Cough anxiety | Mumsnet

SS80 · 2021-10-28T06:52:15+00:00

Is anyone else struggling with cough anxiety? I’m not worried about COVID specifically. I’m sorry about one of the kids getting a cold and having to miss out on something they were very excited about. I’m currently worrying about Halloween - my kids would be devastated if they couldn’t go. It feels like we can’t look forward to anything at the moment as it may not happen. When I write it down like this i feel a bit silly. But it’s where I am.

OliveTree75 · 28/10/2021 07:56

That's how I feel too. It's my little boys birthday tomorrow. He's having a Halloween party and I've been so chewed that it won't happen for him. I woke up with a cough the other day and cried...thankfully ive had 2 negative tests

DeathMetalMum · 28/10/2021 07:57

I'm the same, weeks where we don't really have plans I'm much calmer.

This week we had a few plans and my cough anxiety has been high, throw in dd having a spiking temperature one morning. We all had covid tests on Monday all negative, dd2 had to have another as she then had a temperature again negative thankfully. Anxiety through the roof.

Hangingtrousers · 28/10/2021 08:03

Yep I have 3 kids and it's constant. Its definitely not even covid just missing out on stuff yet again. I freakout everytime someone coughs.

Original poster

SS80 · 28/10/2021 08:08

I’m so glad it’s not just me. My partner thinks I’m being ridiculous! @OliveTree75 my twins recently had a birthday and my anxiety was through the roof in the days building up to it. Luckily it all went ahead. I try to manage it by reminding myself that although the kids would be disappointed, they’d also get over it.

OP posts:

Artie30 · 28/10/2021 09:21

Me too. Before covid you wouldn't think much of a child with an odd cough! Ds coughs all the time out of habit more than anything! He always coughs in the morning too and even though I know it's normal I'm still doubting whether he could actually have a cough that needs a test! Every sniffle I get paranoid he'll cough too.

I struggle to plan anything atm thinkkng it'll be ruined by covid or even a cold. I defintjelt couldn't plan a holiday. I'd be too anxious about not being able to go!

Also, I am prone to a dry throat and I don't get a cough with it usually - thankfully. But I'm sat here now with a dry throat thinking to myself I need to cough - I don't, I'm just being a hypochondriac! I need to keep myself busy!

winterisaroundthecorner · 28/10/2021 09:31

I feel no different, it's kind of weird that those with relatively healthy children feeling anxious about their children getting slightly ill so they don't miss things that they are looking forward to.

It was like that for me for all my child's life. Slight cold to any other children can send my dc to hospital. So being vigilant for my dc not to get ill, and taking precautions was nothing new to me or my dc.

Nidan2Sandan · 28/10/2021 09:38

it's kind of weird that those with relatively healthy children feeling anxious about their children getting slightly ill so they don't miss things that they are looking forward to.

You think it's weird that people who are almost 2 years in to dealing with kids getting sent home from school for a cough, or for feeling "slightly ill" are anxious about this? That one move from the school could ruin all the plans made for birthdays, halloween, holidays as if that school demands a PCR for a cough or a "slight illness" means that child then has to isolate and cancel all those plans.

Really, are you really that out of touch that you find it weird that parents who have never had to deal with this kind of issue before feel worried or anxious.

Weird

Original poster

SS80 · 28/10/2021 09:41

@winterisaroundthecorner
That sounds incredibly tough and really puts things perspective. Much love to you and your little one.xx

OP posts:

fedup078 · 28/10/2021 09:44

@SS80
Totally get the bit about not looking forward to stuff in case you have to cancel . I'm barely organising anything and if I do it's last minute so it's usually shit.
Totally get it

winterisaroundthecorner · 28/10/2021 09:44

Yeah, those parents who never had to experience these kind of issues before covid maybe the ones who sent potentially infectious children to school not thinking about consequences to others.

winterisaroundthecorner · 28/10/2021 09:46

That was responce to Nidan2Sandan, not to you, OP.

Thank you for your kindness, OP.

