School sent DC home for a cough?!

[StarlingBirdsong]

AIBU to think that a cough doesn't warrant sending home?

DC has a bit of a cold with a cough. No temperature, absolutely fine in themselves, just with a bad cough.

School have just made me come and collect DC because they are 'not well' and 'not firing on all cylinders'. DC is no different to how they were this morning and I didn't even consider not sending them.

DC didn't cough all the way home and only coughed when outside in the cold air.

I almost feel like i should email the school as I really don't think DC should be at home - surely if we kept kids off with the snuffles they would never be in through the winter?

AIBU?

[NNchangedforthis]

Sounds like an over-reaction. But then he was maybe struggling more in class.
Mine is at school with a horrid cough just now - but also absolutely fine in himself. I did tell the teacher if he didn’t seem right, or was really struggling with the cough then to call but he’s been ok so far.

[StarlingBirdsong]

by the timing i'd guess DC had just come in from break - so running around in the cold air which would make the cough worse for a bit.

My other DC are just catching this cold now, i am going to be really peed off if they all get sent home next week for a ruddy cough!

If DC was ill with the cold then sure but they are totally fine!

[StarlingBirdsong]

by the timing i'd guess DC had just come in from break - so running around in the cold air which would make the cough worse for a bit.

My other DC are just catching this cold now, i am going to be really peed off if they all get sent home next week for a ruddy cough!

If DC was ill with the cold then sure but they are totally fine!

[lionguard]

Couldn't you have just not brought him home?

[StarlingBirdsong]

Cant exactly refuse when the teacher says to take them home! DC was sat in a corner reading when I got there, so not working.

DS is 6 btw

[deepestdarkestperu]

What if you were unable to get him? I would have just said I was busy and to let him sit quietly at school instead.

[lionguard]

I was under the impression the school would call you in the have a look at them, not necessarily take them home.

The office staff or teachers probably sent every slightly under the weather kid home then so that they're not spreading coughs and colds about.

If schools still had nurses it probably wouldn't happen. Our secondary seems to send every kid who ever says they don't feel right home immediately

[scortja]

DS1's school does this - every tiny thing I get called to collect him and told I 'might want to take him to the minor injuries unit just to get him checked out'

[lionguard]

Go in, quick look and check yourself then send him back to class.

Tell them he's there on your liability.

[StarlingBirdsong]

when they called they made it sound like DC was really unwell hence i went straight there, it wasn't until i saw them that i knew it was just the cough.

If it happens again i will be more insistent on the phone about what exactly is wrong and then say to call me again in an hour if they get worse or are actually ill at all

Should I email the school and say that i was surprised/disappointed that they felt DC needed to be sent home for a cough with no associated temperature/illness/fatigue? I get that no-one wants to catch a cold, particularly teachers, but you can't send every kid home with a cold! especially how they go on about attendance now!

[Cornettoninja]

Is it wrong I hope you live in that county they did that daft 'get a grip' campaign for school attendance?

You might feel differently when you see him, but generally you're right, it's not unthinkable to just get on with it for a cough/cold.

[Cornettoninja]

Sorry just seen you've already gotten him.

In the future Asking them to see how he is in a bit is a good idea or even asking to talk to him quickly yourself.

[VeganIan]

Perhaps it's a really irritating cough? I was once advised at hometime to keep DS off the day after if he still was still constantly coughing. By the expression on his TA's face it was doing her head in There was nothing wrong, he was just constantly clearing his throat. All day.

[crumbsinthecutlerydrawer]

I don’t normally keep my kids off unless they’re vomiting or getting over a bug but a cough in the classroom can be disruptive and make the child who’s doing it feel self conscious for annoying others.

[Ttbb]

YANBU. My eldest coughs for a whole month after getting a cold. Nothing wrong with him otherwise. During the winter he coughs non stop.

[LooksBetterWithAFilter]

Not sure I know myself if I have had a cold and then sit in a hot stuffy room like a classroom I cough more I know you can’t keep them off for every cold but I have kept them off for a cough because it can be bloody irritating and miserable for the child if they aren’t getting anything done for coughing.
Schools are roasting and if he’s got a bit of a cold may very well have felt miserable sitting in they stuffy classroom. It’s friday hopefully it’ll clear up over the weekend and he’ll be coughing less in class on Monday.

[StarlingBirdsong]

DC is snuggled happily on the sofa watching mickey mouse christmas special with a virgin hot toddy. Looking particularly smug it has to be said!!

[StarlingBirdsong]

looks that is true that the classrooms are unbelievably hot which probably did make him drowsyish.

[EmilyChambers79]

Sounds better than our school. If you tell the Teacher you don't feel well, they send you to the office to tell them you don't feel well and they phone for you to be collected!

Luckily DS enjoys school too much to do this! I had to get him in the Summer because he sneezed three times. he's on medication for allergies and they were concerned about him going into anaphylactic shock

[Jayfee]

Well at the moment I have got to the debilitating coughing part of what the chemist said is a virus. DH had it first and has been ill for 2 weeks and is still coughing badly. I think schools are right to send children home to stop them spreading the illness and to allow the sick child to rest and recuperate asap.

[RatherBeRiding]

So how does this work with their blessed attendance percentage that parents are always complaining about? I.e. you keep them off school because they are genuinely unwell, their attendance dips below the magic number and you get a snotty letter?

Or is it somehow different if the school authorises the (unnecessary)
absence?

[WeAllHaveWings]

What if you were unable to get him? I would have just said I was busy and to let him sit quietly at school instead.

Although it does sound like the school has overreacted in this instance you should always have someone available to pick your child up from school within a reasonable time frame. Schools can’t just sit ill or injured children in a corner while the teacher gets on with educating the rest of the class until the end of the school day.

[nearly250parkuns]

you should always have someone available to pick your child up from school within a reasonable time frame

Not this again. Totally unrealistic. Unless you think only people with a wide social circle and large family (who never get ill or die) living close by should have kids.

[lionguard]

School shouldn't be sitting well enough kids in the corner no. They should be learning.

[TammySwansonTwo]

Is it possible they have an immunocompromised child in the class?

My little twin has a rare condition that makes general viruses very dangerous for him. They are hoping he will grow out of the condition before he turns 2 but if not I'm dreading school and nursery in general. I know other parents of kids with the same illness who are much worse off and "just a cough" can land them in hospital for weeks.

I know it's difficult - parents have to work and can't keep kids off for every cold, but this is why schools and nurseries are such incubators!