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A Parent's Dilemma - Keep Them Home or Send Them In
It seems like it should be easy to decide whether to send your child to school or keep them home. If the child is healthy, they go to school. If they have a fever or had a fever the day before, they stay home. In practice, though, the gray area is much larger than the extremes. Do you send a child with a cough and runny nose but no fever? Do you send a child who is complaining of a stomach ache?
What questions should you use to guide your decisions?
In practice, it is not always easy to decide whether a child should go to school or remain at home. I recommend that parents ask themselves several questions. The questions involve weighing the benefit of education and rest and factoring your child's temperament into your decision.
Do I believe that my child is healthy enough to learn today or would he/she benefit more from a day of rest and fluids?
Children belong in school when they feel well enough to learn. A child with lingering cold symptoms may have enough energy to learn, but many children feel very fatigued and unwell in the early days of a cold. Similarly, a child who complains of a "tummy ache" in the morning may just have a passing discomfort or they may be truly ill. As a parent, you must do your best to judge if your child will be able to focus on class work. If your child feels unwell, he/she might benefit from a day of rest which will make the student more able to learn on their return to school. In making your decision, understand that all parents can misjudge-you may send the child to school where they develop a fever, or you may keep them home and have them bouncing off the walls with energy. Misjudging does not make you a bad parent. Almost all of us, including health professionals, have decided incorrectly once or twice and had to retrieve the child with the tummy ache who just vomited at school.
Does my child complain frequently about minor aches and pains and is the current complaint (i.e., my stomach hurts) likely to pass or does it seem more serious today?
It is very hard to decide what to do with dramatic children who complain frequently. As a parent, all you can do is look for the cues that might tell you if this complaint is more serious than the other minor complaints. Does the child look pale? If complaining of a stomach ache, did the child eat regular breakfast or just pick at food? Do they look woeful when they complain, but quickly become distracted and animated? Once again, parents can only use their best judgment, based upon their knowledge of their child.
Does my child complain very rarely, so should I consider this concern carefully?
Obviously, if your child complains rarely, it is important to pay attention. Take the time to check the child's temperature. "My tummy hurts" is actually a very common complaint among young children with fevers. You may decide to keep your child home for an extra hour, just to see if the symptom passes or seems to develop into more.
Does my child have symptoms that require him/her to stay home?
*Children must stay home if they a fever greater than 100 degrees. They must
be without fever for 24 hours before returning to school.
*Children may not come to school with an undiagnosed rash.
*Children should remain home for 24 hours after starting antibiotics for a
communicable condition (i.e., step throat, impetigo, pinkeye).
*Children should not come to school with diarrhea or vomiting.
*Children should remain home if they have a severe cough or severe cold symptoms
It can be difficult to decide whether a child belongs at school or at home. As a parent, you need to use your best judgment about whether your child belongs in school. Please contact me or your health care provider with any questions.
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