Can I bring 7yo to wait outside ultrasound scan?

[Meeko505]

My 7yo is throwing up and my 12 week scan is on Tuesday morning. We don't really have any childcare but I doubt she'll be able to be in school. Can we bring her and let her wait outside the scan room for us, or in the waiting area? Not sure what else to do at this stage.

No of course not. I ask you.

Probably we can all picture ourselves being the person your child infects by coming along, so the responses are in line with your intention to do something horrible yourself, by bringing a sick child out when you aren't sure if they are up to it.

honestly no one is being horrible at all. Most maternity units are full of pregnant women or people who are in hospital cos they are sick. even if not actively vomiting the child can still be infectious hence why not being able to go to school. Not to mention hospitals are always BAKING hot and likely to aggravate someone feeling unwell.

But even without the sickness the hospital will not allow you to leave a child unattended in the waiting room. What if she wanders off? our hospital will not allow you to bring kids to scans full stop.

As for what to do. you have two choices- either call up and rearrange or get your partner to stay with your sick child.

The option you chose is the most selfish one you could have picked as it is convenient to no one but you

Even if you are alone in a waiting room people will be using it afterwards and germs can be spread via surfaces. Hospitals are full of vulnerable people so do not knowingly bring extra germs into the building.

Also, as mentioned above the hospital will not allow a 7 year old to sit alone in a waiting room, they have safeguarding policies in place.

Yep, the posters pointing out the selfishness of this idea are the horrible ones, rather than the person proposing to do it. Sure thing 👍

Sick or not, children aren't allowed in our antenatal scan department at all.
My last scan there a woman tried to come in with a pushchair and they told her either the father waits outside the building with the baby or the scan is rearranged.

Someone who is within 48 hours of D&V has no business being in a hospital at all (unless they are the patient)

And bringing a sick bag isn't a horrible suggestion - it's a sensible one during that time. No-one wants to be cleaning up pools of vomit - they might have to grin and bear it if it was truly unforeseen, but this isn't.

Very glad you've realised what a spectacularly bad idea it would be to do what you were thinking of.

Of course you can’t. Our trust sends you letter which says in big letters you cannot bring children to the scan centre. It’s irresponsible to bring a sick kid, and generally inappropriate where people (you included) could be getting bad news.

I don't understand why you think the 48 hour rule would apply to a school, but not a hospital.

Theres a reasonable chance you or your partner will be the ones vomiting tomorrow.

It’s really not like this if there’s a problem. What an insensitive thing to say.

It's basic if you're lucky.
Sometimes you get a result that means there won't be a good outcome.

You know this isn't an option unfortunately.

The staff won't allow an unaccompanied 7 yo so you risk your scan not going ahead
It's not fair on the kid if she feels sick whilst there
If she has got a bug she can pass it around already vulnerable women

Whoever the other person is in the "us" you refer to will have to stay with your DD.

Hopefully your DD will be feeling better tomorrow and over the vomiting stage.
But eitherway she won't be in school due to 48 hour rule.
That rule really applies to other situations too.
DC often bounce back fairly quickly from a vomiting episode and hopefully she will be feeling better tomorrow but even if she is its a bit selfish to bring her into a hospital situation.
I think the only solution is to leave her with get dad and go to appt by yourself - assuming same father.
Or reschedule scan.
You can't leave a 7 year old in waiting area by herself. If she needed to come with you ( school holidays etc) she would need to come into ultrasound room with you.
Sometimes stuff like this happens- bad timing but need to just get on with it as best you can, but can't leave a 7 year old poorly or otherwise in waiting room by herself.
Hope she feels better soon and scan goes well

The 48 hour rule is there for a reason…

I don’t think Op has realised that. Shes still defended her way of thinking and hasn’t said she’ll reconsider.

Regardless of the vomiting which is a dead no for starters. It’s not going to be 5 mins in the corner of the waiting room is it? 12 week scan can take quite a while, what if baby is in an awkward position? Would you not be worried about leaving her on her own? Who’s going to deal with her if she does have another vomit whilst she’s on her own. She’s 7, not 17. I’ve had to attend most of my appointments on my own, not because I want to, but because I have 2 other children and no one else to have them so my husband stays at home. It is what it is 🤷🏼‍♀️

If we have a sickness bug we're not allowed back to work until 48hrs has post when working at the hospital so yeah, don't bring your sick child. Just rearrange.

To be fair, assuming there will be at least some pregnant women at a place where they do ultrasounds on pregnant women seems like common sense.

not taking a contagious vomiting child to that place where women’s immune systems are lower also seems like common sense

not leaving a sick 7 year old unattended, when I presume your hospital notes also say not to do that at your ultrasounds - at least every one I’ve ever attended has noted about childcare - also seems like common sense.

I dont think anyone’s being horrible, they’re just surprised you asked, and hoped you could prioritise you having someone in the scan with you, over your child and the other women.

Nobody’s being horrible, you’re being ridiculous. You’re going to have to get very quickly used to adapting to having more than one kid. This type of logistical issue, and illness, is just life with kids. It’s not some insurmountable nightmare, you just adjust accordingly. Is the father of your baby not her dad or something, why would he not stay at home with her I don’t get it?

At mine, we had to wait for a fetal medical specialist and ended up bring told the baby was "incompatible with life".

Most people will have straight forward 12 week scans, I understand people with a history needing extra support but I'm not convinced it justifies cluttering up the department with an extra person for everyone being scanned.

Nobody is being "horrible" they're pointing out why what you've suggested is a poor (and also a tad selfish) idea. You're not thinking about the welfare of anyone else, simply your own convenience

I am sorry for this, it's heartbreaking. When you go in, expecting a routine appointment and reassurance and this happens. 💐

Please don’t bring a sick child to a scan centre where they will be in contact with pregnant women. Leave them at home with your partner or try get the scan date changed.