To think school sickness policy is a ludicrous?

[Pinkvoid]

The same school that have ‘attendance awards’, are always hammering hard to parents about attendance and leave a comment in every school report about your child’s attendance, despite the fact they were off for things that couldn’t be helped such as chicken pox .

I missed a days work yesterday because DS (7) had been sick once the evening before, most likely caused by overeating but I erred on the side of caution. Explained this to the school when I called. He was fine all day yesterday so I sent him in today because why wouldn’t I.

I was already half way to work when I got a phone call telling me to collect him because it was ‘school policy’ that it had to be 48 hours from the last time they vomited. I was pretty furious tbh. Explained that I was two miles away on my way to work which I was due to start in fifteen minutes, I didn’t have anyone else to collect him and that he was absolutely fine/it wasn’t a stomach bug because he’d only been sick once and wasn’t unwell after- it was clearly either overeating or he’d probably been jumping around too much after eating. They weren’t accepting it, insisted I had to collect him and that he couldn’t be in school. So I had to turn around, call in sick at work last minute which they obviously weren’t pleased about and take him home. DS was also upset because he actually loves school and would much prefer to be there than at home bored with me...

AIBU to think they’re being ludicrously over cautious there and common sense should surely prevail? He’s now missed two days of education and I’ve missed two days pay because he vomited once, two nights ago . Also worth noting, I had no idea the school even had a policy, this is the first I’ve heard of it.

I’ve always been a bit about the 48 hour rule but this week it’s been put to the test chez Peachy. DS was sick Sunday night so I had to keep him off Monday and Tuesday. Then Tuesday evening - probably 46 hours after vom 1 - he was sick again so had to keep him off weds and Thursday. Back to school today. DS2 got it this morning and in a right state so def a bug. Won’t question the 48 hour rule again.

it isn't the school policy it is national government guidelines issued to keep YOUR child and every other child as well as possible.

The problem is of course the attendance awards and the frankly strange fixation with 100% attendance. Everybody gets ill sometimes, some more than others.

There is also a problem with emergency care for kids when both parents are working and maybe unable to stay home or find a carer at a short notice. So I can see why they need to weigh up the risks and consequences and might end up sending a child to school a day earlier than what the policy states.

My DS was off school with D&V the other week, I didn't send him back for 48 hours (because I'm not a selfish cow) and even after that he didn't feel right all week - weak and fluey. I caught it off him and couldn't get out of bed for 2 days it was that potent. I missed an event that I had paid for (no refund either) and also an important client meeting.

There is a really nasty norovirus going around and people sending their kids in to school after being sick are helping it spread. Also if you get it and then go to work, same thing.

Please can people stop thinking they know whether something is a virus or not, you really don't. Particularly at this time of year.

My DS did not do a solid poo until he was, well, I am not sure, well able to wipe his own bum. I know he does now, as he forgets to flush the loo and he is 11.

I had so many phone calls from the school about him having 'diarrhoea'. The first couple of times I collected him. He was fine, just happened to have a normal poo (for him) in school!

I kept telling them that he did not do solid poos. I kept telling him there was nothing more we could do. I kept telling them he was not ill, it was just him.

In about year 2, they finally got it. They rang me again. I told them I would not be collecting him as he was not ill, just him! They asked me to get a letter form the doctor. I took my DS to the doctor, the doctor said he would not write a letter, I had to just tell them. I went back to the school and told them this and for some reason, this time the accepted it. I did not have another call in the remaining time at that school.

DS does have a 'funny tummy', in that nerves will make him sick. On the first day of year 3 my friend asked him who his new teacher was and he turned round and was sick in the playground. He trotted in to class and was not ill, it was just anxiety.

It took me a long time but I did get the school to take the common sense approach to DS and his tummy issues eventually.

This is why lots of parents don’t say d and v anymore.
My ds gets Sound if migraine/seizure thing (under investigation) and projectile vomits. He’s fine once he’s come round.

Took intervention from neurologist to stop needing 48 hours off every time.

Ds has only ever had 1 stomach bug his whole 13 years!

The problem with sick bugs is that they manifest themselves SO differently in different children.

DD2 was sick in the night last Tuesday night, just the once - and it didn't wake her. She was a bit cuddly all day on Wednesday and then she was fine.

