So you've ruined your life...

So, anyone like, really annoyed at the reporting on this strep A “outbreak”?

The reporting is always like “parents are warned to keep a lookout for symptoms” without telling you WHAT the symptoms are. Even the government’s own page just says:

What should parents look out for?

It’s always concerning when a child is unwell. GAS infections cause various symptoms such as sore throat, fever, chills and muscle aches.

As a parent, if you feel that your child seems seriously unwell, you should trust your own judgement.

An incomplete list of symptoms that you get from any old flu, use your own judgement.

When my son has been sick, it’s just been a constant mystery of “is this bacterial or viral? Does he need an antibiotic”. I’ve taken him to the doc or hospital if he’s gotten bad but, like, who wouldn’t? Is the implication therefore either that the parents of these 8 dead kids were just negligent, or that if it happened it happens, nothing you can really do, bad luck?

Christopher wrote:Baby is really well. She’s developing ahead of the curve.

My partner on the other hand, not so good. I posted in the relationship thread about it, but basically we’re waiting to hear whether the treatment is working or not.

Any update, chap? I hope things are moving in the right direction.

jiggles wrote:So, anyone like, really annoyed at the reporting on this strep A “outbreak”?

The reporting is always like “parents are warned to keep a lookout for symptoms” without telling you WHAT the symptoms are. Even the government’s own page just says:

What should parents look out for?

It’s always concerning when a child is unwell. GAS infections cause various symptoms such as sore throat, fever, chills and muscle aches.

As a parent, if you feel that your child seems seriously unwell, you should trust your own judgement.

An incomplete list of symptoms that you get from any old flu, use your own judgement.

When my son has been sick, it’s just been a constant mystery of “is this bacterial or viral? Does he need an antibiotic”. I’ve taken him to the doc or hospital if he’s gotten bad but, like, who wouldn’t? Is the implication therefore either that the parents of these 8 dead kids were just negligent, or that if it happened it happens, nothing you can really do, bad luck?

It does at times seem like gaslighting, that we as parents are expected to possess knowledge that we are unlikely to. I have an example from last week when I took my son to the doctor because he'd had a cold for a couple of weeks which wasn't going away (he's better now) and was affecting his breathing when he was asleep, which, y'know, is quite concerning. I originally took him a week prior and was advised that he likely had some mucus lodged at the top of his windpipe as his lungs sounded fine and that it should resolve itself. So off we went.

Fast forward a week, things hadn't improved so I went back. Doctor prescribed amoxicillin and I went off to the pharmacy to collect it. By the time I got home the boy had fallen asleep, so I popped him down and went back to work (WFH) whilst the wife sat with him. After perhaps half an hour, I got a phone call from the pharmacist who is concerned that we are giving amoxicillin to a child just 12 weeks old.

Her: "Do you know if you should be giving amoxicillin to a baby so young?"
Me: "It was prescribed by the doctor... this is not a field I'm trained in."
Her: "I'm concerned your son is too young for this antibiotic. What do you think?"
Me: "I am happy for you to check with the doctor who prescribed it - I don't have the answer because I am not trained in medicine."



In the end it was all fine, but why they felt I should have the answers is beyond my comprehension.

strawberry floating hell, that's literally what the pharmacist is there to question before dispensing the antibiotics, that's ridiculous that they've not done their job properly the first time and just turned it around on you.

I agree that the guidance on what to look out for with Strep A is next to useless. They main symptoms highlighted are a temperature over 38° and muscle aches. Temperatures like that are common as anything, especially at this time of year, and I'm not sure how my toddler is supposed to communicate that he has muscle aches with his current vocab either.

Harry Ellis wrote:

jiggles wrote:So, anyone like, really annoyed at the reporting on this strep A “outbreak”?

The reporting is always like “parents are warned to keep a lookout for symptoms” without telling you WHAT the symptoms are. Even the government’s own page just says:

What should parents look out for?

It’s always concerning when a child is unwell. GAS infections cause various symptoms such as sore throat, fever, chills and muscle aches.

As a parent, if you feel that your child seems seriously unwell, you should trust your own judgement.

An incomplete list of symptoms that you get from any old flu, use your own judgement.

When my son has been sick, it’s just been a constant mystery of “is this bacterial or viral? Does he need an antibiotic”. I’ve taken him to the doc or hospital if he’s gotten bad but, like, who wouldn’t? Is the implication therefore either that the parents of these 8 dead kids were just negligent, or that if it happened it happens, nothing you can really do, bad luck?

It does at times seem like gaslighting, that we as parents are expected to possess knowledge that we are unlikely to. I have an example from last week when I took my son to the doctor because he'd had a cold for a couple of weeks which wasn't going away (he's better now) and was affecting his breathing when he was asleep, which, y'know, is quite concerning. I originally took him a week prior and was advised that he likely had some mucus lodged at the top of his windpipe as his lungs sounded fine and that it should resolve itself. So off we went.

Fast forward a week, things hadn't improved so I went back. Doctor prescribed amoxicillin and I went off to the pharmacy to collect it. By the time I got home the boy had fallen asleep, so I popped him down and went back to work (WFH) whilst the wife sat with him. After perhaps half an hour, I got a phone call from the pharmacist who is concerned that we are giving amoxicillin to a child just 12 weeks old.

