Help! DD diagnosed with swine flu - should i be keeping DS off nursery too?

[toomanyshoes]

Hi, my DD is 4 and has been diagnosed with swine flu and prescribed tamiflu. I was half expecting it as another child in her nursery was diagnosed last week.

I just wondered what I am supposed to do about my 19 month old DS? Can he still go in to nursery if he is well and symptom free and can I go to work (DH and I usually split childcare equally between us when the children are unwell)
I checked NHS direct but the advice didn't seem clear (nothing about immediate family members having it)

Any thoughts/advice? Thank you!

If symptom free yes, but obviously be careful about watching for symptoms.

I think they'll all get it in the end anyway. You probably should advise the nursery but if he's not in your DD's company I'd think it's less likely.

Thanks for the reply. Will send him and hope for the best! I know the other mum whose child has it has been telling other parents that her child doesn't have swine flu and is off with something else - there seems to be a funny sort of vibe where nobody wants to be the one who brings it in to nursery so bit worried I will be very unpopular with the PFB mums!

My goodness. i really hope you wont actually be sending him to nursery! I think that would be irresponsible behaviour almost in the extreme. Please do not send him. I dont normally post harsh posts but the fact you are asking I think shows you are a caring person with a genuinely open mind. I really do not think he should be going to nursery. Fair enough most of htem there might catch it anyway but there might be particularly vulnerable people and I really dont think you should be sneding him. I will shut up now. sorry for sounding bolshy.

Am not planning to send him without telling nursery that DD has been diagnosed - I'm sure they have a policy in place (they have not closed the nursery etc since 1st case of swine flu, am in London and seems to be everywhere here now) Just wondered what the official line was? Also, if I'm not supposed to send him does that mean DH and I should also be in isolation from work etc? Just finding it all very unclear now it has moved from containment to treatment phase. If he is symptom free, how long would I keep him off 'just in case'?

our work definitely has a policy of no attendance if anyone in te family is even symptomatic let alone diagnosed. i dont know the incubation period but presumably once that had passed it would be ok to send him. i can see that asking the nursery what their policy is seems reasonable but i do hope it is not to permit your ds to attend.

I know that the policy at my work was originally 7 days exclusion if you had been to mexico or in contact with infected person but just rang my boss and she said the policy had changed to exclusion for symptoms only. No idea if that is a general thing or just my company, think NHS direct says you should go to work as usual but just not clear if the same thing stands for siblings and school/nursery attendance.
Am certainly not an irresponsible parent and wouldn't send him unless it was generally considered to be the right thing to do. I guess its spreading so rapidly anyway that if everybody stayed away from work/school for a week after contact with an infected person the whole country would grind to a halt!
Will call nursery in the morning and see what they say

my dd3 was dx with suspecyted swine flu last week.

my other girls wre ok to go to school.

thanks misdee - hope DD3 on the mend!

yes, taking a slow recovgery. although it hasnt been as bad as i expected, she is out of sorts and grumpy.

they arent even swabbing now so cant be 100% sure if its SF or another bug which is also doing the rounds. the aching legs and feet are making me think its SF though.

Misdee - sorry DD3 got it. Did you get any advice about how bad it would be if DD4 got it? (I am irrationally worried about it for some reason - particularly about DS2 becoming ill).

no we didnt. but am just keeping a good eye for symtoms. fortunatly the nursery did a big push at hand hygiene recently so she has been really good at coughing nd washing hands etc. plus io have gone a little OTT with the disinfectant and hot soapy water.

we have just reminded dd3 not to cuddle dd4, and to be careful.