Childhood isolation compared to 2020

I remmber the Asian flu epidemic in 1957. My school had to close for a fortnight because so many teachers were ill.

Oh yes. I had scarlet fever and I remember my dads face when he left me. It was awful. The nurses were horrible and should never have been near a child.
I was in hospital for 18 months with TB when I was 12 I think.
There was a boy who sang “Yankee doodle “ constantly and I used to wish he would just stop. Not exactly die. Just be quiet.
He disappeared overnight and I never knew what happened. He could’ve just been moved. We weren’t told anything.
Our beds were outside and we got used to it. I wasn’t bothered about not being at home because my sisters husband couldn’t interfere with me then.
My heart sank like a cold stone when he took me home.

My DH remember Asian flu and his class at school being down to a handful of pupils . I cannot remember this at all and we are the same age .

I was in and out of hospital for most of my childhood, nearly 30 weeks in all, mainly blocks of 7 - 10 weeks with limited visiting rights, or in one case, I was in Great Ormond Street when my parents lived in Carlisle. Fortunately my grandmother and aunt lived in London and would visit me every Sunday afternoon, the only period allowed for visiting.

I cannot think what I did, mainly cause trouble I think because I was so bored. I was six at the time and I ended up in a cot because I kept getting off my bed during rest times and wandering round, when they realised I could get out of that as well they gave up and put me back in a bed.

The last time I was in hospital I was 13. I went into hospital 2 days before my 13th birthday. I should, just have been in the adult ward, but because I was being treated by the Paediatrician I was kept in the children's ward. I was a lot older than the other children so the staff dealt with it by recruiting me as a supernumary ward maid. . My problem was medical so I wasn't infirm in any way. I helped make beds and make sandwichs, I went out with one nurse on her half day and I built a den on the top shelf of the laundry room that I could retreat to.

I also acted as a patient in the nursing exams. I lay in the bed and the nurses had to adjust my position and add bed rings suitable for different ailments and I got bandaged for all kinds of wounds. I earned £1 for my three sessions. The first money I ever earned!

I was staying at a guest house on holiday when I went down with scarlet fever. The ambulance came after dark, and I was whisked off to an isolation hospital. My parents handed me over, and that was the last I saw of them. The guest house was closed and disinfected.

The regime was very tough, lots of children were distressed at no contact with their parents and wet their beds. There was a bed inspection each morning, and those that had wet their beds were soundly smacked. Equally if you didn't eat the daily milk pudding, you were smacked. I still cannot bear the smell of hot milk.

My parents sent cards, but I was never given them for fear it would upset me! They had to go home, so I never saw them from the time I went in until the month later when they came to collect me. I tried to run away, got as far as climbing over the balcony of the first floor ward one night, but had no idea what to do if I did get away (I was only five).

I thought this was now my life now, I had no idea that I would ever see my parents again. I was so traumatised that when they did at last come to collect me, I just couldn't greet them, I thought they had given me away.

At least children are not likely to subjected to that ever again.

Me too, I had scarlet fever I 1960, had my fifth birthday whilst in hospital. Don’t know how long I was there, but I remember seeing my Mum and Nan through a glass.

My dad had scarlet fever as a young adult, before he and my mum were married. He was in the isolation hospital - and most of the other patients were children, so it must have been extra tedious for him! My mum used to walk up to talk to him through the window.

Sunlover, me too in the isolation hospital in 1945. It was scarlet fever and I was five. I'd caught it off my little friend and neighbour next door.
I don't remember seeing much of mum and dad though but when I did it was through a glass partition.
I couldn't take gifts/presents home.

I believe the house was fumigated.