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Original poster

Young kids really suffering from covid

29 replies

Stringervest · 10/04/2022 08:16

DD5 and DS2 came down with symptoms within hours of each other on Tuesday/Wednesday. LFTs are negative but the timing fits with contact 3 days earlier with Covid positive MIL, and aside from that they had been apart for days due to DS being in hospital.

DD had it in September and was asymptomatic. I am surprised at how unwell they have both been. Symptoms include vomiting, stomach cramps, fatigue and fever. They both picked up on Friday afternoon and we thought they'd beaten it, but we were back into it from yesterday morning.

I have read a lot about children having it very mildly. I can only assume they got a massive dose from MIL (DH and I didn't catch it but both had it recently and the ONS reports our antibodies as being at an elevated level). How much longer is this likely to continue? It feels never ending!

OP posts:
Lilaclavenders · 10/04/2022 10:41

They may have another virus/disease, especially as the covid tests are negative...?

Original poster
Stringervest · 10/04/2022 11:28

Maybe. But I think the timing for symptoms developing after being in contact with MIL, the fact that they developed symptoms virtually simultaneously and were only together when they saw MIL, and the fact that DH and I, who only recently had covid, have not got ill despite being puked and snotted on repeatedly, all points to covid.

We have the old style LFTs and the kids are too young to do their throats so accuracy is questionable.

OP posts:
Haus1234 · 10/04/2022 11:36

When people say “mild” they mean anything from zero symptoms up to bedbound as if with flu, ie no need for medical intervention but not completely fine.

SpringRainbow · 10/04/2022 11:39

They may have Covid, they may not have Covid. There are plenty of viruses out there that have very similar symptoms to Covid. Even with tests neither PCR or LFTs were 100% accurate. This is why many places were/ still are cautious about any symptoms.

As for mildly, to be honest when they say mildly they mean that you will not require hospital treatment. Mild cases can vary from asymptomatic to not being able to get out of bed.

I hope they both feel better soon.

nearlyspringyay · 10/04/2022 12:11

Flu?

Lilaclavenders · 10/04/2022 12:17

Flu or Gastroenteritis?

gogohm · 10/04/2022 12:32

Plenty of other viruses in circulation, they could also have two things at once. Never heard of vomiting or stomach cramps with covid, sound more like norovirus

CantStartaFireWithoutaSpark · 10/04/2022 12:57

My 12 month old (yep had it during her birthday) was ill for about 2 weeks, the symptoms didn’t leave her for 6/7 weeks.
It took us by surprise. It was really tough.

BeenToldComputerSaysNo · 10/04/2022 13:45

OP, 2 of mine have had all the symptoms you mention this week (covid). Not sure if it's covid in yours or not, but they are covid symptoms too. Hope they feel better soon.

Original poster
Stringervest · 10/04/2022 14:27

Gastro symptoms are very common in covid for children.

www.bmj.com/content/370/bmj.m3484

OP posts:
Original poster
Stringervest · 10/04/2022 14:31

@CantStartaFireWithoutaSpark that sounds hard, I'm sorry!

OP posts:
TheYearOfSmallThings · 10/04/2022 14:31

There is a nasty stomach bug going around - DS had it a few weeks ago, luckily not badly but some of his friends were unwell for a week. It definitely wasn't COVID (negative tests plus they had just recently had COVID) but it was very unpleasant.

Worse than the COVID tbh.

Mirrorball2022 · 10/04/2022 14:42

I work in Paeds.
Covid does seem to hit some children more than others and some end up in hospital despite the government line that it’s mild for all children. It’s not really it’s like every other illness some are more affected than others. Covid from the start has sometimes caused abdo issues in children and adults, newer variants even more so. It’s not just respiratory it can affect us in different ways. Some never test positive on LFTs but positive on pcr and that’s going to be difficult to assess with the withdrawal of testing

But on the other hand it’s like winter currently in the sense of illness, so many surges of all kinds with children. Covid is one, flu is much more rife now than it was in winter, RSV, lots of respiratory viral illness, chest infections Noro or other d&v bugs, chicken pox to name a few.

lightand · 10/04/2022 14:46

2 gc have it at the moment. 1 is already bouncing around. The other 1, who had it first is still unwell.
But no more unwell than if she had a bug or bad cold or whatever.
Certainly nothing I personally, would be rushing to get them a jab for.

Daqqe · 10/04/2022 16:47

My DD was quite poorly but only for 3 days. Fever, cough, needed a shot of steroids at hospital as her cough was croup like. She complained a lot about hurting all over & slept loads. Day 4, brighter. Day 5, bouncing off the walls and fully recovered!

Are you sure it’s not a stomach bug though? DD has had two recently 😭 they’ve had two huge outbreaks at school. One of them closed the school for 2 days 😱 Symptoms were a nasty fever for 3 days, a lot of vomiting, awfully upset stomach .. took her 7 days each time to recover ☹️ And even then was tired & pale for a few more day. Both stomach bugs were far worse than covid for her ..

beattieedny · 10/04/2022 16:49

Kids get ill. It's normal and part of life. Mercifully they rarely need hospital let alone die, as they did only two generations ago here, and indeed still do in some places. It's hard, but it's normal!

GiveMeNovocain · 10/04/2022 16:52

There's definitely a nasty stomach bug going around. Dd has just got over it. Poor love was sore from throwing up but bouncing around again a few days later

toomuchlaundry · 10/04/2022 16:53

Latest variant seems to cause gastro issues as one of the main symptoms

raspberryjamchicken · 10/04/2022 16:57

Completely anecdotal but I teach KS1 and far more have been off feeling unwell with COVID in the past half term than at any other time. One had gastro symptoms so severe they had to be checked for appendicitis. Prior to Christmas more of the ones testing positive seemed to be asymptomatic or have very mild symptoms.

I was reading that although Covid is unlikely to be severe for the majority of people now, it will still be the most unwell that many adults have ever felt, so perhaps that is the same with children.

toomuchlaundry · 10/04/2022 16:57

Also included on list of symptoms on NHS COVID page

raspberryjamchicken · 10/04/2022 16:59

I should add, the children I am talking about are the ones I know definitely tested positive for Covid. We have had high sickness absence generally but some have had chicken pox, others stomach bugs and others COVID symptoms but have tested negative.

orangeisthenewpuce · 10/04/2022 17:01

There is an awful vomiting bug going around with all those symptoms, I think they've got that as well.

Cornettoninja · 10/04/2022 17:06

DD(6) had covid the last week of March and was pretty though but hospital ill.

Her first symptom (and why I tested) was stomach cramps and then progressed to diarrhoea, fatigue, headache, sore throat and change in sense of smell. She never had a temperature that I caught but she looked really ill for quite a while, very pale and dark circles under her eyes. She tested negative on day five despite symptoms continuing for another couple of days.

The stomach issues seem to be lingering on and off. I hope it’s not a permanent change but have started her on probiotics as well as her usual vitamins in a bid to help her body rebalance. She had her first ever episode of car sickness (proper projectile vomiting) the other day which I’m presuming is because she’s not quite recovered yet.

DealWithTheDevilAtTheCrossroad · 10/04/2022 17:15

Sorry to hear this, OP. We have friends whose DC was hit very hard with the Covid Gastro symptoms. Hopefully it will pass soon.

jazzandh · 10/04/2022 17:26

DS2 (11) had covid for the second time in the last few weeks. He had a severe headache and body aches that had him crying (alleviated with paracetamol) and the stomach pain continued for a couple of weeks afterwards after eating. I've been giving him kefir which he tolerates and likes and gradually he's got back to normal.

He's keen now to have the vaccine though!