Your questions on children's health as they return to school have been answered by Livi's expert, Dr Rhianna McClymont

[JustineBMumsnet]

Please note, questions have been answered and the expert is no longer available to answer new questions.

With the much-anticipated return to school now a reality, many parents have concerns about their children’s health. Whether your concerns are typical of any year or related to the effect of coronavirus, Dr Rhianna McClymont - Livi’s Lead GP - is here to help answer your questions.

Here’s some more info about Dr Rhianna McClymont: “Dr McClymont achieved a First Class Honours in Medicine. She then hit the ground running, carrying out medical, surgical and paediatric training at a number of prestigious London teaching hospitals, before specialising in General Practice. She has worked in a GP surgery in North London, and taken roles in urgent care settings, health-assessment clinics, and a digital healthcare company. Today, she works for Livi as a Lead GP as well as giving her time to the NHS.”

Here’s what Livi has to say: “If you’re a busy parent, being able to get medical advice quickly when one of your family is ill can be a real lifeline. Livi lets you see a registered GP quickly by video, at a time and place that suits you. Appointments are available seven days a week – usually within minutes, or you can book up to a week in advance. Our friendly, professional GPs can give you medical advice and prescriptions for a wide range of symptoms. You can use Livi for your children aged between 2 and 16 years old. Just register your child through the app and get instant access to medical advice when they’re feeling unwell – all without leaving home.”

So whether you’re worried about your little one’s skin rash, allergies or possible exposure to COVID-19 back at school, ask Dr McClymont your questions about children’s health.

Dr McClymont will be back between 16th and 21st September to answer your questions.

All who share a question on the thread below will be entered into a prize draw where three lucky Mumsnet users will each win a £100 Amazon voucher.

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Insight Terms and Conditions apply

*Please note this thread does not constitute personal medical advice, and please do not disclose personal health information on this forum. You should always speak to a GP/healthcare professional in person for advice specific to your situation.

@dajohnston10

HI WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THE WEARING OF A MASK IN SCHOOL

Schools will have specific measures in place to observe safety. These will be dependent upon national and local guidelines and should be communicated to you clearly, so I suggest you discuss this with your child's individual school.

@Gill81uk

How do we decide whether a cough or temperature is bad enough to need a test? It feels like a fine line at the moment between being responsible and getting a test or being responsible and leaving them for those who really need them when the demand is so high.

Any new temperature, new continuous cough or new loss of taste and smell requires a covid test. If your child has any one of these symptoms, even if you are sure it is a cold or covinced it is not covid-19, then you still need to get a test. We can only hope that it becomes easier to get a test, as I realise this has been a problem. You can arrange a test via www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test or via calling 119. The whole household needs to self-isolate for 14 days or until a negative test result is known.

@joggingrunning

How would you know if you or your child has either Covid-19 or the common flu/cold? As winter is approaching, I am worried that I will have difficulties in knowing the differences between coronavirus , the cold and flu.

The only certain way of knowing is by getting a covid-19 test I am afraid. Children often exhibit very mild symptoms of covid-19 which could mimic a cold. Any new temperature, new continuous cough or new loss of taste and smell in a child requires a covid test.

@Dagnabit

My worry is that the bubbles at school will be asked to self isolate when one of them has covid symptoms- you can't get a test easily and will probably just be a cold anyway! My question is, how do you know if a cough is the usual croup cough (my daughter gets a bark at least once a year) or a dry covid type cough? Or does it not matter? Thanks

It doesn't matter. Any new cough requires a covid-19 test, even if you are certain this is a cold/croup. Children often exhibit very mild symptoms of covid-19 which could mimic a cold, and so the only certain way of knowing if it is covid-19 or not is via a test. I am afraid it is going to be very disruptive for families this winter, and we will have to accept this to a certain extent. It is likely that many households will have to quarantine as their children contract normal childhood coughs, colds and temperatures – and this will be particularly common over winter.

@villagefox

Do nit treatments really get rid of them in one treatment as they claim on the bottle? I've always found that we have needed two treatments even though the bottle claims one.

They can, yes. It is not uncommon to have to repeat the treatment after a week however to catch any newly hatched head lice.

@CatCatDog

We all seem to get a cough when the heating goes on, is there anything we can do to help prevent this as we don't want it to get confused with Covid-19 symptoms.

It is usually a result of the heating drying out the air. If you can, buying a humidifier may help reduce this by increasing moisture in the air.

@RagnarorBjorn

My daughters eczema settled down over lock down to the point of it disappearing. It has now flared up in large patches on her thighs. I feel it could be linked to having a cold, returning to school, returning to football or recent use of a wax melt indoors...How can I pinpoint what has caused this?

It is incredibly difficult to pinpoint as eczema has multiple triggers. Soaps, detergents, certain materials against the skin, stress and cold weather are all very common triggers. You could keep an 'eczema diary' to see if you can see a pattern to when her eczema flares and therefore identify what trigger might be causing it.

