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Original poster

Send to nursery or not?

43 replies

abbmebtdab · 16/01/2022 17:56

Hi all, so I'm not sure what to do here. My son is at nursery, he's 3. On Friday (2 days ago) I recieved an email from the nursery to let me know that a child at the nursery has tested positive. My son was fine, then on Friday night he kept complaining of a sore throat. I didn't think much of it and off he went to bed. He woke up yesterday (Saturday) with a full of runny/snotty nose and developed a cough by the evening. I got some LFT today and iv tested him as he's still the same, snot everywhere and coughing, no temp though. Anyway, his LFT is negative.

So now....do I send him to nursery tomorrow because his LFT is negative? Will they frown upon that as someone has just recently tested positive. I'm supposed to be working and have two other children 7 & 9, also neg LFT. What would you do and also has your child or yourself had a neg lft but then went onto a positive?
I'm avoiding a PCR inless i desperately need to (following a LFT for example) because he is absolutely petrified of the tests, he was in such a state with the LFT. 🤦‍♀️

OP posts:
6464zz · 16/01/2022 17:58

Don't send, even if it's not covid it's still a virus that's potentially going to infect other children and staff. Hope he's better soon.

ItsSnowJokes · 16/01/2022 17:59

No, you take him for a pcr test and if that's negative he can go back in. He has symptoms so it's a pcr test.

CovidForChristmas · 16/01/2022 18:01

He has a new cough so he needs a PCR doesn’t he?
I know you said you’re trying to avoid it but a PCR is the correct step for a symptomatic child.

If you are desperate to avoid, keep him at home for 10 days.

6464zz · 16/01/2022 18:01

Also, if he gets upset at the tests, can you be sure you're doing them properly? This was the case with my son, I kept him off with suspected covid because I couldn't do the test on him properly.

BlueSky8 · 16/01/2022 18:04

You need to make sure his nose is clear before doing the test.
I would do a PCR but regardless wouldn't send him as he's clearly unwell, Covid or not

Original poster
abbmebtdab · 16/01/2022 18:05

I know a PCR should be done and that is exactly what I'd tell anyone else 🤦‍♀️ im just a damn wimp 😂

Iv took him for 2 before and both were negative and it took him days to stop talking about how awful it was lol.

I feel if he had a temp I'd most definitely take him for a test but he's quite a cold prone child so in the back of my mind I'm assuming it's yet another cold!

OP posts:
CovidForChristmas · 16/01/2022 18:06

What would you do and also has your child or yourself had a neg lft but then went onto a positive?
It took 6 days for my child’s LFT to go positive after close contact. They had no symptoms though we did LFT every day.

claireymrsd · 16/01/2022 18:07

He has a cough (one of the top three symptoms as per the gov) - you get a pcr.

Original poster
abbmebtdab · 16/01/2022 18:08

@CovidForChristmas

What would you do and also has your child or yourself had a neg lft but then went onto a positive? It took 6 days for my child’s LFT to go positive after close contact. They had no symptoms though we did LFT every day.
Thanks for your reply. They say its normal day 5/6 that a positive will be detected after contact. I'm not sure if it's too soon for him to be showing symptoms after contact at nursery which is making me think maybe it's normal winter cold and runny nose stuff.
OP posts:
fineappleglasgow · 16/01/2022 18:08

Sorry OP but you know you need to keep him off until he hopefully has a negative PCR

Thegirlwhocan · 16/01/2022 18:10

@6464zz

Don't send, even if it's not covid it's still a virus that's potentially going to infect other children and staff. Hope he's better soon.

This 👆

I'm an ex Nursery Manager. Please don't do it. For your Son and also for the other children and staff.

CovidForChristmas · 16/01/2022 18:10

Should also add that the close contact was within our household and fortunately over Christmas so we didn’t have to worry about them going to school. We just all isolated.

girlmom21 · 16/01/2022 18:11

I'm avoiding a PCR inless i desperately need to

You do desperately need to because, you know, he might have coronavirus.

Fallagain · 16/01/2022 19:18

If he has a new cough then you have the choice of giving him a pcr or isolating him for 10 days.

GreatBigBeautifulTommorow · 16/01/2022 19:26

He needs a PCR
Don’t send him to nursery!

Ijustneedtosleep21 · 16/01/2022 19:32

He has symptoms so you keep him home til you've done a PCR and got the results

NewMum0305 · 16/01/2022 19:32

In the nicest, gentlest way possible, you are asking if you should send your son, who is ill, with a new cough, and is known to have had close contact with a positive Covid case, into nursery because you don’t want have to do a PCR test on him..?

I think you know the answer. I have a nearly 3 year old who absolutely hates Covid tests so I totally get it but when she had a practitioner in her nursery test positive and then developed a cough, I was straight at the test centre with her (she was negative but I’d do it again - you just never know)

The alternative is to keep him off for the full 10 days x

RonaLisa · 16/01/2022 19:35

I'd sent him to nursery, OP, unless he is actually feeling unwell or has a temperature (in which case obviously not).

The sooner this madness stops, the better.

Sometimes cold symptoms are just... a cold. I realise this is hard for some people to get their minds around.

We do need to come into contact with all kinds of bugs in order to ensure that our immune systems are able to fight more serious things. Heaven help us if we all become paranoid about a sniffle.

Original poster
abbmebtdab · 16/01/2022 19:48

The reason I am asking is because....

  1. He's not ill, he's bouncing around the couch, playing with toys, eating his food and snacks. He has a runny nose and a cough (any other time, we would all say, a little cold)
  2. He's not coughing like a mad man he's just coughing at times.
  3. His lft is negative, along with the other 4 people in his household.
  4. He always gets the cold, he's had it at least 3 times in the last 2 months, similar to this.
OP posts:
Original poster
abbmebtdab · 16/01/2022 19:49

Also, I'd never keep him off nursery In the before covid just because he has a little cold. We can't all stay at home and take time off word due to a runny nose and a little cough.

OP posts:
BlueSky8 · 16/01/2022 19:51

@abbmebtdab

The reason I am asking is because....
  1. He's not ill, he's bouncing around the couch, playing with toys, eating his food and snacks. He has a runny nose and a cough (any other time, we would all say, a little cold)
  2. He's not coughing like a mad man he's just coughing at times.
  3. His lft is negative, along with the other 4 people in his household.
  4. He always gets the cold, he's had it at least 3 times in the last 2 months, similar to this.
This is the reason my son who goes to nursery perfectly well, comes home ill. Because parents send their children in coughing, sneezing, runny noses etc.

He is unwell op, if he was well he wouldn't have any of the above.

Overthebow · 16/01/2022 19:52

So you know there’s been cases at nursery, you know he has a new cough, and you know he needs a PCR but you’re not willing to do it?

The rules are clear, new cough and you get PCR and isolate until the results, or you isolate for 10 days. That’s your choice, PCR or isolate for 10 days. Negative LFT and no temperature are irrelevant.

scammedmum29 · 16/01/2022 19:54

He needs a PCR. My child developed slight symptoms earlier on in the week but was right as rain as the day went on- running around and playing as usual. LFT was negative, we went for a PCR and it came back positive.

glitterelf · 16/01/2022 19:57

You either keep him home and isolate him or you get him PCR tested, don't be that parent who is selfish enough not to think of others. You know he's been in contact with a positive case and probably more than one. Sending him in without knowing for sure that he's not positive could cause the setting to completely shut.

PatchworkElmer · 16/01/2022 19:57

Please take him for a PCR. It’d be really unfair if you didn’t do this- and I think you know that. It might just be a cold for him, but he could pass it on to a vulnerable staff member or child. Do the responsible thing