DS tested positive- allowing him in shared living space

[LuckyVal]

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?!
😫😭

Ds (17) volunteered to isolate in his room as I am CEV & we are living with my 83 year old mum. We have a stairlift so we sent his meals up on that & did video calls & he played Xbox online with his friend. I couldn't leave a 10 year old on their own while they were ill with Covid, aren't you double jabbed?

I’ve posted about this previously but I didn’t isolate at all from my positive 8 year old. He slept in his bed, snuggled, we watched movies cuddled up on the couch and I didn’t catch it! Please try not to worry I know it’s easier said than done though

Slept in MY bed**

Two of my sons got covid and so did me and DH.
I cannot how as a parent anyone can isolate their child unless the child says they want to isolate but everyone does things differently.

17 year old did tested positive last night. Me and DH are treble jabbed plus 3 weeks and she isn’t isolating from us. If I’m going to catch it now seems like as good a time as any.

@WholeClassKeptIn

I can't think of any other time we would isolate a child. In hospital they would have nurses attending (even if covid!). In prison they wouldn't be completely isolated for 10 days and not as a young child.

When did it suddenly become acceptable to do this to children!?

It's not a new thing till the 1950s children were often sent away to sanatoriums and kept outside in beds in all kinds of weather especially for things like tb ...not saying it's right but it's not something that only started with covid Now that household contacts can do what they like it does make a bit of sense to minimise the chance of it being transmitted as rest of house hold will be out in the community.

@Nat6999

Ds (17) volunteered to isolate in his room as I am CEV & we are living with my 83 year old mum. We have a stairlift so we sent his meals up on that & did video calls & he played Xbox online with his friend. I couldn't leave a 10 year old on their own while they were ill with Covid, aren't you double jabbed?

Yes we are double jabbed. I suppose it’s more about DH still having to go out to work and the potential of spreading it further.

I’m glad to hear you pretty much all feel the same as me. I actually expected a lot more posts to disagree with what we’ve been doing!

Ty for all your reassurances!

Once it's in your house its in. Maybe you'll catch it, maybe you won't. If you don't get it this time, you'll probably get it next time anyway. Unless you are CEV then isolating your own kids inside their rooms is pure bonkers to me. It's very unkind and its teaching your children to fear covid more than they need to. I am always astonished at these threads as I don't know anyone who would dream of doing this IRL.

@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.

My children were absolutely fine. If they had got upset then of course I would have hugged them but they were completely fine. Several people were surprised when I told them we weren't making them isolate in their rooms so please don't suggest shame on me. Re the separate tables - they sat at either end of the dining table and we sat at the kitchen island. Together but at a distance. We took a cautious approach. And neither they nor us have health anxiety.

I didn't isolate from my teens when they got it over the summer holidays but we socially distanced (they aren't the type to need hugs etc)

Tbh I was fully prepared to catch it (we are going to catch it sometime) and I'd rather then summer than term time.

We didn’t do strict isolation when ds2( 13) had it, however he was quite ill so quite happy to keep himself in his room most of the time anyway, ds3 who shares a room with him moved into our room until he was better. None of the rest of us got it.

Just do what you consider best for your DC and your family. No need to judge and shame others for doing what they think is best for their family.

No, I absolutely wouldn't isolate my children.

People who are asking about CEV people... my friend is (kidney transplant) and when her DD had it a few weeks ago she isolated herself ina bedroom rather than her DD. Her DD was obviously separated from her mum but she was with her dad and brother. Better that than putting her 10 year old DD on her own.