@gg12346

My child has atrial septal defect which the pediatric cardiologist diagnosed and I am quite worried whether sending him back to school and getting back to normal would be a good idea for him or not.I am quite anxious about it .Could you please help ?

Without your child's full medical history I can't give you a categorical answer. However, the British Cardiac Congenital Association has published guidance on which groups of patients would be considered at particularly high risk of covid-19 complications, and an uncomplicated atrial septal defect is not listed as one of these very vulnerabe groups. Your child's GP, who will have full access to their medical record and any associated risk factors or conditions, would be able to give you clear guidance on your child's risk and so I suggest you have a chat with them.

@Radley1

Will the NHS be giving free flu jabs to everyone this year?

This year, the flu vaccine will be available on the NHS for all children aged 2 or 3 on 31 August 2020, all primary school children, all year 7 children, and all children aged 2-17yrs with long term health condition.

@alwaysataldi

Hello, advise please, my DS now 9 had a very bad bout of chicken pox when he was around 15 months old, and when he is run down, gets molluscum contagiosum (diagnosed by the GP) on his elbows and knuckles, my question would be - does this decrease with age, and would being 'run down' make him more susceptible to more advanced covid symptoms ? Thanks

Molluscum generally spontaneously resolves by itself with time - although the time taken for this can range from several months to several years. Being 'run down' would not be a specific risk factor for severe covid-19 symptoms. For general health make sure your child gets a varied diet filled with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables to boost their vitamin levels, plenty of water and a good night’s sleep every evening. Time spent playing/exercising outdoors is great for mental health, exercise benefits and vitamin D levels from the sunshine

@Dan35

What's the best way to boost a child's immune system?

General measures for a healthy immune system include eating a varied diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables, drinking plenty of water each day, getting enough sleep each night and exercising through sport or play regularly. There is no need for extra supplements if your child is eating a varied, healthy diet.

@dannyelle

What kind of health and safety precautions can I as a parent take to safeguard my children and ensure that they are as vigilant as possible when interacting with other students/their friends whilst away from home? Are there any particular products that I can use which are more effective in preventing infection?

There are no particular products, no. I'd suggest they carry pocket hand sanitiser with them so they can sanitise their hands when away from home. Make sure they wear a mask when it is needed according to current government guidelines and that you have talked to them and reinforced the importance of social distancing.

@TellMeItsNotTrue

This term is always the hardest with 2 of my DC having asthma, with this on top and it affecting the lungs I'm concerned about them being back at school.

What can I do to help them fight off colds and chest infections, which will make them more vulnerable to covid19

There are no specific things you can do to prevent a cold. General measures for a healthy immune system include eating a varied diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables, drinking plenty of water each day, getting enough sleep each night and exercising through sport or play regularly. There is no need for extra supplements if your child is eating a varied, healthy diet. Wearing a mask when it is required, using hand sanitiser regularly and social distancing will all also help not just with preventing spread of covid-19, but with preventing spread of multiple other winter viruses such as colds and coughs.

@ISBN111

It is so hard to get a 5 yr old to do a covid swab. Am I better off keeping him home so he doesn't bring coughs home and stop my GCSE age kids going to school? Or is there a better way of managing this?

This has already happened to us, and there’s nothing i can do. My older kids are really upset at missing 2 weeks of school.

It is a tricky situation for you, but there is no specific answer I can give you as it is a personal choice for you to make. Maybe you can chat to your child's school about this for advice? I believe you will need to either send your child to school, or withdraw him and commit to home schooling. If you are finding the swab test difficult it may be helpful for you to talk him through exactly what it will entail or watch a video with him so that he is prepared. The department of Health and Social care has released an instructional video for parents which you may find useful. You can find this on youtube with the title 'How to test your child for coronavirus (Covid-19) in the UK'.

@SuzCG

Two questions about my 14 year old please.

Should I get him vaccinated privately against flu this winter? His 11 yo sibling will get it. How important is it that he gets a shot, this year? (Obviously not enough for the government to warrant giving him one, so is it not really that big of a deal)?

Also, his 14 year old skin suffers enough with spots/acne/breakouts. This is getting worse by the day with mask wearing on the bus and around school. Please, please - tell me something that will help him!

Acne is very common in adolescence, and a simple skincare regimen is the first step. Good treatments for mild acne include products that contain benzoyl peroxide. This is available from pharmacies in 5% strength, and some common skincare brands such as Neutrogena or Clearasil also contain benzoyl peroxide in a weaker form. It works as an antiseptic on the skin to reduce bacteria and thus reduce acne breakouts. If his acne is more severe then there are various creams available on prescription which your GP, or a Livi GP, would be able to help with. These include a topical antibiotic/benzoyl peroxide creams (e.g. Duac) or oral antibiotics. In terms of the flu vaccine, the NHS recommends that all children aged 2 or 3 on 31 August 2020, all primary school children, all year 7 children, and all children aged 2-17yrs with long term health condition receive the vaccine this year. Flu can be a nasty illness for some children however, so if you would like to get your 14year old vaccinated privately then this is a good way to reduce their chances of falling ill over the winter period.

