Child with a non Covid cough asked not to attend school

[Crunchymum]

Child who is susceptible to coughs, has had a negative PCR, school have asked they don't attend until cough has gone completely.

Their reasoning is even though its not Covid, if it is passed around then other kids will get it and be off pending tests and results (although child no doubt picked it up at school)

Not sure if this is reasonable of the school or not?

I think its unreasonable as coughs can last for weeks. A covid cough can last for weeks without passing it on

There is some logic in that argument. But it's impossible to stop kids catching coughs so I imagine most will catch them at some point and have to be off for longer too.

Dd3 had a cough last month, tested negative. But it lasted a good 3 weeks. Wouldn't have been happy if she had to stay off all that time.

Luckily school and nursery are happy for mine to return with a negative PCR test.

Unreasonable surely, we've all had a cough for over 2 weeks now!

Totally unacceptable, children get coughs!

Unacceptable.

I think it's reasonable to keep them off for the significantly infectious stage of a cough and cold, that much just makes sense.

Ds2 is asthmatic and once he gets a cough it carries on for anywhere up to two months!

My son had croup which led to a lingering cough. His school took him back on the basis of a negative test. The school were quite proactive about it. I had assumed I’d have to keep him off.

Looks like my opinion is unpopular but I actually agree with the school completely. A child in my daughter’s class came in with a cough and passed it to several others in the class, which meant that dozens of children and adults all had to self isolate pending negative tests. Some of us also work in schools, so had we passed it on to our classes then we’d have had a similar situation there too.

I understand it’s inconvenient but I’m afraid I think it’s better for one family to be inconvenienced than potentially dozens of others as well.

I also understand the argument that everyone gets coughs, but actually if we isolate children with coughs then there will be an awful lot fewer of them passed around so on balance I still think it makes far more sense to keep children with coughs away from school.

DS missed four weeks of school in the autumn because of non covid coughs. Pissed me right off!

I would agree to the rest of the week, back next week.

Thanks.

I went and spoke to school office this morning (we dropped my older child) and they have agreed that provided the cough isn't continuous, child can return next week.

Glad they have said your child can attend again. It’s illogical because coughs can last 3-4 weeks after other symptoms have disappeared.