I am pregnant. My nanny's son has a case of swine flu at his school and the school may close. How concerned should I be?

[flowerybeanbag]

Just that really. I am 20+3 weeks pregnant and have a 2yo DS. I work mostly from home and have a lovely nanny who looks after DS. Her little boy has been sent home because there is a case of swine flu at the school and it seems the school may be closed.

How concerned should I be, both about myself and DS? Should I be telling her to stay at home or anything? (Hint: please say no that is completely unnecessary!)

On the radio today they were saying that swine flu is very mild for people with average immune systems and that it isn't a worry.

Expat DD's have/had it as did her 7m DS.

I have no idea but as you seem worried I'd ring your surgery and ask for advice. I'm sure it will be to carry on as normal although being pregnant may warrent extra precautions.

I would, if at all possible have your nanny stay at home until they have the all clear. If only for your own peace of mind.

Sorry, not much help.

warrant

flowery, I've just started a very similar thread. I'm 13 weeks and we've just been told there's a case of it at work. I'm trying to call my midwife team now to see if I should take any other precautions... if I get through to them I'll let you know.

Thank you all, thanks HeadFairy do let me know if you find anything out.

The irritating thing is normally it would be no problem to give her a couple of days off because I work from home so rearranging is normally easy. But I have an important meeting tomorrow. Arrrrggghhhh!

No probs. The mw phone is constantly engaged, so either they've left the phone off the hook or they've gone for the day (and left the phone off the hook) but I'll keep trying. NHS Direct are only taking urgent calls at the moment, not sure I can call this urgent.

oh my goodness flowerybeanbag I know who you are! Thats a first for me on MN!!

its ok - dont be worried - I guessed by the post as I know your nanny and DS (and she mentioned the swine flu situation on facebook). I met you once in a card shop with your DH and DS whilst chasing my own DS about. (DS goes to same toddler group)

I'm also 20(+4)weeks pg

I'm afraid I have no idea whether you should be worried, but my instinct tells me not. I'm interested in what headfairy finds out from the mw team too though.

I won't mention this posting to nanny either - that would be a bit wierd!

No, probably not urgent. NHS Choices says more risk of complications in the event of flu in pregnancy, especially 2nd and 3rd trimester.

tips, including avoiding contact with anyone with flu symptoms. Maybe I'll be ok carrying on unless and until my nanny sneezes...

Hello lynnie! Yes that sounds like me in the card shop!

Congrats on your own pregnancy, what a coincidence!

I know - coincidence indeed! Congratulations on your pregnancy too.

I had my scan yesterday. Extremely frustrated because I wanted to find out the sex and the cord was hiding everything!

I think that the chances of anything being passed through from nanny's school in general to her son through her to you are pretty slim, but I guess that unfortunately a slim chance is still, well, a chance.

I'd be inclined to carry on as normal rather than worry about a slim 'what-if' though.

DS goes to nursery in GMC - lord only knows what nastiness lurks in the air there - he's had two different bugs in the last fortnight - theres always a slight chance too that someone in that nursery is linked to the school in question just because of the proximity

Its too small this world!

Tis indeed a very small world!

I'm inclined to think you're right and to carry on rather than panic about a slim chance. It does seem unlikely as it would mean both my nanny's son and her both coming into contact and actually contracting it, which seems unlikely.

I might pop up the doctors surgery this afternoon just to check that I am fine to carry on as long as no one shows any symptoms...

Shame you couldn't see the sex at your scan - will you have a chance to have another one at some point. Because of issues I've had before I do get more scans so I have a fourth one next week, handy because the sonographer was only 75% sure last time!

I didn't know you were pregnant - congratulations!
If his school closes, will the DS be coming to work with your nanny?

The website says this:

Should I avoid contact with people suspected of having swine flu?

All suspected cases who have swine flu symptoms will have been asked to self-isolate at home and restrict their contact with people. The vast majority of people should go about their normal activities, including going to school or work. This includes children who attend a school with a confirmed case of swine flu.

There is no need on risk grounds to avoid contact with people who might simply have come into contact with those having the illness, such as the parents of children at schools with a confirmed case but who are not themselves ill.

I do have another scan fbb - but not till week 38 (DS was undiagnosed breech so they are doing last minute check)

I do wonder whether its worth finding out at 38 weeks though - I may as well just wait until its born!

I had swine flu. I had normal flu twice in my life and both times were way, way worse.

It's not pleasant, but it was nowhere near as bad as seasonal flu.

If it's just someone at his school has swine flu it may be he hasn't even been exposed because the confirmed case was in another class.

We have no idea where DD1 picked it up, but it must have been in her nursery as we are quite isolated here and don't go out much at all.

I had swine flu. I had normal flu twice in my life and both times were way, way worse.

It's not pleasant, but it was nowhere near as bad as seasonal flu.

If it's just someone at his school has swine flu it may be he hasn't even been exposed because the confirmed case was in another class.

We have no idea where DD1 picked it up, but it must have been in her nursery as we are quite isolated here and don't go out much at all.

I had swine flu. I had normal flu twice in my life and both times were way, way worse.

It's not pleasant, but it was nowhere near as bad as seasonal flu.

If it's just someone at his school has swine flu it may be he hasn't even been exposed because the confirmed case was in another class.

We have no idea where DD1 picked it up, but it must have been in her nursery as we are quite isolated here and don't go out much at all.

sorry.

Thanks all!

News is I've been to the doctor. I just popped up the surgery as it is down the road and as the midwife has her clinic on Wed afternoons I thought they'd either be able to squeeze me in at the end or might have a leaflet or something.

Anyway, the receptionist thought I should see the doctor so DS and I were whisked in within 10 minutes.

Apparently there is no need to panic unless nanny or nanny's DS start showing symptoms, so as long as we are careful with handwashing etc we should be fine.

Thanks for congrats SPB. About nanny's DS coming to work with her, he's a lovely little boy, gets on really well with my DS and does come with her occasionally during his holiday times or if she works a weekend for me, which is absolutely fine.

So normally I'd have no problem whatsoever but as he is the most likely person to have been in direct contact obviously it's not ideal. She does have other ad hoc childcare options but I imagine unless he is symptomatic he will be coming here at least some of the time while he is off school yes.