@mandajane

My foster daughter has really become mentally stressed during lockdown, she has severe learning disabilities and little speech and is very autistic with ocd. All her routine and favourite things have stopped, people have started wearing masks and aprons, she has stopped sleeping and eating properly. I am worried that she will go back to school, start settling down, then it will all stop again, this might push her over the edge!

I can sympathise with how difficult this must be for you, and for her. This year has been particularly stressful for people who feel more comfortable with a regular regime. There are various autism charities that you may find helpful which have resources which can help you and your child. If you have not used them already, you may find these helpful; autism.org.uk, ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk

@lozzi12345

basically my son even when gets colds has to have a ambulance or visit to a and e to get his oxygen levels back up we still waiting to see what the cause is he is only 4 years old would you send your child back to school because of covid 19 causing breathing problems or wait until the doctors can find cause thank you

I cannot give you an answer to this with no access to his medical history. I'm very sorry to be of no help, but suggest you have a discussion with your son's GP about his specific risks.

@lauracree89

How can I make sure my son doesnt fall behind?

You need to speak to his teachers or school about his individual educational needs. They may be able to direct you to educational resources you can help him with at home, but I am afraid I have no more knowledge on this as it is an educational question.

@sunshinemum83

I just got a letter from school about flu immunisation, how effective is the nasal spray and are there any side effects? Thanks

There are many different strains of flu, and each year a flu vaccine is created which aims to vaccinate against a large majority of these strains. However, we do not know in advance of flu season how effective it will be as flu strains can mutate and change rendering the vaccine less effective. Some years the vaccine works very very well, and some years the vaccine is less effective. It is never 100%, but conversely, it will always offer your child better protection against flu than not having the vaccine at all. As flu can be a very nasty illnes for some children, even some protection against it is worthwhile.

@Carlychoc55

My 5 year old daughter suffers with a nut allergy and asthma, is she likely to get Covid symptoms worse than other children if they actually get symptoms at that age?

Most young children get very mild symptoms of covid-19 and therefore she is unlikely to get a severe illness. Her risk does depend on the severity of her asthma, how well-controlled this is and the amount of medication/inhalers she needs to take to control her symptoms. The best way of reducing her risk is making sure that her asthma is as well-controlled as possible.

@Ldeemum

Will the flu vacs take place this year within the school setting? I've heard conflicting reports that schools are not allowing then on site due to covid restrictions. I'm concerned as I feel this year they are more important than ever to have. Thank you

This year, the flu vaccine will be available on the NHS for all children aged 2 or 3 on 31 August 2020, all primary school children, all year 7 children, and all children aged 2-17yrs with long term health condition. You would need to talk to your child's individual school as to whether the programme will be taking place within their school.

@EpiclyKirsty

my son seems to have a lot of sensory issues, however doesnt seem to present certain ones in his nursery (hes 3) should i still pursue this with the doctors to try to get a diagnosis or will they not consider anything as its only when with me and his dad?

It really depends on what sort of sensory issues you are noticing. Can you try and take some videos on your phone of these issues that you notice when he is at home with you, so that you could show them to your GP for advice?

@Parton1988

How can i get my kids tested if need be because they don’t have enough tests and even when they are tested it’s taking ages to come back with results, I’m already worried as the kids have already missed so much time off school and my daughter is already behind with reading especially.

I am afraid that the only way to arrange a test currently is via www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test or via calling 119. I share your concerns with the limited number of tests, and we can only hope that this issue is resolved quickly.

@FizzySmiles

My 6 (nearly 7) year old is desperate to wear a mask, I will not allow him. My reasons for wearing a mask in order of priority are; protecting others, because I have to, and then to protect myself. Is it correct that rebreathing your own own air (co2) is bad for us. Will this cause any long term health conditions if children were to also need/wear masks?

No, I can find no medical evidence that wearing a standard surgical or fabric mask will cause long-term health problems.

@FizzySmiles

Why are the common colds spreading just as fast (if not faster which they seem to b at both childrens school and nursery) now when we have regimented cleaning schedules, bubble system and social distancing in place?

Is there anything I can do to prevent my children catching a cold?

There are no specific things you can do to prevent a cold. General measures for a healthy immune system include eating a varied diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables, drinking plenty of water each day, getting enough sleep each night and exercising through sport or play regularly. There is no need for extra supplements if your child is eating a varied, healthy diet. Wearing a mask when it is required, using hand sanitiser regularly and social distancing will all also help not just with preventing spread of covid-19, but with preventing spread of multiple other winter viruses such as colds and coughs.