To think that Parents' of sick children should keep them off school?

[BoysBoysBoysAndMe]

My DS1 has just started Reception at a new school.

One of my new Mum-friends has an only DS and he has been off the odd day over the past 2 weeks with Tonsilitus. He was again off yesterday and when I saw his Mum this afternoon she told me her Son was at the Dr's again this morning and still has bad Tonsilitus - she said she could see the fungus on his tonsils!!

Yet he had been in school all day and given the teacher his medication to give to him

I don't understand all the details of all illnesses, but I had to (and chose to) keep my DS1 off school 3 weeks ago as he had been sick in the night. School said I had to keep him off for 48 hours - fair enough.

But why let another child go in when he's got Tonsilitus? I was under the impression it's contagious? But I could be wrong?

Apart from the fact I don't want my DS1 to get it, I have a 4 months old DS and don't want him to get it either.

AIBU?

Yes, I think it is contagious.

If you're wondering, why not ask the school what the policy is?

It's a balance. You can't send them in when they're really ill or contagious with something nasty, but you can't keep them off every time they are less than 100%. So it's finding that cut-off. For some it's a fever, for others it's less than that. For some it's anything contagious, for others it's only those things that are contagious and nasty (so send in with a little cold but keep off with

My neighbour sent her child to school with chicken pox and restyled her dc's hair that day so you couldn't see the spots on her face. She had a meeting she couldn't miss.

When DS2 had tonsilitus the GP said he could go back to school once he'd been on anti-b's for 24 hrs. He said although it is 'contagious' it's very hard to directly catch from one person to another.

Yes, apparently it's only contagious for 24 to 48hrs after the ABs are started

I am surprised a) the school agreed to give him antibiotics and b) if he is bad enough the dr can "see fungus on his tonsils" he was well enough to be in school.

YANBU,i overheard one of the mums this week telling another that her dd had been sick in the night & again that morning & there was a spot of blood in it,but she brought her to school cos you have to dont you?She then said i expect i'll get a phone call within the hr!

Our school gives ABs as long as they have a written request/permission and the child's name and DOB is actually on the medicine.

Ds was continually ill with something from birth until the end of Reception. If I had kept him off nursery and school he would never have gone. Instead with every infection I asked tje GP if he was infectious and asked if he was able to attend nursery/school. If the answers were no and yes then he would go, unless he felt really poorly. His school has administered antibiotics many times. I would be rather if another school parent thought I was so irresponsible to send ds to school when he could make other children ill.

You need to ask for a copy of the schools medical policy, which should detail exclusion periods for different ailments.

If you think any are wrong, then you can present your medical argumentation to the school and seek the changes you think are indicated. They are however pretty standard both within and across LEAs, so you may need to persist through quite a lot of layers of bureaucracy.

My DS2 had tonsillitis 2 weeks ago, the GP and the school were happy for him to go in if he felt well enough. As it happens, he wasn't well enough, in fact he slept pretty much 24/7, had 2 courses of antibiotics, and STILL has a nasty cough. But i was told it was more or less only contagious if you are 'snogging' which I seriously hope 5 year olds aren't doing!

But regarding V&D YANBU! We have a couple of Mums at school who send their DC in after they've spent a night vomiting :( Luckily my DC aren't in their class!

Hmm, never knew that about being contagious for 24-48 hrs after AB'S.

I still think he should be at home until at least the fungus has gone!

isla that's so funny - and sad. How irresponsible.

I guess the doctor, parents and school are of the opinion that if he feels well enough to go, he should go.

mollieO I completely understand ther are circumstances when a child isn't completely well and yet well enough for school.

But fungus??

And I never knew schools could administer AB'S, yet that makes sense too if the child isn't contagious / not fit for school.

Ds's school has a form you have to complete for medicine to be administered. Perfectly normal. Some of his antibiotics had to be kept in the fridge at school and that was possible too.

it is a balancing act.

I personally think the 48 hour rule for being sick is a little too rigid, as there's a vast difference between a child who is sick several times with a d&v bug, who of course should be kept off school, and one who throws up once and is then totally finae fter and yet is still expected to stay off school for 24 hours.

Our school has a medicine form if you need them to administer medicines, including antib's.

They will also administer eye drops once the children have been on them 24-48 hours.

I won't send mine in with a temp, or within 48 hours of a D & V incident, or within 24 hours for conjuctivitis, but otherwise they go in.

And I am sensible with it - DD had her first day back today after taking a D & V bug last Tuesday - she has had the runds on and off till the weekend. DS2 was off 2 days with it. But I did send ds2 in to school today with a cold, and filled out a medicine form for him to get paracetemol at lunchtime to make him more comfortable.

I know a mother whose DS was sick in the night and then again in the school playground and she sent him into school because no teachers saw the vomming in the playground .

But OP you shoudl be ok re the tonsillitus because after the first few doses of ABs, it won't be contagious. Different matter entirely if child needs to rest etc.

unless they are kissing its very hard to catch it,your dammed if you do and dammed if you dont,i had letter last week about 1 of mine being off ill,if i send him in im in the wrong and if i keep him off i get threatend with ed welfare officer! my sil has to work and has got into alot of trouble for being off when her dd is ill,you just cant win.

It depends what they're sick with IMO.

It's pretty unacceptable for an adult to be off work with a cough / cold even though it's contagious. By the same token no real reason to keep a child off with a cold unless it's really heavy or they have an underlying health problem such as asthma.

Things like tummy bugs, chicken pox: anything that spreads like wildfire should mean they don't go to school.

One of my colleagues gets tonsilitis all the time to the point where she'll have to have them out if it doesn't stop. She comes into work with it and none of us have got it.

Feel I ABU now with a lot of your Tonsilitus comments, but at least I have learnt something!

Agree with contagious illnesses though, and if child isn't well enough for school.