Shielding an asthmatic 4 year old?

[Mandrew91]

I'm sorry if this has been asked repeatedly but I'm looking for advice.

My little boy has just turned 4 and has been on steroid Inhalers for the passed 2 years due to his asthma (they're reluctant to diagnose this young but his Dad has bad asthma and he had many trips to the hospital).

Every time he gets any sort of cold, it results in a trip to the hospital, the last one being about 5weeks ago when he was blue lighted over to resuss with Sat's of 89.

Now, he has not received any kind ofetter or text from the government although I have been shielding him anyway. The thing is, I work in a care home which has just had its first case confirmed, so now I'm wondering where I go from here.

People have told me I can be furloughed with someone vulnerable at home but without a letter this is probay not going to happen. Does anyone have any insight/advice?

Thank you for taking your time to read this

[Troilus]

I just read somewhere that people can register themselves with the cabinet office. I’ll try and retrace my steps and see if I can find it.

Did your husband not get a letter?

Also, have you spoken to your employers about your predicament? Because you are talking about a young child they might just be sympathetic and let you furlough without a letter. Do you have any hospital discharge letter for your son you could use as evidence?

[Mandrew91 in reply to Troilus]

No he has not received one either. He is on FOSTAIR but has not been hospitalised with it for years so may be because of that.

The staff are dropping like flies so I can't see them doing it out of the kindness of their heart, I'm awaiting test results due to minor symptoms at the moment and trying to stay away from them both.

No discharge letters either.

I have emailed my doctors about my son but I'm not sure how long replies usually take there.

[Bevvy in reply to Mandrew91]

Suggest you ring gp and speak to receptionist asking to speak to gp. My gp provided letter and updated government. Once I had letter I registered on gov website for extremely vulnerable people.

[twinkly29]

Can you speak to your GP or whoever is in charge of your son's care about your concern and work?

Guidance for shielding letters is

1) having asthma PLUS

2) being on combi inhaler or other form of preventer medication PLUS

3) continuous or regular courses of oral steroids

If your son and husband don't meet all 3 of those, it's unlikely they fall into the shielding group. But do discuss your concerns with work with your GP.

[HaydiesMum]

You poor thing, must be so stressful! Is your son being seen by a consultant at hospital? My son (14) received his shielding letter only this week but I had already had contact from his consultant and specialist nurse at the hospital so had been shielding for a while prior to the letter. If he is under a consultant I'd definitely contact them but if not the GP.

It's very difficult because even with the letter I think some employers could try and 'wriggle out if it' as only says it is evidence for employer for the person who should be shielding where obviously when it's a child it would be more appropriate for it to be evidence for the parents to shield with their child.

As someone else has said there is a website (gov.uk/coronavirus-extremel... where you can self declare as extremely vulnerable, details will then be sent to you GP for them to check and either confirm you are or contact you to let you know why they dont think you are.

Hope your results come back negative but that waiting for them allows you a little time to follow up on your son.

It may be that he isnt identified as extremely vulnerable, the medications used to help identify this co'hort of asthmatics has got more specific and think currently you have to be on biologicals or daily/frequent oral steroids to be identified. The data also still shows children are far less likely to have complications from the illness which is something I'm trying to focus on.

Good luck

[Karen2020]

Ring gp I hope yours are better than my surgery I was told I had to wait for letters as nothing to do with then. But I'm sure I read somewhere that Dr's were sending out letters I know my son has his from NHS and his own Dr.

So ring Dr you can go to gov Web site and register your son. I have as I still haven't got my letter. And no help from receptionist at Dr's but shielding myself