Her: "Do you know if you should be giving amoxicillin to a baby so young?"
Me: "It was prescribed by the doctor... this is not a field I'm trained in."
Her: "I'm concerned your son is too young for this antibiotic. What do you think?"
Me: "I am happy for you to check with the doctor who prescribed it - I don't have the answer because I am not trained in medicine."



In the end it was all fine, but why they felt I should have the answers is beyond my comprehension.

That sounds dodgy as strawberry float.

It almost sounds as if it was a mistake and they knew they shouldn't have prescribed it and that they could get in legal trouble for it if your lad experienced problems and wanted you to be on record as having 'gone against their concerns' as a get-out clause.



Glad the little man is OK tho.

Harry Ellis wrote:

Christopher wrote:Baby is really well. She’s developing ahead of the curve.

My partner on the other hand, not so good. I posted in the relationship thread about it, but basically we’re waiting to hear whether the treatment is working or not.

Any update, chap? I hope things are moving in the right direction.

Treatment wasn’t working unfortunately, she’s been moved onto another treatment, as it’s in her bones I’m not confident that she can beat this to be honest. It’s ripped through her bones so quickly. But got to be positive and see how this new treatment works.

Christopher wrote:

Harry Ellis wrote:

Christopher wrote:Baby is really well. She’s developing ahead of the curve.

My partner on the other hand, not so good. I posted in the relationship thread about it, but basically we’re waiting to hear whether the treatment is working or not.

Any update, chap? I hope things are moving in the right direction.

Treatment wasn’t working unfortunately, she’s been moved onto another treatment, as it’s in her bones I’m not confident that she can beat this to be honest. It’s ripped through her bones so quickly. But got to be positive and see how this new treatment works.

so sorry to read this Chris. Sending you my best wishes. Be strong for her and baby.
Good to read baby doing well.

Fingers crossed for you all that the new treatment works.

gooseberry fool Chris, I'm so sorry to hear that. Keeping everything crossed for this new treatment.

Thanks guys.

Been thinking of you these past couple of days Chris, all the best.

aayule1 wrote:Been thinking of you these past couple of days Chris, all the best.

Thanks.

She was back in hospital again last week, she’s out now but the reality of it hit me when the doctor on her ward urged her to sign the do not resuscitate order. She didn’t sign it, but the fact is, she will die from this. I had this hope that she would be beat it, but it’s spread so much it just seems that the best we’ll get is prolonging her life a bit longer.


This realisation has hit me so hard, I can’t even look at our daughter without bursting into tears. I’m so heart broken.

So sorry Chris. Stay strong.

I'm so sorry Chris. I can't even begin to imagine what you must be going through. Thinking of you all.

So sorry to hear that mate, can't imagine how difficult that must be for all of you.

Christopher wrote:She’s recovering from the caesarean at the moment. Now to start the treatment next week.

Thoughts are with you man, can't imagine what your going through.

So sorry Chris mate, I’m devastated for you and the family.

My kid is now at an age where he wants a TV in his room. I'm ok with it (the wife not so much!) but don't want him taking the piss with TV watching.

We have an old TV that I could set up for him, but I was wondering if anybody here has used smart plugs to control their kids TV habits? If so, is there a decent one out there that can be set to not allow the TV to be in between certain times e.g. the TV won't switch on between 7pm to 7am?

Moggy wrote:My kid is now at an age where he wants a TV in his room. I'm ok with it (the wife not so much!) but don't want him taking the piss with TV watching.

We have an old TV that I could set up for him, but I was wondering if anybody here has used smart plugs to control their kids TV habits? If so, is there a decent one out there that can be set to not allow the TV to be in between certain times e.g. the TV won't switch on between 7pm to 7am?

We have some nooie smart plugs for which you can turn the power on/off, put it on a schedule or put it on a timer, all from your phone. It's very to set up, the only issue is if your son figures out he can just unplug the tv plug from the smart plug to bypass your control

I think this kind it functionality is pretty standard for most smart plugs anyway.

Tomous wrote:

Moggy wrote:My kid is now at an age where he wants a TV in his room. I'm ok with it (the wife not so much!) but don't want him taking the piss with TV watching.

We have an old TV that I could set up for him, but I was wondering if anybody here has used smart plugs to control their kids TV habits? If so, is there a decent one out there that can be set to not allow the TV to be in between certain times e.g. the TV won't switch on between 7pm to 7am?

We have some nooie smart plugs for which you can turn the power on/off, put it on a schedule or put it on a timer, all from your phone. It's very to set up, the only issue is if your son figures out he can just unplug the tv plug from the smart plug to bypass your control

I think this kind it functionality is pretty standard for most smart plugs anyway.

Cheers, sounds like what I am looking for.

He's a clever boy and will work out he can remove the smart plug. But he'll be told that if he gets caught doing it, then he'll lose the TV. Giving him a time will give him the excuse of "oh I didn't realise what the time was", unplugging the smart plug is pure guilt with no possible excuses.