Secondary school and constant illness

[Nonstopcolds]

My DS is in year 8 and since the start of the new school year has had back to back colds and coughs He’s only had a total
of 3 days absent from school but I have received a letter from his school expressing concern about his attendance.

DS has been really unwell, not just your “normal” cold more of a mutant cold with sore throat, snotty nose, streaming eyes, earache and cough. He’s done well to drag himself into school and the 3 days he was absent was when he was too unwell to get out of bed.

Spoke to GP who advised blood tests which were waiting on results for. He takes a vitamin, drinks orange juice, eats healthily and is always washing his hands But it looks like he has ANOTHER cold today.

Really worried that he is so unwell all the time but also worried about what the school will say/do if this cold turns out to be another mutant virus making him too unwell for school.

Anyone else in a similar position?

3 days is nothing and will balance out over the year. My DD has had 9 with appalling asthma and we’re in proper trouble but, meh! Her consultant is delighted we’ve avoided a hospital admission so far this winter and I’ll happily do battle with the LA if I need to.

It feels like colds/coughs are worse and more prevalent this year. I hope he feels better soon and the tests are all clear.

I've had a warning letter too but seriously it can't be helped

I should say 3 days absent since September. He’s fine during half terms but as soon as he’s back in school he catches something. I thought 3 days wasn’t too bad but I’m sure he’ll be off again as he’s home from school with the streaming eyes/sore throat and hacking cough. It’s relentless. I couldn’t go into work like that. I think this is part of the problem. Schools insisting kids go in even when really unwell so a cycle of constant illness.

Anyone?

I agree, there’s no nuance in the way schools are forced to manage attendance and very little thought around disability and chronic illness.

DS is a y7 and has struggled with a barrage of colds this school year. He had 5 from September to Christmas (including one in half term) and 3 episodes off school where he was wiped out for about 5 days at a time (including weekends and the extra bank holiday).

I think it's been a bad combination of a difficult season for illnesses, adjusting to secondary (particularly with SENs making it harder), getting hit too early in September, and due to DS2's health issues in the summer, not getting enough vitamin D by getting out and about.

He'd always had 98-100% attendance until this year. We've had the letter. I just rolled my eyes. I can't send him in when he's too ill to function and learn, and that's not good for his long term health.

Oh and school sent him home with a temperature on round 3, so they clearly saw that he wasn't fit to be in!

I wish schools would take into account that as a result of Covid and lockdowns kids are now getting hit hard by the sheer volume and virulence of the “common” cold. How can attendance be at the magic 90% when this winter has been particularly bad.

My letter from school said they allow 5 days off for illness and anymore they want a doctors note 🤣 they said they recognise face 2 face appointments with a gp are difficult to get so recommended going to a walk in clinic.

So they seriously expect you to drag your full of cold child to a walk in to get a note to show the school. I don’t think doctors would be too impressed being asked to do this then and there.

And of course when a child misses school and suffers months of abuse then ends up dead nobody can understand why the school didn't pick up on it sooner and check everything was ok at the start...