DD1 missing lots of school because of one cold after another.

[petunia]

DD1 is 6 1/2 but since 1/2 term in October last year and all through this term, she's barely managed to complete a whole week at school. She just seems to get one cold/ear infection after another. Then just when I think she's over a cold, she'll go down with another one. She's one of the younger ones in the class anyway so is slightly behind everyone but I'm panicking that she's missing so much school. There's so many bugs going round at the moment anyway but I just worry that it looks bad when someone looks at the register.
Wondered if anyone is in this situation as well.

[MamaG]

My DD suffered from constant colds and ear infections too. We took her to a paediatrician who said she would just grow out of it (thanks a lot, that's helpful!!)

Anyway, my SIL said that her son had a slight intolerance to dairy and suggested i took her off dairy for a few weeks.

It worked! Couldn't believe it! Gradually introduced it again (she was NOT keen on soya milk!) and touch wood, she's been ok since. If a cold or a cough seems a little persistent, I cut the dairy from her diet again, just for a week or two, and it always clears up quickly.

Worth a try

[BudaBabe]

Do you have to keep her off for just a cold? My DS has had a cold on and off but I still send him. He's totally fine in himself, no fever, no infection etc. I did kep him off for a few days a couple of weeks ago and took him to the doc one day bu tthey said it is just a cold so no point staying off school.

Obv ear infections different - I would keep at home for that.

[GDG]

Agree with buda - I'd send them in with a cold if they weren't feverish, sick or had an infection. A bog standard cold I'd just send them in.

[petunia]

I do send her if it's just a cold but if she's saying her ears hurt the school send her home. Like last week, she had Thursday off and I actually dragged her to school on the Friday (felt awful afterwards because I know she was still ill) and then got called to pick her up.
She is doing fairly well, she's just been moved up a group for reading and her writing has improved a lot, but I still worry that she can't seem to get through a whole week.
MamaG- perhaps it is something she'll grow out of. At least it only seems to be in the Autumn/early Spring term that she suffers with these things.

[petunia]

I've just read that back and the bit about dragging her in to school makes me sound like an uncaring parent! It's just hard to know whether with a lot of these colds, it's something that she'll forget about once she's with her friends, getting some fresh air or is busy working etc.

[Passionflower]

As it's causing such a problem have you considered cranial osteopathy, it can sometimes help this sort of thing. She is not too old at 6.5 my DD still has it on and off (she had the most god awful birth and her head was squished).

[Polgara2]

Petunia my dd2 (5.5) is just the same. She has just managed 2 weeks in school for the first time since November . One thing after another, colds, ear infections, tummy bugs, tonsillitis, gastric fluey thingy (!). She is skin and bone really. School mentioned that her attendence was one of the lowest but as they know why not to worry (like I won't worry more now that they've mentioned it!!!). Am dreading her picking something else up and being off again now.