EmmyLake · 28/10/2021 09:46

Yeah I feel a bit like this too, that fear is always at the back of my mind. DD has missed out on loads since this started and I am just hoping that the special activities we've planned for this winter can still go ahead. Some of these things don't sound like much but are so important to kids - like Halloween dress up day at school tomorrow, she'd be absolutely gutted if she couldn't take part in that for example.

Daisy829 · 28/10/2021 09:53

I was like this at exactly this time last year, it got so bad I couldn’t function & had to go in anti anxiety meds. Fast forward this year, DD has exactly the same cough which is worse in the mornings. Fortunately I’m not so concerned about it this year she’s just prone to coughs it seems. She’s had it over 2 weeks now. Hoping it goes soon.

Nidan2Sandan · 28/10/2021 10:35

@winterisaroundthecorner

Yeah, those parents who never had to experience these kind of issues before covid maybe the ones who sent potentially infectious children to school not thinking about consequences to others.

But that's not what you said. You said you found it weird that people were worried about a possible chance of a child getting unwell and therefore missing out on plans they had made in a way they hadnt worried before. No one said "oh I would send my kid to school coughing & spluttering" they're saying that rightly or wrongly they have anxiety. I think a bit of sympathy for these parents would be nice here.

I just dont understand why you think that's weird or how it has anything to do with your understandably difficult situation?? Most parents have never had to worry that their child coughing (my child has a tick which is a cough/throat clearing) could mean isolation, PCRs and not allowed in school or having to miss out on plans. Why do you assume this is about sending sick kids into school??

It's not a competition of who has it worse, its putting yourself in the PPs here who are telling you why they're feeling anxious

winterisaroundthecorner · 28/10/2021 10:50

You are missing my point, I just feel weird that my fear of my dc being ill and missing thing was a real fear of my dc getting seriously ill, while people are saying that they worry about their dc miss the opportunity, not actually worried about their dc getting seriously ill in global pandemic.

Nidan2Sandan · 28/10/2021 10:58

@winterisaroundthecorner

You are missing my point, I just feel weird that my fear of my dc being ill and missing thing was a real fear of my dc getting seriously ill, while people are saying that they worry about their dc miss the opportunity, not actually worried about their dc getting seriously ill in global pandemic.

Then I find it really sad that you cant seem to find the ability to sympathise with what the PPs are saying. It's a shame that you seem determined to ignore their genuine anxieties. So much for #BeKind huh

Sparkle275 · 28/10/2021 11:48

I completely understand and relate. My children like a lot of others have missed out on a lot of things due to covid, including my daughters last week in Year 6 due to a positive case in her class. Everytime one of the kids coughs I think please not again. They've been tested a few times due to contact/coughs but have been negative thankfully. I just feel like we can't plan much incase someone gets ill and we can't do it after the kids have built their hopes up. I'm also worried about us getting covid but sadly it's something that I think is here to stay and we all just have to get on with things as best we can.

winterisaroundthecorner · 28/10/2021 13:41

Meh, Nidan2Sandan.

Bluebellfae · 28/10/2021 14:17

Your not alone
Every time mine have had cold symptoms I get worried, but we've just had it in our house, DS 12, has just got over it, day 12 here LF, rest of us all negative testing daily we have plans for Halloween with my youngest he has ASD and is very excited about seeing his best friend on Sunday but im so anxious thst one of us is going to test positive and spoil it all for him he will just be so upset I feel for everyone who has had things ruined with this virus

Dishhh · 29/10/2021 07:05

@Nidan2Sandan

Then I find it really sad that you cant seem to find the ability to sympathise with what the PPs are saying. It's a shame that you seem determined to ignore their genuine anxieties. So much for #BeKind huh

Do you understand that the PP was saying she is concerned that her vulnerable kids don't become sick at all, as this could be a real danger to them? The other posters (and yourself) and saying you don't want your kids to become ill as you don't want them to miss activities - not primarily as you don't want them to be ill in the first place. Can you see the difference? There's nothing wrong with either viewpoint, BTW, but there is a difference.