Three days off school for 'just a cold'?

[ReallyShouldBeDoingSomethingElse]

Usually when DD gets a cold she's absolutely fine in herself and only mildly snotty and we carry on as normal.

She's now on day 3 of a bad cold which on Monday I had no doubt meant she needed to stay at home as she was miserable and would have been snotting everywhere at school which isn't ok. Today she is still streaming, coughing, swollen eyelids and doesn't seem any better really, although possibly slightly less miserable but I'm starting to doubt myself for keeping her off school for a cold.

How do other parents judge whether to send them in or keep at home?

do you have a covid test?

Today she is still streaming, coughing, swollen eyelids and doesn't seem any better really, although possibly slightly less miserable

Personally I go with how they look and feel, not how long others think it should be. From your description, I'd 100% keep home. Do you seriously think she'd learn anything in that state? Or not spread it? Or not be sent home?

If I think it's just a cold, they go in.

If they are poorly with it, then I might keep them at home for a day or so.

If you are now doubting whether to keep her off, I'd say the time has come to send her back in tbh.

We are fortunate in that there can be an adult at home... so the choice is... is it more productive for them to be in school or at home getting better?

Would she learn anything at school?

Sounds like she's not much better and I'd keep her off. I always made sick days pretty boring at home especially if I felt the decision was a bit of a balance.

You want send your child to school like that? No!

She's clearly still ill, not to mention her spreading it around at school.

If still feeling rotten then keep off but make being at home very dull…. Insist on a ‘nap’ without phone etc to help get better… if home is too comfortable (including constant access to phone) some young people find it difficult to get back to school. Hope your DC feels better soon.

I've just caught my daughter's cold and I haven't felt this bad in ages. I'm definitely not doing anything today, though I have a day trip tomorrow I have to go on. My daughter is doing her A levels and crucial time so she went in (I do think the worst of it was over the weekend). I really hope she didn't spread it to anyone though.
Sounds like your child needs today off too.

I've got the most horrendous cold at the moment and if I wasn't WFH there's no way I'd be going into the office. I'm on day 3, as is DS2, I'm currently waiting for him to get up to see if he's fit for school!

The problem is the mindset of "it's just a cold" (especially since covid).

Some colds are mild - some are not.

Same with all illnesses.

Some sickness bugs you can't eat for days - some last 24 hours.

Some kids with chicken pox sail through - some end up hospitalised.

How severe an illness is is how badly if affects the person - a diagnosis is not a prognosis.

Have you done covid test?

but I'm starting to doubt myself for keeping her off school for a cold.

FGS parent up OP

Your daughter is ill

you really shouldn’t give a flying fig what others do

This.

Some colds are worse than others - if she has an absolutely stinking dose you just have to wait it out. Keeping her at home is best, unless there's something urgent happening at school like big exams.

She still sounds really ill and like she shouldn’t be at school. The last cold I had (a few months ago) put me out of action for five days and not great for several days after that

My DD had 'just a cold' last week, she was quiet and vague for a few days but only missed one day of school because I loaded her with paracetamol to get rid of her headache on several other days.

Now I am day 4 totally floored with Covid the poor child admitted she felt really terrible most of the week and I just made her soldier on.

So if your DD is unwell please let her stay home, but also I agree with pp to do a Covid test.

A 'cold' isn't just one type of virus though. There are lots of viruses that cause 'cold symptoms'. Some can be more severe than others. If mine are mostly okay, but just tired and snotty, I send them in. If they are truly unwell, then I keep them home. But yes, you can be that poorly with just a normal run of the mill virus.

Has she had a flu jab? Sounds worse than “just” a cold.

Mine is also on her third day off. Yesterday morning I was sure she'd be well enough today but she really declined again yesterday afternoon. We're not normally that ill with colds etc but this last few months have been one after the other.

dd (aged 17) had similar the week of the teachers strikes.
Off school mon, tues,
teachers strikes wed thurs

on friday I still wasn't sure if she was well enough to go in.

Sometimes they are just ill, and you keep them home.

My DS had one last this long over half term, turns out it was Covid (which he then passed to me and I spent a week barely able to get out of bed)

My DD was off all of last week with a cold.

If it had been only the sniffles I would have sent her in, but this was full blown.

She did a Covid test and it was negative.

This week the rest of the family have it.

My daughter is never ever sick, but the cold that's going around has knocked her out cold. I can't remember the last time she was sick and she's been like your daughter since last Wednesday! She's never missed this much school. Whatever is going around is really rough. I'd keep her in.

Mine are still young enough that they tend to get a temperature with most illnesses which does make the decision making easier.

If no temperature (and obviously no D&V either), I send to school if they are eating/drinking/playing and noticeably perk up with calpol.

I give calpol and if they don't perk up to normal levels then they stay home.