Child has flu

Eleven Plus (11+) in Essex

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Alexandra
Posts: 106
Joined: Wed Nov 18, 2009 5:34 pm

Child has flu

Post by Alexandra »

My son is due to sit the 11 plus this Saturday and is very poorly (I think he may have flu or flu-like illness). I know there is a second date when they can take the test but I want some advice. Should I try dosing son up on medicine on Saturday, if he is OKish and see if he can get through the three hours or cancel for the other date. Which leads me to my next concern - if I cancel for the other date will he (1) be at a disadvantage and (2) my concern is what if he is ill on the new date (you know what children are like it would be just our luck he would have a sickness bug or something and could not attend), I would then kick myself for not dosing him up on calpol on the first date. He has put so much hard work into this I just feel either decision could impact on him. Does anyone have any experiences similar? What did you decide and why?
hermanmunster
Posts: 12817
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Post by hermanmunster »

Hi Alexandra

welcome to the forum. The usual advice is that if they are not well then do not send them. Better to take your chance with the backup date.

Some people have valiantly dosed up the child and they have become worse during the test and failed to do themselves justice or even complete the test.
At selection appeals the fact that the child was ill at the time holds little sway.
First-timer
Posts: 698
Joined: Wed Sep 23, 2009 1:47 pm
Location: Essex

Post by First-timer »

Tricky one. You have my sympathy.

You have another couple of days before the exam and you never know - DS could be right as rain by then.

I think I would call the CSSE and make them aware of the problem. Ask their advice and find out exactly what you need to do if you do have to postpone (eg get a medical certificate etc). Make sure that you are able to make the alternative date.

I have no idea what happens if you are then unable to make the second date and for that reason would be inclined to try and make the exam on Saturday if at all possible. Only you will be able to judge how well your DS is on the day. I wouldn't want to rely on an appeal so I suppose the bottom line is whether you think he is so unwell as to impair his performance. Another consideration is if he is coughing a lot it may disturb others. I wouldn't want to run the risk that he might be moved because of this. I think I would ask the CSSE about the possibility of this as well.

So difficult. I wish him better.
Last edited by First-timer on Tue Nov 23, 2010 12:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Alexandra
Posts: 106
Joined: Wed Nov 18, 2009 5:34 pm

Post by Alexandra »

Thank you for your replies. I did phone the CSSE today and they said if he was not well he may be better to do the exam on the second day. To be honest I would prefer him to do test this Saturday but on the other hand I don't want him to muck it up as he is ill, he has worked too hard. He is really poorly at the moment - my youngest has had it and only just begginning to improve after 8 days, so I am not holding my breath for a major improvement by Saturday. It is so hard to make the judgement call. I know myself if I have been really unwell I may be well enough for example to do a couple of hours at work but not well enough to do an 8 hour day but I don't know if he will be well enough just to do a couple of hours. Other times I know I can't get out of bed to go to work. I just don't want to get my decision wrong as it could impact his future. If he doesn't get in because he didn't get a high enough mark I am fine with that but I would not forgive myself if I made the wrong judgement on how well he is. At the moment there is no way I could even dose him up he has been flopped on the sofa all day and can't move. I am so anxious about all this and it is causing me so much stress. I just feel so sorry for him, he has worked so hard and has been doing really well so could possibly be in with a chance, but it is all down to the day and if I get it wrong I could mess it up for him unnecessarily for him. If I wait for the second date my biggest anxiety would be that he might get something worse (ie a sickness bug where he couldn't go out at all) It probably wouldn't happen, but I have 4 children and to be honest there is always one of them coming home with some bug or another. I wish I knew what the best decision would be.
First-timer
Posts: 698
Joined: Wed Sep 23, 2009 1:47 pm
Location: Essex

Post by First-timer »

Alexandra, now that I have read your last post, I think you do know what to do. Just don't beat yourself up about it. It is very unlikely your DS will be ill again on the second date.

Good luck!
hermanmunster
Posts: 12817
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Post by hermanmunster »

Hi Alexandra

This is really difficult for you and if you are not feeling well yourself it becomes more difficult to make the decision.

As it is he sounds quite unwell at the moment and from what you saying about your other child it could go on for some days yet, if he is ill on saturday then that is a certainty - whether he is going to be ill on the second day is at present an uncertainty and I think you just have to assume he will be alright then... and deal with it if it happens.

Sometimes it must feel like one child or another is constantly ill but how many days in the last year has this actually been the case..?

Anyway you don;t have to make the decision yet, hopefully he will perk up but if he doesn;t then at least there is another day.

Herman
x
hermanmunster
Posts: 12817
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Post by hermanmunster »

.. sorry for sounding like Donald Rumsfeld ..

There are known knowns. These are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns. That is to say, there are things that we now know we don’t know. But there are also unknown unknowns. These are things we do not know we don’t know.
Alexandra
Posts: 106
Joined: Wed Nov 18, 2009 5:34 pm

Post by Alexandra »

I think I am so desperate for him to be OK to sit it on Saturday. I don't know why I am so adverse to him sitting it on the second date if he is really ill, but something in me makes me feel very nervous about him sitting it on the second date. Know idea why this is!!!!!
hermanmunster
Posts: 12817
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Post by hermanmunster »

Probably because you feel there is no backstop if you go for the second date.
there is a backstop now, but remember if you send him ill and he starts the exam the backstop day won't be there.

Who else will be making the decision with you? what do they reckon?
Alexandra
Posts: 106
Joined: Wed Nov 18, 2009 5:34 pm

Post by Alexandra »

the family do seem to get a large amount of bugs. 4 children at school, I work at school, husband also works with children so unfortunately lots of opportunity to mix with all sorts of bugs so we end up breeding bugs in our house and quite often there is often someone ill!!!

Have spoken to husband tonight about it, think we will take him to doctor on Friday and ask his advice as to whether or not he thinks he will be well enough. At the moment I am fairly sure he wouldn't disturb others in the exam room, however, I think his concentration and thought processes are obviously going to be badly impaired.

Oh, I am so stressed!!
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