How sick is too sick for school?
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Anonymous
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I'm a new PK3 parent, and my kid was with a nanny, so this is my first group-care experience. I know I'm about to be decimated with illnesses, which is understandable. My question is - how sick is too sick to send a kid to school? Some things are obvious - fever, vomiting, diarreah, something like HFM, obviously I would keep him home. Same with major fatigue (that's a big tell for my kid being really sick, he just doesn't want to move). And certainly, if the kid is otherwise fine and just has a little clear drippy nose, I'd send him (otherwise... he'd basically never go to school?)
But this morning he has a tiny occasional cough, and a nose I would describe as slightly worse than just a little drippy. I sent him. I think that's the right thing to do but I'm not sure. The school handbook (DCPS Title 1) goes on and on about how they need to be in school and how important attendance is, unless they are "too sick to be there" but makes no effort to define what that means. What if he is where he is but the cough is a bit more, or the nose drip has a little yellow to it? Or is thicker? But no fever and he remains chipper? Help a new parent out - where do you draw the line? Is it different for PK vs older kids? |
Anonymous
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I agree with you and would also have sent my kid in that situation. I learned early that if I kept my kid home for a cough or a runny nose, she'd spend actual months at home during the winter. She also gets allergies in the spring and we do give her allergy meds but she will still be sneezy with a runny nose for a few weeks. I always send her.
I will say that for colds, I do often keep her home for a day, maybe two, if they are severe. Obviously if there is fever or fatigue, but even if it's just a bad cold and her nose is really drippy. Rest is good for getting better faster, and while I think some spreading of common viruses is inevitable in school, I do think trying to keep them home when they are most contagious is the correct thing to do. Some people don't do this (some people can't do this because of childcare issues), but I do try to. On the other hand, there are people (and some of them will post here) who think you are a bad person if you send your kid to school in anything but perfect health. You have to learn to accept that those people will judge you or dislike you. I personally think you are striking the correct balance, but you need a thick skin. |
Anonymous
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My kids would not have learned anything if they missed for every runny nose and/or cough. One of my kids also has allergies, especially but not limited to spring, so itchy throat is very common.
I will say that in Prek at our Title 1, they never seemed to care about any sickness. Once at pickup for Prek 3, they told me DD had thrown up, but then seemed to feel fine, so they didn't even call me! She seemed fine to me too (maybe just ate too fast or too much?), but I expected a kid vomiting would warrant a pickup for sure. |
Anonymous
| Yes, I would send with those symptoms. |
Anonymous
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I would have made the same call.
You make the best call you can. Sometimes you'll send them when they were a little too sick. Sometimes you'll keep them home when they are a little too healthy. |
Anonymous
| My rule is- fever they stay home, no fever they go. |
Anonymous
| Keep them home in a situation like this. |
Anonymous
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Fever, vomit, diarrhea: stay home.
I send in for everything else. My kids can cough and sneeze into their elbows by this point. It'd have to be a bad cold or cough for them to stay home. |
Anonymous
| Fever of 100+ - kid stays home. No fever, go to school with kleenex and teach them to cover their mouth when they cough. |
Anonymous
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OP here - thanks all. Seems like our call this morning is what most people would have done, too.
I would like to draw attention to one of my other scenarios - what about same symptoms as today (slight cough, non-major runny nose) but the runny nose has yellow (not clear)? Is that a "send" or a "stay home"? Again, assume normal energy levels and no fever. |
Anonymous
Send to school |
Anonymous
| Sounds like I would have sent too. I generally follow the fever rule but there is a level of cold that I keep home too...frequent cough with major runny nose and just generally unable to participate in the day. |
Anonymous
The color doesn't always tell you that much. |
Anonymous
Agree. The energy level is a key indicator. |
Anonymous
+1. Barring fever, vomiting, etc., send if they are at normal energy levels, keep them home if they would have trouble keeping up with the day. |