to think that DDs school is obsessed with attendance levels and feel offended?

[msjones80]

DD is in reception and she has been ill several times in the last term. Even though all absences were justified, I recently got a call from the school and the advisor from the council to discuss her absences. They suggested I was maybe being "too soft" and that children her age like to "exaggerate" to stay home and watch telly. I told them I only kept her home when she was clearly unwell (fever, diarrea, vomiting...) or there was a risk for the other children. I also let them know that each day I kept her home was a day lost at work. Still, they said that children sometimes could go to school with a little paracetamol, that that's how they build their immune system, and requested that I keep providing them with evidence whenever she's sick.

Now she's ill once more. She has had high fever (37-39C) since last Wednesay. I took her to the GP but she said they don't do letters, only appointment slips, and that my word should be enough and the school had no legal right to ask for evidence.

AIBU? Isn't is outrageous that the school cares more about attendance levels that the wellbeing of children? Do I have to give them proof everytime she's ill? Has anyone experienced the same?

Sockreturningpixie
It wasn't that long ago that having your tonsils out was a week to 10 days in hospital then either a week to 4 days off school at home total time off 2 weeks.

I had my tonsils removed in 1975, 2.5 days in hospital (weds to Fri) and back at school following Monday. I was 7 years old.

And there was no need to remove them, they had never been infected. I had actually gone in because doctors decided my hearing problem was simply fluid in the middle ear. They didn't find anything and decided to whip out my tonsils and adenoids anyway (apparently medical knowledge of the time decreed these to be redundant organs, something not now agreed with).

YABVU for saying the school are obsessed when they were checking why your daughter's attendance is so low. Fair enough, you say she gets ill often but they have to check. From what you've said, it does seem you keep her off for every little cough and sniffle, sometimes you have to send them in and see how it goes.

"Just don't engage with the school or the EWO."

Please don't do this, it's terrible advice. It makes it look like you have something to hide and would make them think you don't give a shit about your DD's education.

fasterstronger and headfirst A raised temperature is the bodies response to infection (among other things)- it basically "cooks" the bugs and kills them. Temperatures over say 39 ish can cause febrile convulsions so you would always want to bring that sort of temp down. But lower, high ones are best left to let the body do what it needs to.

The drug classification for paracetamol is a NSAID- non steroidal anti inflammatory- which by suppressing inflammation is inessence suppressing the bodies immune response. It's other quality is "anti pyretic" which is to bring down a fever.

It actually is a serious drug, which too many people pass of as "just calpol".

Fry one my mother has just told me that I was in hospital for 10 days because apparently I wasn't healing as I should.

Irrespective of whether the OP is being overcautious or not - and based on last post I don't necessarily think she is - this winter is definitely worse than other years. My DDs have both been ill, and they are those lucky children who never get ill. I've been ill, felt like I'd been hit by something, and still have sinus problems two weeks later. It's a very. very bad year for viruses.

Agree with crashdoll about the advice regarding the EWO. Refusing the engage with them will cause more problems. Should your DDs attendance fall below 80% you will find the monitoring of your DDs attendance will step up. You may have to require doctors notes for all absences to be registered as illnesses otherwise they will simply be unauthorised. Your DD does have a concerning level of absence from the school's pov.

Genuine question this: in cases where children are quite falling ill every few weeks as happened to my brother during his first years at school, how are parents supposed to afford doctor's letters at 20 quid a shot? Or do schools imagine surgeries will suddenly start waiving the fees?

If dd's school had insisted on this, it would have broken us financially, coming on top of all the other costs we had in dealing with her health, time off work etc.

"The drug classification for paracetamol is a NSAID"

No. I think you are confusing Paracetamol with Ibuprofen which is an NSAID.

What % is her attendance?

I must say that a lot of children are kept off school for no good reason. Not saying that it applies to the OP. But this is the reason schools are clamping down on this.

My bad, I stand corrected that will show me for just typing something off the too of my head. I still stand by what I said that it is better to let a body fight an mild fever by itself than dosing someone up and packing them off to school!

It's about 83% NKF. Basically the child has missed nearly 4 full weeks of school so far this year (adding absent episodes together).

