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The marketing company I work for is doing a campaign for Triaminic. They recently partnered with the National Association of School Nurses to create Sick Day Guidelines for parents.
These guidelines are to assist parents by outlining signs that would indicate when a child should not go in to school. the guidelines will appear as a refrigerator magnet which will be distributed by school nurses nationwide.
It's a great resource to have and I already follow several. Having this topic brought up amongst friends has has me asking a few questions though. When do you guys think it's best to have you children take off from school because they are sick? When they have a fever? Or a common cold?
I believe that almost all schools have in writing a sick policy stating specifically when children must be removed or stay home due to illness. That takes the decision mostly out of the parents hands, except to keep them home even when not required.
Sadly to circumvent those same policies, some parents give their child those OTC meds and send them on to school when their symptoms are lessened, only to get a call when they wear off and the symptoms reappear, when they should have probably should have stayed home to begin with.
My sons school sends us guidelines on when they can and cannot go to school.
I would keep my kids home for any of the following Fever, Vomiting, Diarrhea, Constant Chronic cough, running nose (bad one), stomachache and even if they are just run down tired from being sick and not getting enough sleep.
Mine stay home when they have one or more of the folloing symptoms:
1) fever
2) sore throat
3) rash
4) vomitting
5) diarreah
6) aches and cold chills (which is common with a low grade fever for my kids)
7) severe can't catch their breath cough
If they have a minor cough or stuffy nose or runny nose with none of the above symptoms then I sometimes will give them some cough syrup, or decogestant/expectorant, or some kleenex in their pockets and send then off to school. With or without OTC meds my kids go to school if they have none of the above stay at home symptoms.
Any kind of active, uncontrollable 'shedding' should be a reason to keep a child home.
I can not believe what I went through this winter with my daughter in Pre-K, a girl that at 5 years had only been sick twice before now...the parents just kept sending their kids in with gurgling coughs, uncontrolled sneezing, drainage and fevers...she'd get sick and I'd keep her home. It seemed I was the minority.
I had picked her up one afternoon, was fine that morning (bright with no symptoms) but by PM she was wiped out, looked awful with red, weeping eyes, dark circles, shedding and a low fever - the school was reluctant to notify me to pick her up early(!)...no call...so she had a full day like that, including running around, adding to the fatigue...absurd and annoying that I could have relieved her so much earlier. I kept her here with me until she mended.
She caught something that evolved in to a respiratory issue, much like what the other kids were exhibiting.
When she finally went back, I still saw kids visible ill and spreading contagion. Nasty wet coughs, crusty eyes, constant sneezing...not little stuff that you might think could be overlooked.
She didn't catch every bug, but there were new notices posted every week for whatever was currently going around and CLEARLY the school was not enforcing the policy of calling parents when their child was too ill to be there.
I have since spoken with anyone who would listen, to please contact me for ANY reason concerning my daughter...that's why I provided three numbers and two email addresses.
I know the difficulties of working and the pressure not to miss days, but c'mon now - three solid months of a constantly mutating classroom full of seriously ill children was a result of carelessness.
Little kids do not have the same rational as an older child, the sense to contain themselves...to wash after sneezing. I taught my daughter to cover her mouth, to wash her hands, to use a tissue and then throw it in the garbage can...but not everyone does that.
Any kind of active, uncontrollable 'shedding' should be a reason to keep a child home.
I can not believe what I went through this winter with my daughter in Pre-K, a girl that at 5 years had only been sick twice before now...the parents just kept sending their kids in with gurgling coughs, uncontrolled sneezing, drainage and fevers...she'd get sick and I'd keep her home. It seemed I was the minority.
I had picked her up one afternoon, was fine that morning (bright with no symptoms) but by PM she was wiped out, looked awful with red, weeping eyes, dark circles, shedding and a low fever - the school was reluctant to notify me to pick her up early(!)...no call...so she had a full day like that, including running around, adding to the fatigue...absurd and annoying that I could have relieved her so much earlier. I kept her here with me until she mended.
She caught something that evolved in to a respiratory issue, much like what the other kids were exhibiting.
When she finally went back, I still saw kids visible ill and spreading contagion. Nasty wet coughs, crusty eyes, constant sneezing...not little stuff that you might think could be overlooked.
She didn't catch every bug, but there were new notices posted every week for whatever was currently going around and CLEARLY the school was not enforcing the policy of calling parents when their child was too ill to be there.
I have since spoken with anyone who would listen, to please contact me for ANY reason concerning my daughter...that's why I provided three numbers and two email addresses.
I know the difficulties of working and the pressure not to miss days, but c'mon now - three solid months of a constantly mutating classroom full of seriously ill children was a result of carelessness.
Little kids do not have the same rational as an older child, the sense to contain themselves...to wash after sneezing. I taught my daughter to cover her mouth, to wash her hands, to use a tissue and then throw it in the garbage can...but not everyone does that.
I now refer to that classroom as the cesspool.
I have had a very similar experience. I have a good friend who sends her sick kids to school (gives them otc's, tylenol in the am). Her excuse is that she can't miss a day of work!
I have a child that was very sickly when young and I would keep him home an extra 24 hours after he was well - to build his immune system back up!
It's very sad these days that parents are so quick to send their kids back to school when they are not feeling well. I guess for some, life is just too busy to stop and stay home until your child is better?
I'd keep my home from activities/playdates/classes for a hacking cough, lots of green snot, fever, vomiting or diarrhea, or a fever. We don't do OTC meds to suppress symptoms, so there'd be no chance of me medicating and sending them along. I know that if I'm miserable, I don't want to go out; I extend the same courtesy to my kids. If everyone else did too, then there would be less illness going around!
Thanks for responding guys. I find it interesting that a poster above's school sends their own ready made guidelines to the parents.
I would think it odd if the school didn't send home guidelines... every day care, preschool, and public school I have had my son enrolled at has always sent home such a list of symptoms/illnesses in the first week of school. In addition, we get letters from school (usually from the nurse, sometimes the principal) if there is an outbreak of some particular malady at school, outlining the issue, its symptoms, and when/if to not send your child to school.
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