Would you keep a child of school...

[wineintowine]

If they had an ear infection?
On oral antibiotics 3 times a day...

Yes. Ear infections can be incredibly painful. It's likely that hearing is impaired meaning your DC may miss vital input and antibiotics can often lead to upset stomachs.

How old are they and how are they actually feeling?

It depends, if they're suffering, i.e. in pain, temp and generally ill then yes I'd keep them off, but if they're mostly ok, v mild ear ache and mostly ok then no, I'd send them

It would depend on how the child was feeling. If they were happy to go to school I wouldn't stop them but if they were in pain then no.

Yes if in a lot of pain I have kept mine off as they were up most of the night with ear pain.

If they’re well-enough and you don’t expect anyone at school to give the AB’s they should be fine.

With pain and/or fever they’d be at home. I’d also be inclined to keep mine off for a day if their pain had gone but they’d had a few broken night’s sleep. Certainly wouldn’t keep them off for the whole course of antibiotics though.

Nope. Calpol and / or Nurofen and send 'em out.

Hmm... not too sure what to do. She's not long turned 5, just started reception.
She's already had a few days off here and there because of d&v and viruses (usual new term stuff)
I'm just worried the school are going to think I'm taking the piss.

She looked quite poorly this evening though

@Knittedfairies I'd have to ask for one dose of antibiotics to be given at school.
The pharmacist recommended doses of 7am, 1pm, 7pm

Do schools not usually given medications?
I'm sure I read in the handbook that it would be ok... I'll double check.

If she's unwell then no, you can't help it if your child is Ill, hope she's feeling better soon.

Do you have to decide now? Wait and see in the morning.

Tbh having had a few days off already would concern me, does she have any health issues. Most schools have only been back a month haven't they, I can see why the school might be worried.

Depends how they are. If unwell or in pain or have fever then keep off. Tbh at age 5 I’d have a vv low threshold for keeping them off. Our school won’t give antibiotics unless they’re 4 a day ones.

Keep them off if they are in pain and or have dishcharge. I have suffered from ear infections all my life with pain to the pointof being violently sick and hospitalisation.
My mother always sent me to school without so much as a tissue even after being at OOH the night before. If the pain was bad the other kids telling me I was disgusting for having 'cheese' coming out of my ear was worse.

I would for a reception age child who looks poorly as you describe.

At 5 I would be pretty relaxed about keeping her off. Ear infections are painful and she is only little still.

@PattiStanger why would it be of concern? She had a d&v bug that made its way through our whole household, I wasn't allowed to send her in because of school policy.
I'm genuinely asking btw, not being arsey.
She seems to be catching everything atm.

I haven't notice any discharge.
Doctor said both ear canals looked very red & inflamed

Schools monitor attendance and anything below 90% will earn you a letter. Or it would in my school.

D&V policies are strict and so they should be. You can’t help that.

My older dd has had two days off for being sick once caused by having a bit of a chest infection. Now she is going to be off again for another two days as she has been sick multiple times today. So that’s four, maybe five days since school started in mid August. It’s just the way it goes sometimes

Tbh having had a few days off already would concern me, does she have any health issues. Most schools have only been back a month haven't they, I can see why the school might be worried.

I teach Reception and a few of the children in my class have taken a few days off with illness since they began; we've had a fairly nasty cold/bug going around that wiped out three TA's as well as lots of children, and a D&V bug a fortnight ago that took down the other Reception teacher along with several of the children in her class. It's normal for bugs to happen early on in Reception.

DS1 had awful ear infections when he was younger and there's no pain quite like it. I wouldn't hesitate to keep a child off if they were feverish and struggling.

@Passmethecrisps even though the school has been informed every time?
What's the purpose of sending a letter when the school and the parents know it's because of illness?

I'll see how she is in the morning. I hate that I feel I can't care for my daughter when she's ill out of fear what the school will say.

Hopefully she'll be bouncing off the walls in the morning and I won't need to worry!

If she is unwell in herself or has a temperature then keep her off. She’s too little to be going in if she’s feeling poorly.
I’m sure school will understand that children get ill.

She how she is in the morning, but do what is best for her - not because you're worried at what school will say. I have twins, one has perfect attendance the other one get every flipping thing going! They pulled me up on it but I just explained that's how it is. I felt like saying "Well I always send one in and the other I keep off to be with me cos he's my favourite" but they'd have a sense of humour failure :)

That depends wine. I am one of the dreaded letter senders. Sometimes if the illness appears to be a day here and a day there maybe one day a week or regularly on the same day o send a letter so they can see the pattern.

If it is a straightforward two days D&V then two days ear infection then no I wouldn’t bother. I deal with teenagers though. The guidance is the same

Ds does because his ear drum is liable to burst and the GP says he shouldn't be in. He also throws a high temperature which makes him very liable to throw up. Add to that that he probably won't be able to hear anything, and definitely not be able to concentrate so there's little point.

My other two do, because they can survive with calpol. Dd1 has chosen to go in when she was older as she knows she can be fine.