1st in the family.

I also work in ITU. Due to her being positive I have to be away from work for 10 days, so I feel a certain amount of responsibility to not catch it & be able to get back to work ASAP

That said, I haven’t made her stay in her room, she comes down when she wants, but does put a mask on. Windows are open.
My DH family has isolated all their teens when they had it, of course, I am doing it wrong Hmm

salbodoodlecat · 23/10/2021 10:54

I have 10-year old twins. We kept them as separate as we could but not alone in their rooms. One child caught it 6 days after the other. But neither my husband or I got it. We didn't hug. We sat as far apart as possible from them and ate at separate tables. And they used separate bathrooms to start with. Then when they both tested positive they used the same one but separate to us. But I couldn't bring myself to isolate them in their rooms.

WholeClassKeptIn · 23/10/2021 10:54

I think I'd be tempted to be the one that isolated rather than my child..
But aware it's different for everyone!

AlandAnna · 23/10/2021 11:13

I wouldn’t isolate. A CEV friend did for obvious reasons. She still contracted it from them bless her. She’s ok though.

TinaYouFatLard · 23/10/2021 11:28

I am genuinely concerned about the health anxiety and other mental health conditions we are lining up for children.

10 year olds not being hugged and eating at a separate table? Shame on you who do these inhumane things to your own children.

TheChip · 23/10/2021 11:31

@TinaYouFatLard

I am genuinely concerned about the health anxiety and other mental health conditions we are lining up for children.

10 year olds not being hugged and eating at a separate table? Shame on you who do these inhumane things to your own children.

I know. Its so sad 😞
TopCatsTopHat · 23/10/2021 11:35

I absolutely would not isolate him in the conditions you describe. I would practice good hygiene and give comfort and care as normal when someone is sick.
The physical risk is not so great its worth the emotional toll unless you have someone very clinically vulnerable and there were no other work arounds.

HesterShaw1 · 23/10/2021 11:35

We're seeing it already.

DP's daughter is 19 and she's a bundle of anxieties and neuroses. All illness is worrying and scary and requires medical attention. She's just had Fresher's Flu (well a cold) and required constant reassurance and phone calls ☹️

MarshaBradyo · 23/10/2021 11:36

@TinaYouFatLard

I am genuinely concerned about the health anxiety and other mental health conditions we are lining up for children.

10 year olds not being hugged and eating at a separate table? Shame on you who do these inhumane things to your own children.

I agree too
Butterfly44 · 23/10/2021 11:37

@Samanabanana

I can't believe anyone would isolate their poorly child Sad
Do you honestly think anyone wants to do so? Of course you can't and wouldn't want to with younger children but with teens and older children it's not as hard. It really depends on family circumstances, particularly if someone vulnerable is in the household. My almost teen son is resting in bed and not wanting to get up. He has a bell he's enjoying ringing to call me to attention and chats to me via Alexa. He's got Netflix, switch, iPad and really quite content. I've not been able to not cuddle him but am being careful as I don't want my eldest child (who is happily isolating from both of us anyway) catching it.
CagneyNYPD1 · 23/10/2021 11:37

My DD aged 10 has just completed her 10 days. I didn't once consider isolating her in her room. She is 10 and needs to be with her family. She was completely asymptomatic and well.

I asked her to try to stay out of the kitchen and I cleaned the kitchen and bathroom a little bit more than usual with bleach. I also asked her and her 13 year old brother to be sensible around each other as he is not yet vaccinated.

DH and I are both double jabbed. No one has medical needs. We tested negative throughout.

TopCatsTopHat · 23/10/2021 11:38

I completely agree with Tinayoufatlard

EveryFlightBeginsWithAFall · 23/10/2021 11:38

I didnt isolate my 10 year old when he had it. Not sure how I'd have managed that even if I'd wanted to as he sleeps in the same room as the 8 year old. None of us caught it from him

Littlemiss74 · 23/10/2021 11:39

@Clovie sorry to hear you had it but also slightly reassured that you were ok as my ds has tested positive and I am cev so I’m feeling a bit anxious. He has been very tearful as half term plans ruined. I want to hug him but I’m a bit anxious. It’s so difficult.

BluebellsGreenbells · 23/10/2021 11:41

This is why the rules are ridiculous - you can’t isolate a young child, nor can you isolate if you care for young children and you test positive.

If they’re ill, you don’t get paid and if double jabbed expected to work.

This is crazy!

The government should be supporting parents and in particular single parents who don’t have the same choices as others.

EekThreek · 23/10/2021 11:50

Unless there was someone else CEV in the house, I can't even contemplate isolating a child when/because they're unwell.

My kids were quite anxious when DS tested positive,because of everything they've picked up from the news/friends etc. If I'd have tried to keep them separate it would have made that way worse and we'd have had different/bigger problems afterwards. My priority was calming their anxiety.

But, whatever works. We're not all the same.

LetitGhost · 23/10/2021 11:56

Our teens chose to isolate when they had Covid at separate times - none of us caught it from them each time. They were pretty well though, with only mild sore throat symptoms and were happy to eat their food in their rooms or in the garden when the weather was good.

If my 9 year old had it, I don't think it would be possible to isolate from her.

So, I think it very much depends on the age of the child and their personality as to how much you can isolate from them.

DarceyDashwood · 23/10/2021 12:07

I wouldn’t be making a primary age child isolate from his family when he’s sick!

NeverDropYourMoonCup · 23/10/2021 12:15

I'm CEV.

I couldn't have isolated a child of mine; it's not bubonic plague, rabies or ebola.

Chessie678 · 23/10/2021 12:33

If someone told you pre covid that they were shutting their 10 year old in their room for ten days because they had a nasty cough and that you would have no physical contact with them for ten days, what would you have thought? I think that’s the answer.