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.

Who is "we" OP?

Please don't take a sick child to your medical appointment. I had lots of additional scans (high risk pregnancy) and always had an automatic referral to day unit so you can see how far the germs might actually spread.

I also had a scan where a woman was sobbing uncontrollably in the waiting room. It was heart breaking seeing her and wouldn't have wanted to leave my child in a waiting room for either of them

People can only base their response on the info available and their own experience.

At all the scans I've been to across 2 pregnancies (including additional growth scans) the waiting room has been very busy with I'd estimate at least 30 pregnant women in the waiting room. Not to mention staff who do not want to catch a sickness bug.

My response would be if she is too unwell for school she is too unwell to go to your hospital appointment.

It's unfortunate but I'm also one of the ones who had a covid pregnancy/labour so did many appointments and majority of labour alone plus very restricted postnatal visiting. That's just how it goes sometimes.

Honestly am always shocked at the number of children in the scan waiting room (often with a grandparent and 2 parents so definitely enough people to be at home babysitting). I have had 4 miscarriages so for me scans are medical appointments often with awful outcomes - no place for children, with tearful parents after sat in the waiting room after bad news being delivered.

also be mindful a lot of pregnant women are immune compromised (I was on steroids for a long time, making me more likely to catch a illness). Is your partner attending the scan really worth the potential life threatening illness of another baby/mum?

At my trust all scans are done at a fetal medicine centre which covers women giving birth at 3 hospitals. There's usually 20-30 pregnant women waiting in the waiting room at any one time, plus partners.

My 32 week scan was delayed by 2 hours and my 28 week scan delayed by 2.5 hours. I think the 12 week and 20 week scans were only delayed by an hour.

That's a long time to wait in a waiting room with an unwell child spreading their germs.

The best option is for dad to stay home with your daughter and you attend alone if you haven't come down with the bug yourself or you rearrange the scan. Scans don't have to be bang on the week - my 20 week scan was at 21+4.

Why would you even consider taking an unwell child into a hospital/clinic where there are vulnerable pregnant women plus staff? My local hospital recently had to shut down several of its wards due to a norovirus outbreak. It's selfish behaviour.

If a child is off school due to a sickness bug then of course they shouldn't attend a scan appointment with you.

Whoever is attending the appointment with you should be staying at home to look after your eldest. It's great having both parents at the scan but the needs of your existing child come first. Plenty of us managed in lockdown to attend scans alone 🤷‍♀️.

I fully expect you will bring them though.

I was hospitalised with a sickness bug whilst pregnant, of course in a private room to reduce the risk of it spreading. Personally I think you'd be incredibly selfish to take your child with you.

@patchworkpal it was a gender scan x

Your partner stays home with the sick child.

Don't be selfish.

No! You really can't have a child with a stomach bug around pregnant women and NHS staff who might then need to be off sick! Ridiculous suggestion!
Also 7 is quite young to be sitting all alone outside the room, you could be in there a while.
You will have to either call to rearrange the scan or go alone with DP staying at home with your child

I think the answer to this would be a hell no in politer language!

I’ve had to have two scans alone this pregnancy because OH was looking after our ill toddler (vomiting so couldn’t even come and sit in car with dad etc). It’s not very nice and a bit nerve wracking but I pulled my big girl pants on and did it.

Then I hope all is well and good luck with your pregnancy!

If this is about you not wanting to do the scan alone then loads of women did it during covid. It's not nice if something goes wrong and it's absolutely not ideal I know. But it is doable.

Your scan could take longer than you think, your appointment might be late. I was once in for a scan l was scene two hrs later.

Of course you can't.
What if you receive bad news? What if you need to meet with a further medical person to discuss next steps?
You can't possibly leave a 7 year old outside the room alone..certainly not when she has been ill.
The scan room may have been quiet when you were there last time....it may not. For all of my scans the waiting room was actually always very busy. Either way, just because your daughter has left the room, it doesn't mean her germs aren't still there. Pregnancy is a time of particular vulnerability and no-one wants to be ill. As has been previously pointed out, many women will be especially vulnerable due to medications and complications.
I wish you the very best with your pregnancy but I suspect the mantra 'hope for the best, prepare for the worst' may be helpful for you here.

@Meeko505 you mean horrible posters like you who want to take their sick child to a waiting area with pregnant women! Great idea 😂

If you are actually selfish and ignorant enough to take an ill child to the appointment, I hope the receptionist tells you to turn around and go straight back out. Regardless of whether it's not busy in there, how long your in the appointment or whether your daughter is feeling better there are so many reasons this is a terrible idea. You have no idea how many vulnerable people will be going into the waiting room right after you who could end up seriously unwell from catching whatever your daughter has, she doesn't have to be breathing in people's faces for hours for germs to spread.

That sounds like a private scan, not an NHS one. The OP is referring to their 12 week NHS scan. Private scan centres often allow children and more family members to attend. But NHS scans usually do not and this is specified on your scan letters.

Although I doubt many private centres would welcome a vomiting child either. Scans can be rearranged!

@RosiePH sorry yes it was a private scan but thought all scan were the same x

Definitely not.

Wel you learn something everyday ha been a long time since been to scanning place and all my scans so far has been private x

Well, I've had private and NHS scans. There is a world of difference.

Only pregnant woman in the waiting area? In and out in five minutes?
Don't believe a word of it.