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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To send DS to school on Monday after he just vommed?

174 replies

MarmaladeShatkins · 06/09/2014 20:25

Hmm I expect I'll get flamed but hear me out, first...

DS just puked up, big time. Thing is, he's perfectly fine now. He said he had tummy ache, lay down looking peaky for half an hour, chucked, now he's fine. I suspect it may have been too much to eat earlier in the day combined with cycling in the park in the sun. I'm pretty much certain that there's no bug involved.

I am SO reluctant to keep him off on Monday, even though school has a 48 hour rule. DS's attendance went down to 98% by the end of last term, as he had a week off sick with D&V after the May half term, then another 4 days off with a weird bug where he lost his appetite/slept all day. The school sent me a note home with him on the last day of last term saying they were monitoring his attendance and they'd consider contacting the relevant authorities if his attendance was low again.

So what do I do? It's early in the new term to keep him off a day for no real reason and I am paranoid about the school. Stupid arses, what do they want; us to keep sick children home or send them in so they don't balls up their OFSTED report?

I'm pretty sure I'm sending him in, if he doesn't throw up again/show any signs of illness. AIBU?

Also, there is no-one with a compromised immune system at DS's school AFAIK.

OP posts:
catsofa · 06/09/2014 20:28

I don't expect you would know if there were anyone with a compromised immune system, would you?

Oakmaiden · 06/09/2014 20:31

See how he is tomorrow? If he is absolutely fine tomorrow then in honesty I would send him on Monday.

Mintyy · 06/09/2014 20:31

See how he is tomorrow.

SquirrelWearingATrilby · 06/09/2014 20:31

I don't expect you would know if there were anyone with a compromised immune system, would you?

My DC's schools sent out a letter to advise on the first day of term and when would be advisable to keep them off school.

Original poster
MarmaladeShatkins · 06/09/2014 20:32

I said AFAIK. We had a letter home two years ago when a TA was pregnant asking parents to be particularly scrupulous about sending ill children in.

OP posts:
SquirrelWearingATrilby · 06/09/2014 20:32

See how he is tomorrow, and on Monday.

morechildrenplease · 06/09/2014 20:33

I thought most schools had a 24 hour rule. I know ours does. So if DS was in a different school he would be ok to go. Have to say that unless he showed further signs of being unwell I would let him go.

Littlefish · 06/09/2014 20:33

Keep him off. Better that your child miss one day, than half the class be off over the next because he's passed a bug around on his return.

Original poster
MarmaladeShatkins · 06/09/2014 20:34

Yeah, ours is 48 hours.

I wish they'd let parents use their own common sense.

OP posts:
WooWooOwl · 06/09/2014 20:35

You really don't need to make this decision yet.

Of he is perfectly fine for the rest of the weekend and is fit and well on Monday morning, I'd send him in. If he's sick again, then it's likely to be a bug and he should stay off.

WastingMyYoungYears · 06/09/2014 20:36

YABU, I can't believe that everyone isn't saying the same thing though Confused. It's called the 48 hour rule for a reason. If you send him to school on Monday, there's a risk of him introducing D&V to the school, and of lots of children (and adults) being affected.

Original poster
MarmaladeShatkins · 06/09/2014 20:36

I agree with what you say, WooWoo. But the first thing I thought when he was vomming over my (shagpile -sob) rug was "Oh FGS, attendance record." I agree on waiting on it, though.

OP posts:
googoodolly · 06/09/2014 20:36

If he's fine tomorrow, send him in. Most schools only have a 24 hour rule anyway.

Mintyy · 06/09/2014 20:39

My children have never had a one-off incidence of vomiting, it's always been an EVENT Sad.

Original poster
MarmaladeShatkins · 06/09/2014 20:40

That's the other thing, Mintyy; he's done this before. Last Christmas, after snaffling a TRAY of Thorntons, eating them on his bed, then jumping on the bed. Then he came down and hurled all over me. Envy

OP posts:
Janethegirl · 06/09/2014 20:40

I'd sent him in on Monday assuming no further sickness too.
Where I work we are meant to follow the 48 hour rule too but most people don't as they are likely to be put on sickness monitoring.

strawberryangel · 06/09/2014 20:43

If he has a bug it'll show itself before Monday morning. There is absolutely no reason to keep him off for a bit of over indulgence.

The 48 hour rule is misinterpreted- you should stay away for 48 hours after a bug, to get it out of your system. If there's no bug, then there's no problem.

Original poster
MarmaladeShatkins · 06/09/2014 20:46

Thanks for not making me feel a selfish tit.

I just can't hack another patronising phonecall from the parent liason woman, like I got before the 6 weeks. I could practically feel her headtilting at me down the phoneline...

OP posts:
lougle · 06/09/2014 20:53

"The 48 hour rule is misinterpreted- you should stay away for 48 hours after a bug, to get it out of your system. If there's no bug, then there's no problem."

no, that's a misinterpretation of the 48 hour rule Smile.

The 48 hour rule says 'keep them off for 48 hours after the last episode of diarrhoea or vomiting' and it says that because you can't be sure that any episode of diarrhoea or vomiting is 'the last one' until there are no more, which given the sporadic nature of some bugs (eg. vomit, 12 hours, vomit, 24 hours, vomit....) can only be reasonably sure if 48 hours have passed without incident.

HuevosRancheros · 06/09/2014 20:53

My dd has done exactly this before - eaten a massive roast at her grandparents' - we don't eat that much meat, so she wasn't used to it - then thrown up at 9pm :(
I kept her off because I didn't think before I spoke to school, and of course, she was fine.
But you will know by tomorrow night, at least you've got 24 hours notice
(Sorry about your rug, though)

But if you did have to keep him off, I would send a note in saying "2 days off due to school policy" kind of thing. It does make sense to reduce spread, obviously, but not your/your son's fault if he gets a bug, you shouldn't be marked against for following the rules, otherwise people will start ignoring them for exactly the reasons you've mentioned

hollie84 · 06/09/2014 21:00

If he's absolutely fine between now and Monday morning I'd send him in.

catsofa · 06/09/2014 21:02

All this is a nightmare isn't it, why on earth are schools funny about attendance when they've been ill? WTF are you actually supposed to do?

WRT immune compromised people though, you've no idea if other parents are pregnant or if people have elderly relatives at home etc, so I really don't think it's ok to ever assume nobody has compromised immunity. In fact assuming a normal-sized school it's unlikely that there isn't anyone in close proximity to any of the kids who has some particular need not to get infected. I'm 6 weeks pregnant and not supposed to tell anyone for ages yet, I just have to rely on other people being careful.

hazeyjane · 06/09/2014 21:03

I don't understand why some schools have a 24 hour rule rather than the 48 hour rule, which the nhs and other health authorities recommend.

It is crap about the attendance record business, but think you should keep him off on Monday.

TenMinutesEarly · 06/09/2014 21:04

If it was just one vomit I could link to too much food etc I would send mine in.

catsofa · 06/09/2014 21:08

In fact, I am now worried as I volunteer at an after school thing and our first day back is next week. Should I stop volunteering (with 6 - 9 year olds) in case I pick up bugs from the kids? Given that people don't always follow the 48 hour rule and that a lot of bugs go round the first few weeks they're all back at school?

I realise that people with older children don't have this option, but since I do, should I stay away for a while?