Should I send DD to school in January

[Naz2009]

A little background. DD is 4 and 1/2 she has a condition called spherocytosis.
It's a blood condition, in which her spleen over works, destroying her red blood cells at a much faster rate than normal. Causing jaundice, anemia and other things associated with them.
In a healthy body, the spleen starts the immune system's response to infections. The spleen filters bacteria and damaged cells out of the blood stream. However, spherocytosis makes it difficult for red blood cells to pass through your spleen due to the cells' shape and stiffness.
I was worried enough with DD starting school this year. Now with the new variant I'm worried she will catch covid easily.
I doubt primary schools will close, should I just not send her???

I need advice. My DD is only 4 and I'm super worried about her going back to school next week.
I'm concerned about the new variant of covid and how safe is she.
Should she shield due to her condition. Since starting school, twice her year group has had to self isolate. Due to someone getting covid In her class/bubble.
Now during the Xmas break, there have been 3 more positive cases in her school and those children have been told to isolate during their holidays.
We are in Tier 3. Have been since second week of September. Ever since February this year. I've not visited any family or friends and not allowed anyone over.
I didn't even allow it on Xmas day. Purely for DD safety.
I work from home, DH is an estate agent so has to go office. As he is out. Primarily he been doing the shopping to.
I'm concerned due to her condition. Should I shield her. Am I being too over protective.

OP; I'm in Scotland. Our cases are lower than many places in England and all our schools are closed until the 18th...possibly for much longer.
Yesterday I had a serious chat with DH about what to do if schools reopen (we think they won't). We decided to keep our kids home even if schools open on the 18th.
Both our kids are healthy but the new varient is really scary. Plus it could over run the whole world if people in the UK don't do the right thing now.
In your position I would absolutely keep your DD off. It may be that schools close after a short period anyway. Then you have gained nothing at all by exposing her to risk. School isn't even compulsory until 5 anyway.

Firstly I would contact her consultant and ask for their advice and secondly, personally, if I could manage to HE then in your position I possibly would but there is a risk she could lose her school place without medical backing for your decision.

@unlimiteddilutingjuice you're so lucky. Scotland has done the right thing by its people. Unlike England. We are still waiting. But most likely school will be a green light.
I was very hesitant sending her in September. I rang my local council and the school before DD started telling them school is cumpolsory when she is 5. Therefore I don't want to send her now and I'll send her next year.
However I was told by the council. You have already got a place in the school. So you have to send her, if you deregister her from school. You might not get the place again fro your chosen school.
The teacher rang me and told me all was safe and I was taking away from DD by not sending her. DH and I decided to send her. Being the only child in the home. Thought the interaction with other children her age would do her good.
In November when there was a national lockdown, DH and I had a long discussion about not sending her to school. But we both decided that already twice she has come face to face with the virus in her year group/bubble. Keeping her off, for the lockdown period, then sending her back won't prevent her from getting the virus. When she goes back eventually the virus is still there.
But now with the new variant my heart doesn't feel right sending her to schools.
Seems as if I'm throwing her into a burning fire

@Hartleyhare1206 I never sent her nursery. I've homeschooled her. I've taught her well. Academically for her age, she is ahead of her class.
Perhaps this is why I'm ok to HS.
As she is the only child and no kids her age around her. I feel school for learning to socialised and become independent is good for her.
I will try and speak to my consultant. I'll give his secretary a call this morning.
I'm concerned the consultant or my GP could say they don't want to get involved.

Like a pp said - can you contact her consultant or GP and ask the write you a letter for the school, saying that she needs to stay at home due to her medical condition? My dc also has a condition that makes them more vulnerable if they catch it but the condition wasn’t on the shielding list, however, the doctor was more than happy to email me a letter saying that they need to stay at home. School was fine with this and it’s classed as authorised absence.

you're so lucky. Scotland has done the right thing by its people

OMG, you wouldn't think it from th Scotnet boards!
Sometimes I switch between Scotnet where everyone's up in arms that they have to homeschool.....and the general boards where everyone's terrified schools will reopen. It's bizarre.
I'm sorry the professionals around you were so dismissive of your concerns last time, OP.
Don't be afraid to follow your own instincts on this. Your her Mum. You get to decide what's best for her.

It's not as simple as saying one thing is right and one thing is wrong, having kids in school and having the schools closed causes harm (and this includes health consequences, obesity and inactivity levels in children has grown in lockdowns), it needs to be about balancing harms, and that is not a one size fits all.

The consultant / medical staff with knowledge of your child's specific additional risks compared to normal, given the very low general risk of covid in children - the evidence so far is the risk of harm in children is that it's lower than chicken pox - then it may well be that they are dismissive, but advocate for your child and really push for good advice, not just dismissive.

Hi OP: I bet you're feeling relieved at the news. I thought of you when I heard.

Should your DDs teacher be making that decision?. I’m not familiar with the condition... I would be concerned too. I think you need to run it by your GP!

@unlimiteddilutingjuice what's he said.
I keep checking online and nothing about schools yet? Please let me know

Looks like English schools are closed:
www.theguardian.com/education/2020/dec/30/return-to-english-secondary-schools-and-universities-to-be-delayed

@unlimiteddilutingjuice he has moved us into tier 4 now. Unfortunately primary schools will remain open.
Secondary schools to remain closed.
I shall be calling up GP first thing and fingers crossed I get a letter. I'm not risking my DD

Wow, looks like they've only closed a f action of tier 4 primaries in the worst effected areas.
I actually can't quite believe it, given how bad the situation is.
Good luck with that GP letter

Had a long discussion with DH. He said if you shield her and send her later. What's the chances she won't get the virus then once she is back.
The virus will always be there.
He said hope for the best and let her go to school, as she enjoys it.
He is right about her having a chance to pick up the virus when she is back at school after shielding. But I'm hoping the chances of that would be reduced.
I'm still going to call GP at 8 and get a consultation booked in and have a discussion with him/her see what their professional opinion is on the matter.

In a few months if the school doesn't shut I imagine that many of her classmates will have some immunity, the NHS will be under less pressure and treatment of children will be improving all the time. She might then be able to have a vaccine.

I've spoken to the GP he said she is a red flag on the system and she does need to shield. With her condition and the changing covid. We don't know what it will do to her.
He will be writing me a letter to collect from surgery by the end of today.

Keep her home. She's under mandatory school age anyway.

Glad to hear your GP is helping OP.

To be honest I would have kept her home anyway - she is under compulsory school age and the chance of the school forcibly taking away her place is absolutely tiny even if technically possible.

I honestly can't thank you all enough. For taking the time to reply and advice me.
I've got the letter. Doctor had made it very clear about her condition and the consequences if she was to get covid. For that reason he has advices to shield for 12 weeks.

I'll let you know if school starts to get funny. Thanks mum for highlighting she is under mandatory age. I will bring that up, if needs be

I just saw this thread and wanted to say that please don't worry about your child losing out on anything by not being in school. In most countries children don't even start school this young. Take care OP and stay safe. Your child is not missing out on anything at all!