Asthmatic DS playgroup informed us today that a parent has swine flu WWYD?

[Narketta]

When I collected DS from playgroup the staff were informing everyone that a parent who's child attends the group has been diagnosed with swine flu.

Under normal circumstances I wouldn't be concerned but DS is asthmatic and has been really ill recently, In the last 5 weeks he's had 2 colds and a chest infection which has aggravated his asthma. He's had to have 2 lots of antibiotics and steroids and has only just gone back to playgroup

DH who is also asthmatic in the last year has had bronchial pneumonia and pleurisy.

I know i'm really going to sound like an over protective mother but with us having 2 people with severe asthma and other chest related illnesses what do you think we should do?

I know you can't wrap your DC in cotton wool but I really don't feel happy sending him.

I'm being silly aren't I?

At nursery a few weeks ago a parent left her child at nursery the child clearly wasn't well but she literally dropped and ran, within an hour his temp had spiked and we spent the rest of the day attempting to get to come back (phone was off) and also trying to get his temp down, (completly stripped, and given calpol and a cool flannel and lots of water) eventually mum comes back at closing time.

He spent the whole day, at nursery, he was diagonosed with swine flu the following monday, as was his mother.

In the two weeks that followed, no one else has got swine flu, yes we have had the usual odd bugs that go round but no more case of swine flu.

So i'm saying it may not be that big a risk, however it is your child and your choice

Narketta, has your ds been offered a swine flu jab yet? If not, phone your gp surgery and ask when he will get it. Unfortunately this flu isn't going to go away until a good percentage of the population have had it. It will be easier for you to make a decision on what to do when you know the date of his vaccine.

You're not being silly at all. My ds2 has severe virus triggered asthma so I know some of what you're feeling. Agree with badkitten, get them both the vaccine so that even if they do get it they'll get a milder form.

If he's had two lots of steroids and anti-bs his immune system's not going to be 100%. It's playgroup not school so he doesn't have to go.

I would keep him away, it's not school, like the previous poster said. You're not being silly at all, it sounds like he could do with a few weeks without catching anything new! I'd try to get the jab for him too though so that you can feel happy about him going back in a while.

I know people talk about us wrapping kids in cotton wool with health and safety and fair enough in some ways, but trying to keep a vulnerable child away from swine flu shouldn't count as doing that. That's just being a sensible parent and looking after your child!

Thanks for the replies everyone, glad you don't all think i'm a nutter keeping DS at home.

I called our doctor on Tuesday morning and asked his advise, he said to keep him at home saying it wasn't worth the risk. He also suggested taking DS for the Jab but i'm almost as scared of that as I am the actual swine flu.

I've called the playgroup and made them aware of the situation they have now informed me that a second parent and child from the group have swine flu and theres also an outbreak in the infants school which is on the same grounds as the playgroup so I'm glad I decided to keep him home with me.

In terms of the jab, my ds has had the seasonal flu every year since birth. He's already had it this year.

I have absolutely no qualms about giving him the SF jab.

For him the actual risk of catching flu far outweighs any theoretical risk from having the vaccine.