what's the general rule of thumb for keeping kids home sick?

lauren grier

lauren grier

you're like stars
I know this is dumb.. but with all the flu stuff etc, ce's school is a lil hyper sensitive about sickies.. I don't want to send him in and then have them call me to come get him again. When I was a kid.. unless I was dying I went to school ^_^ so yeh.. I can't find the paperwork that had bits about being sick-- all I remember it saying was "keep them home" lol lol
anyway..
he doesn't have a fever, or puking, or poopies or any of that stuff.. he just has a cough and snot- oh and you know, is acting like the world is ending LOL. He actually doesn't want to miss school, so.. I'm not sure which way to go.
 
To me, the thing with a cough if it's really wet. If it's a dry cough or an allergy cough, it's one thing, but if it's deep and/or wet, it's stay home time.
 
Here they need to be fever free without the use of tylenol or motrin for at least 24hrs, and of course no vomiting or diarrhea. They can go to school with a slight cold or cough, they just ask that they use tissues (not their sleeves lol) if they must cough or sneeze or to try to cough into their elbows if no tissues are available. So I'd say Ce is probably fine to go today :)
 
There were different rules for Kindergarten here. If a teacher/staff member had to wipe a nose more than 3 times in 15 minutes, kiddo went home. I finally started keeping D home at the first sign of a cold for him (his nose actually swells, so we have a physical sign) after getting called by the nurse who kindly told me Devin had purulent discharge.

For older grades it's fevers over 100 and/or vomit/diarreah and they have to stay home and be 24 hours free on all of the above.
 
At my house (my daycare), if the obvious is not present - fever, diarrhea, barf - we go with the 3 A's - Attitude, Appetite, Activity. If one or more of these is lacking, I recommend that they stay home (or would keep my kids home from school) and that's within reason of course.

If the snot is green - keep him home. If it's clear and cough is minor, send him.
 
Good grief here, unless you are dying you have to go (well ok really if they have/had a fever over 100 in the last 24 hours or have puking or diarrhea). Or they are sick enough to go to the doctor's (to get a note). If they miss more than 5 days in the school year (even with a parent's note but no doc's note) then you have to go in front of a judge. Seriously, no wonder the kiddos are sick at school and spreading it around here! :cursing:
 
I agree with everyone. If we've had a fever above 100 in the past 24 hours, she stays home. If she's vomiting or has diarreah, she stays home. If her cough is annoying me (i.e, interrupting her speech or keeping her from doing things), she stays home. Green snot, she stays home LOL

I think if you're questioning it, that's a good sign he should.
 
thanks girlies.. I still haven't decided LOL.. we have to leave in like an hour or so so I'm just going to see how he does till then. He told me his snots are white ^_^ his cough IS phlegmy but I think it's cause he sucks down the ickies (ew). Gr... we'll see.
 
sprauncey1 said:
Good grief here, unless you are dying you have to go (well ok really if they have/had a fever over 100 in the last 24 hours or have puking or diarrhea). Or they are sick enough to go to the doctor's (to get a note). If they miss more than 5 days in the school year (even with a parent's note but no doc's note) then you have to go in front of a judge. Seriously, no wonder the kiddos are sick at school and spreading it around here! :cursing:
Click to expand...

That's nuts! D missed almost 40 days last year because of the school's policy on illness. They're allotted 10 days each year. The only reason we didn't have to deal with anything because of his absences is because Kindergarten is not required in WI.
 
At our school and nursery the rule is they are not allowed to come in if they have fever or vomiting, and they need to stay at home for 24 hours after it stops.
 
I would say unless he has a fever, diarrhea or his cough is productive, send him to school :) but I am kind of a mean mom :p
 
I guess you got your answer but it seems like its the same pretty much eveerywhere. Here if it is contagious or could be contagious you should keep them home
 
Hi
Our district made up a little checklist because of all the H1N1 flu stuff...

Checklist

Basically, any fever or vomiting--can't come in and if sent home, must stay home for 24 hours.

I hope your little guy feels better soon.
 
I didn't read all of the replies, but since I'm an elementary school nurse, here is what I know...

Children need to be fever/vomit/diarrhea-free for a full 24-hours before returning to school.

Symptoms of the flu (fever PLUS cough/sore throat/vomitting/etc.) need to be clear for a full 24 hours before returning to school.

Having just a cough and runny nose isn't enough to keep him home *unless* he's feeling like crap. A fever is the number one indicator of illness.

Good luck.
 
Whatever you've decided Lauren its a difficult choice - Little kids are hard to get to stop spreading germs - I can tell the kids during group time how yukkie it is to put your fingers up your nose and it seems to just serve as a reminder for them to do so!

GL anyway! Its not easy!
 
See, I am mom of a child that has respiratory difficulties and when he get sicks, it REALLY lays him out (for days). So, it is hard for me to go to his school and see kids HACKING coughing...because I know that they are spreading it around and it could land my kid in the hospital. Seriously, Ben was out today for a major cough. I had to give him nebulizer treatments ever 4 hours. It is such a pain in the ass....so in some ways, I wish more parents would keep kids home that have a serious cough. I don't mean a running nose and an occassional cough...I mean deep hacking coughs.

Susan
 
it is so hard because the laws are so tough on trunacy and the schools expect a doctors note now. At least for my two oldest they do. Even for just one day being absent. We got a note home at the beginning of the year that said they would not be accepting parental notes/excuses. I dont always take my kids to the dr if I keep them home. Sometimes all they need is a day in bed. Like my son was home today from a fever and upset tummy. He is feeling better now and will likely be in school tomorrow. So sometimes I do have to send them even if I think they should probably stay home and just rest because of the laws about school attendence
 
Well....that is just ridiculous. My pediatrician and wallet would be seriously annoyed at me if I had to take my kids in every time they have a cough, fever or whatever that made them miss a day or two of school.

S
 
oh trust me I thought it was ridiculous too. I have three kids and countless neices and nephews that I have helped care for (one of my nephews has the same problem as your son as did my son for the first three or four years of his life) so I can defenitely tell the difference by now as to what needs to be seen by a doctor and what is just going to have to run its course. I do not take my kids in to the doctor everytime they are sick. I think my doctor would probably have me committed if everytime they complained of a headache or tummyache I was in his office LOL
 
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