Argh. Ds just decided to be very intimate with another child who has D&V. Emetophobic confession.

[ImflightbutIcantlogintoday]

It's possibly the lack of control of the situation that is so upsetting...

I'm very emetophobic and avoid anyone ill if I can, while trying not to step over the line of rudeness iyswim...anyway today we bumped into a nice woman I know, whose child was in his buggy, and she said 'He's been sick today, and just had a horrid nappy too, so don't get too close with your baby' and parked her buggy away from us - well, just behind her.

We hadn't spoken for a while and had a little chat, during which Ds (4) started to mess about trying to make her little boy laugh. He was just being silly and then he put his face right up against the little boy's face and was rubbing his face with his head, about as near as he could get without actually eating him

I tried to gently prise him away saying 'Be gentle, ...isn't feeling well today' but the baby was laughing so of course Ds wouldn't stop.

We left soon after and went home (round the corner) and I asked Ds to wash his hands and face, and then insisted on washing his hair while feeling absolutely awful about what had just happened. (His hair needed it anyway - must be about 4 weeks since last time!)

Please don't jump on me, it was nobody's fault but I am terrified of being sick and it sends me into a full blown panic attack, I don't imagine I'm normal, I couldn't have said anything at the time because it would have sounded really offensive to say 'keep away, you might catch something'!

I am now waiting for Ds to be ill...followed by the rest of us. I'd really had enough of it this year - so many bugs have been brought home since starting school, you wouldn't believe.

Hoping it was just teething or something and not contagious. I can't deal with real life sometimes.

I am glad he made the little boy laugh though. I didn't want to stop him being kind but, well, I am worried now.

I sympathise with you, I dont have a fear of being sick but there is nothing to feel bad about. there is nothing wrong in wanting you and your children to avoid being ill.

I would have actually have said "keep away you might catch something"

and I am not emetophobic

very sorry for you

Hopefully your DS wont catch whatever the child in the buggy has.

Really Fran? She is a very shy and sweet woman and I'd have hated to make her feel bad.
I will practise it for next time.

Maybe it is one that Ds already had...[hopeful]

Honestly I wish he would actually listen to me sometimes and stop doing daft things, when I say so. He is awful at the moment. Totally beyond listening to instructions.

I would have said it gently - something like "ah better not put your face next to X, he isn't well and we could get ill too if we get close to him"

I don't know if people would be offended by that but tbh it is common sense, and the woman had said as much herself

it's fine to not want your dc to get ill, and keeping away from ill people is normal

I bet you won't get it from this one exposure, though

I never realised how easy it is to catch things like D&V untill I left DS1 round at SILs house. Her son was sick and the following evening DS1 started being sick. It was awful. 2 days later I started being sick. I got practically no sympathy off DH. 2 days after got it DH got it. He moaned like a big girl. During all of this I had a 3 mth old baby to care for. It took just over a week for us all to be well again and it could all have been avoided if I had been told that my nephew was ill and I hadnt left DS1 there in the firs place.

yes but being round someone's house where you will be touching all the things they have touched and in close proximity to them for quite a while, is different to a brief encounter like this

You are very comforting Franny

Couple of hours down and only, say 45 to go till I feel we are a bit further towards all clear!

your right franny, hopefully imflights DS will be ok after such a short exposure to the bug.

BKBK you are very sweet. Hope you are still talking to your SIL

Ah yes, thiswas going back to 2004.

Oh thankyou BB
How is that all going? I am so imprsessed with your bravery.
It's so funny but the one time I felt I'd conquered my fear, was after actually being sick when I was fourteen.
I felt so free, but then slowly it crept back and now sends me straight into a massive panic...despite having had various episodes of feeling very ill since having children...a side effect of being a parent I suppose!
It can affect so many aspects of life. The speaking with professionals about the actual facts sounds like a fantastic idea.
All the time I was anorexic, years ago, I longed for some answers to the misguided beliefs I had in my head about how full your stomach could be etc. as that was what I was so afraid of (I know, very odd)
I hope it is going really well for you xx

Btw nobody has been sick since yesterday afternoon. Ha ha. Am still waiting...