Send to nursery or not?

[abbmebtdab]

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. 🤦‍♀️

I might be missing something, but isn't a PCR basically just the same as doing a lateral flow on a child that age? Both are done just swabbing the nose I thought?

PP has a valid point that the nursery could shut if your DC goes in and spreads it round more. That would be even more disruptive.

@NotVictorianHonestly

I might be missing something, but isn't a PCR basically just the same as doing a lateral flow on a child that age? Both are done just swabbing the nose I thought?

LFT are for asymptomatic testing and PCR tests are required for symptoms/ close contacts which Op child ticks both of those boxes.

Just wanted to also add, any new coughs in my DS nursery they are sent home for a PCR and aren't allowed back until results.

I would keep him off for 2 days and test again on Tuesday. By then he may be better or
The test may show up positive

Or send off for
Postal pcr. That may be less traumatic than an actual visit to a test centre

PCRs are more sensitive. My kids were negative on the LF’s but positive on pcr. They had very minor symptoms.

Re you saying he’s not ill and assuming it’s not covid. My four year old currently has covid he was a bit under the weather for a few hours on the day he tested positive and has been bouncing off the walls since then. Covid is often mild in young children.

You know you need to do a PCR and I know it’s horrible testing young children. My little boy used to be awful with it but has got much better. Please don’t send him in to potentially pass it around. This is how people end up unnecessary ill and nurseries shut due to staffing issues. He’s had contact with a positive case and has a symptom that requires a PCR.

I don’t think it’s fair to send a child to nursery with any cough because then they just give it to everyone else.

@Fallagain

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

This.

@glitterelf yes I know that. What I meant was that the OP is saying she doesn't want to traumatise her child with a PCR, but she's doing lateral flows on him so isn't that essentially the same from a trauma perspective? Both are a swab up the nose.

Won't they just send him home with a cough and not let him back until -ve pcr anyway?

Thanks all, he's booked in for a pcr in the morning. Nursery don't send them home for cold like symptoms. This new positive case is the first they have had.

Will find out soon enough. Thanks for all of the replies.

I suspect the nursery will soon change that policy. Best of luck with the test and hope its negative x

@NewMum0305

I suspect the nursery will soon change that policy. Best of luck with the test and hope its negative x

Thank you

Have you tried doing a PCR test at home? You can get them through the post and its exactly the same process as an LFT, so he shouldn't find it too stressful?

My DS is 2 and had a snotty nose. I only LFT him because his dad had covid too. His LFT showed positive straight away. No cough. No temp just a runny nose!

He's negative!