WWYD: kid sick before birthday party

[Anonymous]

In a situation like OP’s, the child is “pretty congested.” So blowing nose and wiping nose. Is kid going to wash hands every time she blows her nose or touches her nose?

When people go to work when they think they are well enough to work, but still congested and outwardly sick, they don’t wash their hands after blowing nose or wiping snot.

This nonsense of glamorizing working when sick needs to stop. So we can all feel better.

Of course life doesn’t shut down when we have colds. And of course people don’t keep their germs home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think your kid should stay home for a cold (since she has negative COVID tests, including PCR). No one stayed home for a cold before COVID. And we are a COVID cautious family.

This is absolutely not true. I’m a teacher and there’s always been families who did the right thing by keeping their kids home for a cold. Sure, some sent their kids anyway, but our most common reason for absences was a kid having a cold. Sick kids don’t learn as well. Schools usually can’t keep them dosed with Zarbee’s or DayQuil to help them feel better. My district doesn’t even allow kids to self administer medicated cough drops.

Most people don’t feel very sick with a cold and colds can last several days. People don’t need to miss school for a cold unless the feel unwell. You miss for a fever, vomiting…

You stay home out of consideration for others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s her birthday! Have her wear a mask and just let other people know beforehand about the situation so they can choose not to come if they’re not comfortable.

It is also the other child’s birthday. The other family has a shared responsibility to the guests. Rather than have families opt out if OP insists on attending, she should excuse her kid and schedule a separate party later.

[Anonymous]

So you’re letting other parents know you are bringing a sick kid to the party so they can decide whether they still want to go? Not cool. If anyone has to drop out, unfortunately, it should be your kid. My kids go back to school with colds and they hang out with a friend or two, once the parents know, so I’m not of the mindset life has to stop… but a birthday party? No.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So you’re letting other parents know you are bringing a sick kid to the party so they can decide whether they still want to go? Not cool. If anyone has to drop out, unfortunately, it should be your kid. My kids go back to school with colds and they hang out with a friend or two, once the parents know, so I’m not of the mindset life has to stop… but a birthday party? No.

That is really crummy to send your kids to school with colds. What is the difference between either? If anything school is far worse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is absurd…it’s a cold. I’d have no problem with it and wouldn’t expect your DD to mask. Think of how many kids went to school with colds pre 2020 and no one thought twice. If it’s not Covid, no big deal.

I agree. Esp with an outdoor party!

Except OP said it was an indoor party.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP I know this is hard but you need to opt your child out of her own birthday party. With the current variant many people are testing negative, on PCR or rapid tests, for days before their tests turn positive. Just happened with our child who had very mild symptoms. We thought like you it was "just" a cold after doing two rapid tests plus a PCR test because we had a family event coming up with older relatives.

After 3 days and three negative tests we stopped testing, and did not isolate the child. But then a sibling got sick and it was much more serious and the sibling was positive for covid. We tested the first sick child again and the test came back positive and remained positive for days.

We heard about the false negatives from our doctor but you will find many many anecdotes like this online and with your friends if you start asking around.

FWIW I also agree you shouldn't be spreading colds around either. A mild cold for your child may lead to a pneumonia for a vulnerable relative of another child. Just don't be that person.

I am wondering if this happened to us -- but the time b/t the tests was about 2-3 weeks.

[Anonymous]

Don’t go. I am not worried about my kids catching covid but I don’t want them to catch any cold with the first week of school coming up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC has a birthday party this weekend with a friend who she shares a birthday with. DC came down with a cold and is pretty congested. Party is indoors. Does she go and mask? It’s a cold, negative Covid. If we do decide to send her, I was thinking we run it by the other family first, and then give all guests a heads-up in case they don’t want to be exposed to a cold.

WWYD?

So you would make OTHER kids stay home who don't want to be sick so that your sick kid can go the party?

How is this even a question? Your kid is sick so they stay home. Doesn't matter if it's COVID or something else. No one wants it.

[Anonymous]

If she doesn't feel well she stays home, that's it. It's not up to you it's up to how she feels.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC has a birthday party this weekend with a friend who she shares a birthday with. DC came down with a cold and is pretty congested. Party is indoors. Does she go and mask? It’s a cold, negative Covid. If we do decide to send her, I was thinking we run it by the other family first, and then give all guests a heads-up in case they don’t want to be exposed to a cold.

WWYD?

So you would make OTHER kids stay home who don't want to be sick so that your sick kid can go the party?

How is this even a question? Your kid is sick so they stay home. Doesn't matter if it's COVID or something else. No one wants it.

So many people think a negative COVID test means that they can expose other people to illness. I work in a school and I can’t tell you how many kids came in throwing up, coughing, lethargic with their head down on their desk etc. and the parent tried to tell us that it’s fine because they had a negative rapid test. Your sick kid was never allowed to come to school! No one else wants the flu or strep or norovirus, and you need to keep them home. It’s not up for debate.

[Anonymous]

We don’t want to catch a cold, for the same reason that it’s problematic for OP. Everyone assumes you actually have Covid even if you don’t and treat you like a leper. So for that reason we would decline.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC has a birthday party this weekend with a friend who she shares a birthday with. DC came down with a cold and is pretty congested. Party is indoors. Does she go and mask? It’s a cold, negative Covid. If we do decide to send her, I was thinking we run it by the other family first, and then give all guests a heads-up in case they don’t want to be exposed to a cold.

WWYD?

So you would make OTHER kids stay home who don't want to be sick so that your sick kid can go the party?

How is this even a question? Your kid is sick so they stay home. Doesn't matter if it's COVID or something else. No one wants it.

So many people think a negative COVID test means that they can expose other people to illness. I work in a school and I can’t tell you how many kids came in throwing up, coughing, lethargic with their head down on their desk etc. and the parent tried to tell us that it’s fine because they had a negative rapid test. Your sick kid was never allowed to come to school! No one else wants the flu or strep or norovirus, and you need to keep them home. It’s not up for debate.

Except in public school you can’t actually exclude children from school for any of those things. I work in a school and have discussed it at length with our clinic person. It’s maddening, but it is what it is. Even if they puke in class one day, we can’t deny them school the next day if they come in.

[Anonymous]

What did you do OP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC has a birthday party this weekend with a friend who she shares a birthday with. DC came down with a cold and is pretty congested. Party is indoors. Does she go and mask? It’s a cold, negative Covid. If we do decide to send her, I was thinking we run it by the other family first, and then give all guests a heads-up in case they don’t want to be exposed to a cold.

WWYD?

So you would make OTHER kids stay home who don't want to be sick so that your sick kid can go the party?

How is this even a question? Your kid is sick so they stay home. Doesn't matter if it's COVID or something else. No one wants it.

So many people think a negative COVID test means that they can expose other people to illness. I work in a school and I can’t tell you how many kids came in throwing up, coughing, lethargic with their head down on their desk etc. and the parent tried to tell us that it’s fine because they had a negative rapid test. Your sick kid was never allowed to come to school! No one else wants the flu or strep or norovirus, and you need to keep them home. It’s not up for debate.

Your examples are far different than some minor congestion. I would not keep my kid home for congestion.