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DD and constant illness

5 replies

SingleParentIllChild · 09/12/2019 08:19

She’s 5 in year 1. She’s asthmatic so picks up every cough and cold going. She’s been constantly coughing and sniffly since beginning of October. She hasn’t yet had her flu vaccine as she’s entitled to it through school and they’re not doing them until the beginning of February, I’ve tried paying privately for it but no-one will give it as she’s entitled through school.

She has no temperature. Is bouncing off the walls but I know she’ll be sent home from school. She’s missed 6 school days since October half term due to illness. The headteacher says it’s Public Health Authority rules this year as the bugs are just constantly going round so anyone who sneezes once, has a slight cough or a rash is being sent home. No exceptions. She said usually she’d keep children who are sniffly but otherwise well at school. PHA have said children need to be kept away from school for 24 hours with a cough apparently.
DDs attendance is now at under 90% for the half term. She’s also had 2 medical appointments this half term for a physical issue which meant she went in late one morning and was taken home at lunchtime on another day which again affects attendance.

I am a single parent. ExH says it’s my responsibility to look after her if she’s ill (CAO is written so he only has care during specific hours and if she’s ill then those hours change so she’s with me). Judge in court said I cannot force him to take her while she’s ill. I have no family who will take a sick child. My usual After School Care is following the same rules with sick children so it’ll mean yet another unpaid day off work. I cannot afford it.

If I lose my job then I am going to be in even more trouble. Emergency nanny will cost just as much as I will earn so might as well take the day unpaid in my area an emergency nanny will set you back £25-30 per hour.

Any suggestions I’ve missed? I really need to keep my job and DD in school.

OP posts:
SingleParentIllChild · 10/12/2019 07:50

Sent home at lunch yesterday and not allowed back in unit Wednesday.

I have no time or money. Can’t WFH

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worriedmama1980 · 10/12/2019 10:02

Where are you? That seems the opposite of everything I've heard about worries around attendance figures. My only suggestion would be pushing back against the school, maybe even seeing if your GP will write a note essentially saying she is more prone to coughing/wheezing/sniffles because of the asthma but unless she has a temperature or seems unwell he believes she is well enough to be in school.

Other than that, I really don't know: I clicked on this hoping for some immune boosting advice as I've been ill solidly for eight weeks since my daughter started creche and she's missed 1/4 of the time. Luckily we have grandparents who can step in, I honestly don't know what we'd do otherwise

Does she take a multivitamin? Can you start a habit of regular hand washing? I've read that if you wash your hands hourly it reduces the duration of coughs and colds.

SingleParentIllChild · 10/12/2019 16:19

Where are you?

West Midlands.

HT said her usual rule is if they're not running a temperature, seem fine in themselves and have no D+V to send them in but she has to send them home right now due to the Public Health Authority issuing warning about it.

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Pinkshoelace · 10/12/2019 17:35

I'm sorry you are in this situation, that's really frustrating.

I think I'd be tempted to raise the issue again with the Head Teacher and then escalate it from there if it's not resolved.

I think for my own satisfaction I would be wanting to confirm what the Public Health Authority rules are - because if they are really sending children home for one sneeze or a slight rash - that sounds very odd indeed. Surely a common sense approach would work better.

Are other parents aware of this? You can't be the only person who is affected.

SingleParentIllChild · 10/12/2019 17:53

Other parents also affected, we've been talking about it at pick up times. It's frustrating the other parents too, some of them still have to do pick up for another child so are still having to bring the "ill" child to school for pick ups and drop offs.

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