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Original poster

Sick at Soft Play

18 replies

LesserSpottedDalmation · 21/12/2023 15:21

I'm sat in the baby section at soft play.

To my left in the under 4s section is a child who literally hasn't stopped coughing since he arrived.

AIBU to think this is totally selfish to bring this kid here? Are the parents just put tonruin all the other kids' Christmases by passing on this cold?

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CapturedLeprechaun · 21/12/2023 15:28

I think coughs and colds are par for the course in small kids, and can often last weeks, and it's not appropriate to isolate your child for many weeks while you wait for a cough or cold to pass.

D&V is a different matter and I agree a child shouldn't be at soft play for 48 hours after D&V, but coughs and colds are normal childhood illnesses, and if my kids were well enough to enjoy soft play, even with a cough or cold, I'd bring them.

NuffSaidSam · 21/12/2023 15:31

Ahh kids cough!

If everyone isolated their child when they had a cough (or a snotty nose) the vast majority of under 7's would be in isolation from September to April.

It's different obviously for sick bugs or children who have a temperature (and are therefore likely contagious).

NuffSaidSam · 21/12/2023 15:33

And not just under 7's to be fair. I had a cough that lasted weeks and weeks earlier in the year. I stayed at home for the first few days when I felt ill and had a temperature, after that it's just a residual cough. I can't realistically take 2 months of work with a cough.

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DaftyInTheMiddle · 21/12/2023 15:34

Kids cough. Mines been coughing for about 3 weeks following a viral bug. There’s no way I could quarantine her for however long it takes for the cough to go away. Now at the start when she had a temperature and was tired I didn’t take her anywhere, but now? Even nursery have said she’s fine to be there.

If you’re trying to avoid germs a soft play is a really stupid place to go because they’re known germ factories

YourNameGoesHere · 21/12/2023 15:40

It's a cough, they can last weeks or even months so I don't think it's reasonable to expect anyone either child or adult to stay home when they have a cough.

If you're concerned about germs or your child catching a bug then personally you should stay away from any and all soft play centers.

10yDrama · 21/12/2023 15:43

I'm a bit of a germaphobe.

Once we are within a week of a holiday or Christmasi become a lot of a germaphobe.

So I wouldn't be in a softplay this week at all.

A cough doesn't ruin Christmas but getting D&V from touching all the soft play stuff sure would.

Dyra · 21/12/2023 15:44

I thought you meant someone had vomited at soft play!

I'm with everyone else sorry. Coughs and colds go hand in hand with this time of year. The kids would never be allowed anywhere from September until... Well the following September if it's been a wet Summer!

sprigatito · 21/12/2023 15:45

There are all sorts of non-contagious reasons why a child might have a chronic cough. I agree that an obviously ill and infectious child shouldn't be out in public, but you don't know that this child is infectious.

Jules912 · 21/12/2023 15:46

My DS has asthma and his coughs last for weeks after a cold, if he was otherwise well I wouldn't keep him in. Saying that, every time we go to soft play someone always gets ill so I try not to go now.

rainbowlou · 21/12/2023 15:50

I know a little girl with cystic fibrosis and she coughs a lot.
My own daughter is asthmatic and also coughed a lot when she was young especially running around in soft play.
That child may not be contagious so to call his parents selfish is a little unfair.

jannier · 21/12/2023 15:50

Asthma causes coughs amongst other things.

CrispsandCheeseSandwich · 21/12/2023 15:52

DD1 once had a horrible sounding cough for 4 months. It wasn't necessary to keep her apart from others.

Original poster
LesserSpottedDalmation · 21/12/2023 15:52

Faiiiir enough! I am very sleep deprived with baby #2 and definitely being over sensitive and cranky 🤣

OP posts:
IglesiasPiggl · 21/12/2023 16:09

Soft play is a cesspit of germs. Not just airborne stuff but all the things on their hands as well.

lapsedrdwhoenthusiast · 21/12/2023 16:12

My friend's one year old has had a cough for over a month now. Dr said it's just the time of year. If I were worried about kids getting sick over Christmas I probably would just avoid soft play the week before tbh.

bungletru · 21/12/2023 16:18

I’d be annoyed too.
if your baby/kid is sick they should stay at home or at least not be exposed to other kids

selfish imo. But not everyone is like me.

YourNameGoesHere · 21/12/2023 16:20

bungletru · 21/12/2023 16:18

I’d be annoyed too.
if your baby/kid is sick they should stay at home or at least not be exposed to other kids

selfish imo. But not everyone is like me.

The whole point is the kid might not actually be sick though. A cough doesn't mean you're currently contagious with something.

Am glad you accepted you overreacted OP. Hope baby decides to sleep soon.

bungletru · 21/12/2023 16:21

YourNameGoesHere · 21/12/2023 16:20

The whole point is the kid might not actually be sick though. A cough doesn't mean you're currently contagious with something.

Am glad you accepted you overreacted OP. Hope baby decides to sleep soon.

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Yeah I definitely thought about that afterwards once I posted. Apols

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