to have kept dd home from school today?

[ShowOfHands]

DD is 4 and in reception and this is all really new to me.

There's always at least one child with a cough/cold and I've sent dd in with a cold (no temp, feeling her usual self really, just a streaming cold). Seems clear cut to me for simple common colds.

But she has a virus atm. Temp, sore throat, swollen glands, complaining of a headache. She says she feels tired and asks to be in bed.

BUT if you give her a dose of anti-pyretics, within half an hour she's up, playing and eating/drinking (though less than usual). She still looks poorly (v v pale, red eyes, just not her bright self) but she plays, chats, laughs, dances etc. As soon as the meds wear off she's back to lethargy and being tearful.

When dosed up she wants to be at school, when they wear off she just asks for bed.

I genuinely have no idea what's reasonable in this situation. How do you make the decision? Is it based on them without meds or with meds? Whether you worry they're contagious (half the class has it anyway apparently)? I could theoretically have dosed her at 8am and sent her in. Maybe with another dose for lunchtime (teachers will give meds).

I don't want to keep her off for every little thing but I'm watching her playing with her Sylvanians and singing to herself and wondering if I made the right decision?

[EdithWeston]

I'd keep her home until her temperature has been normal for at least 12 hours without medication and she seems well in herself.

[squeakytoy]

If she looks ill, then keep her off school. She isnt going to be missing anything vital at this point in her education.

[DooinMeCleanin]

You made the right call. She's only four. You do realise your going to spend the next 12 years questioning yourself everytime she is ill don't you?

It's all part of the package. I tell mine unless there is blood, vomit or a limb is falling off they're going to school. In reality they're kept off when their temperature is high and they need medicating regularly. There is no point sending her when she is ill. She'll end up worse and have even longer off in the long run.

Hope she's feeling better soon.

[skeletonfishbonesandlilacs]

YANBU at all, your child is ill, she needs rest and comfort. Home will do her a world of good today.

[DeWe]

I'd keep her off with that. I have calpolled and into school, but usually if there's only a headache, or had a temperature the evening before and I want to make sure they can get through the day.

You may find they wouldn't give the medicine anyway. Round here ther policy is only to give perscription medication. So they won't usually give calpol/ibroprofin unless prescribed.

[duvetdayplease]

I think you just have to go with your own standards really. I wouldn't send my child if they wanted bed whenever meds wore off. If you send them in they often just end up coming home again having infected a load of others.

In terms of temp, I'm with Edith.

[ShowOfHands]

They said they would give ibuprofen if necessary.

My logic was she would need rest but she's not resting . But probably is doing less than she would at school and not tempted to be running around because others are doing it. Plus she'd have PE today too which might have been a step too far.

I'm not particularly worried about her missing anything. My only concerns are that she adores school and I do want to foster an attitude in her that she goes unless theres a flipping good reason not to and she seems so well with meds. I do quite like having her here tbh.

[PinotScreechio]

You did the right thing. Your instincts were right.

Meds just mask the illness, not cure it. Home and resting until better.

Yours,
Dr Pinot

[manicbmc]

Raised temperature = no school

Bit of a cold = school

hth

[starfishmummy]

It's hard isn't it? DS is 13 (SN) but I still wonder sometimes!
They often seem perkier at home because they are not having any demands made on them. I'd go with your instincts.

I also think you need to chat with the school about the "give ibuprofen if necessary" - have you agreed to this? DS is at special school with nurses permanently on site and they need calpol and ibuprofen to actually be prescribed before they will give it. (It's "prescribed" as in the bottle you send in at the start of they year has to have been initially prescribed by the doctor and have a proper pharmacy label on it; we don't have to get a new prescription for every cold or headache!)

[ShowOfHands]

Sorry, should explain. DD has ibuprofen prescribed as she can't use calpol and is prone to ear infections. So the school will administer ibuprofen to dd from her bottle of prescribed ibuprofen if it's necessary for her to have it at school iyswim. They do it only on our say so. We give the bottle to the secretary in the morning and they phone at the time of giving to double confirm that it's being given at that time and in whatever dose.

[ouryve]

I have 2 main criteria for keeping the kids off. One is a temperature higher than 38 (since DS1 can shoot to 38 just by being a bit hyper) and the other is unpleasant bodily emissions. If there is a rash, it has to be something far more unpleasant than the heat rash that DS1 is also prone to and actually be something infectious, but that's not as everyday as the not feeling well thing.

[Svrider]

I'm 38 and tend to ask my mum if she thinks I'm too I'll for work, before ringing in sick!

[betterwhenthesunshines]

Keep her home, have a rest day but work her really hard with extra maths sheets do some nice activities you don't usually have time to do :o

[Pancakeflipper]

Temperature - that to me means keep them at home. A good rest and they get better quicker rather than being washed out and exhausted at school then getting worse and feeling utterly rubbish for days

[Chandon]

to me, if they are not ok without meds, they are not o.k. for school.