It's just standardisation, the school has to treat everyone the same, certain level of days missed => trigger the letters and investigation. It isn't personal.

Paracetamol is not a NSAID.
My dc are kept off school when they are ill. (Temps, d and v,
If other parents did this then the horrendous cases of noro virus would not do the rounds each winter, would they?
My sons school has got lots of dc and teachers off ATM with this awful viral thing (I had it last week and was in bed for 3 days I kid you not)
Ds1 was off last week with a chest infection and in ABs, ds2 has not started coughing and has a temp.
So he will certainly be off tomorrow.
Common sense, surely?

Just seen. Near the 80% mark. You have a problem and it isn't about getting the letter. It's very low attendance and the school are right to enquire about it.

haven't any of you had a bad year though? last year DS1 got everything - vomiting, high fevers, strep throat - you name it. It was difficult for our family and yes, My DH and I missed a lot of work.....but what can you do??

I wouldn't have minded the school asking about it but the threatening and patronizing attitudes described by many here would have gotten my back up too

I'm torn on this - I am a teacher and I see the effect that low attendance has on progress. I do think some children are off at the drop of a hat with a sniffle.

However I have been seriously ill in the past because I have caught a bug passed on to me by a child who was quite clearly too ill for school. I got mumps and was ill for 4 weeks as it kept recurring (Long story - misdiagnosed as tonsillitus, antibiotics masked symptoms, wore off, mumps still there......)

I feel very sorry for my 2. I know I will be frowned upon for being off so they get sent in unless they are very ill.

Yes shoo fly.
We seem to be in one ATM!
Ds1s first winter off a long term medication and ds2s first year at pre school.
It's been ridiculous really.
Colds, coughs, flu, sickness bug, now chest jnfections.
I feel like daubing a Cross on the door to warn people away!
:(

Schools may well find by cracking down on attendance, their attendance figures fall, because parents feel more obliged to send their children in ill, more bugs go round and kids are more ill for longer.

I'm having a terrible time at the moment regarding children and illness. So I know all about that. But 85% is very very low. And the school is right to investigate. Good attendanc is about the wellbeing of children. 85% attendance means she will fall behind. And that is a concern for schools. Not just because of their figures and OFSTED but because it's bad to see a child fall behind because of attendance.

I didn't realise that about paracetamol and fevers, thanks for the info!

The fundamental question seems to be 'how ill is too ill?'

People saying that sending in an ill child is how bugs spread are right - no child should be in school if there is d&v involved, for example. I don't think anyone is advocating this. I haven't seen anyone saying that an ill child should be at school. It's just there seem to be differing ideas on what constitutes ill.
I think we are all agreed that vomit or the runs definitely counts as ill so the idea that anyone should send these children in is daft.

A child who has a mildly runny nose (which was mentioned earlier as a reason to keep them at home) - to be honest, I don't count that as ill. Not if a runny nose is all they have. Maybe if they've not slept because they are full of cold they need to be at home - but then I don't term that a mildly runny nose either - a child with a heavy cold is one I would describe as poorly.

The problem arises because it ultimately comes down to parental interpretation. There clearly are people who keep their child off with a slight runny nose. In that case, their attendance is bound to be poor because kids have colds a lot. Sending them in doesn't mean the entire class will be off the next day with the sniffles so I don't think the 'keep them off or they will infect everyone' argument works here. Would this child also be kept home from their best mate's birthday party to avoid infecting everyone? If no, then they are probably well enough for school.

If the child is routinely more ill than this then underlying causes really should be checked out in case anything more important is being missed.

And can I also just add to whoever said it's not the same as being off work, where people rely on you to be there - no it's not. It's not a great comparison.
But, if one child is off a lot, they will inevitably need a lot of extra help when it comes to catching up.
The teacher will have to devote time to them at the expense of others in the class. So the absence of one can have an effect on the others. That should not be the main consideration by any means, but it is worth keeping in mind when you are busy thinking that it doesn't hurt anyone to have the extra days off.

As someone has said, paracetamol does not affect inflamation and has no effect on the immune system. It stops you feeling the pain.

there is quite a lot of bad science on this thread.