DD1 came down with it on Friday evening. She was violently ill all evening on the Friday and although she wasn't still being sick (and hadn't for some time), she was still washed out enough from it not to be able to go into school on the Monday.

I like DD1's school system for rewarding attendance - everyone with over 96% attendance goes into a prize draw.

Three schools here closed yesterday.
My nephews was one, all this week they’ve had letters stating children need to be at home 48 hours after the last case of sickness or shits.

Text home said a significant number of children have been sent to to school ill on top of many absences, all children need collecting asap as school needs to be deep cleaned.

Brothers mil works at school and had said 60 unwell children been dropped off that morning

This is why lots of parents don’t say d and v anymore.

Yeah its usually quite clear when they are just puking as they are bouncing around after a meal, or if they are actually ill though. Personally I would keep them off either way and I do think if more people actually kept kids off for 48 hours with d&v there would be less kids picking up illnesses from schools in the first place. people sending them back early just make things worse for everyone really.

I don't understand how schools can say 48 hours after last symptom though, and then in the next breath moan on about less than 100% attendance. A kid in my daughters school just got an award and cinema tickets for not having a day off ill in 6 years. The other parents did not seem too impressed with that as I could hear a few of them muttering on about how the poor kid had been sent in ill more times than enough but as she was there for register, it classed as in. Except, then half the class goes down too. Of course it could just be coincidence, and nothing at all to do with her parents sending her in ill, the other kids could have got ill anyway. But its convenient timing thats for sure.

They are sticking to nhs guidelines though

Will people stop repeating this shit? The guidelines are 48 hours for DandV, not V on its own! And they are only guidelines anyway, and the NHS gets many things wrong, they are not the sodding health pope.

NHS guidelines - I've highlighted the pertinent part for those getting confused.

Vomiting and diarrhoea. Children with diarrhoea and/or vomiting should definitely be kept off school until at least 48 hours after their symptoms have gone. Most cases of diarrhoea and vomiting in children get better without treatment, but if symptoms persist, consult your GP.

The clue is in the word or. So if a child present with either of those symptoms, they should refrain from attending school for at least 48 hours after last symptom.

youare - yours is a situation like dd1 and her asthma.* She vomits when having an attack. Our old school were fine with the suggestion of if no further symptoms she would be in for the next registration period as long as she was definitely displaying asthmatic symptoms.* New School thankfully hasn't experienced it it.

Of course, I appreciate some parents who have a get out might just use it each time, but ime those parents who have a genuine reason to suggest their child's illness is related directly to another symptom are generally the parents who won't send sick children in anyway as theirs are the ones who suffer for everyone else's negligence.**

I’ve got a child with Asthma that can sometimes vomit with an attack too, usually if she’s not long had a drink. And have been expected to keep her off 48 hours. That is bloody frustrating I must admit.

The child in this OP threw up, then his parent decided that the 48 hour policy didn't apply to her and sent him to school anyway. Because apparently had just 'overeaten' (how much food did this child consume to be throwing it up?).

Schools get a hammering from the government if they have poor attendance figures. They don't seem to have much discretion in how much pressure they apply to parents over this. Just smile, nod and ignore the comments about attendance. You know you're kid was genuinely ill and in all probability they do too. They just have to be seen to be going through the motions. It's not aimed at you personally.

Nope - you're wrong. They say children with diarrhoea and/or vomiting "definitely" need to be kept off for 48 hours

If that is the current NHS advice then it is idiotic and should be roundly ignored.
If I kept my child home for 48 hours every time he vomited he would average a month a year in school.

Presumably if your child is vomiting that often there is a medical reason for it?

If that is the current NHS advice then it is idiotic and should be roundly ignored.

don't worry, people DO ignore the advice, and that's why schools end up closing and many kids (and teachers) seriously ill, as well as all their family. Many hospitals wards are also closed at the moment.

I would love to see what would happen if parents were following the guidelines for a change.

If you can't tell the difference between parents who send sick children to school and parents who know their children are not ill, there is no help for you.
The UK loves these nanny state rules, you must think the population afr too stupid to ever think for themselves?

Luckily my school had a reasonable exemption policy for me. I had migraines that involved projectile vomiting as well as the blinding headaches and flashing lights but once I had slept I was perfectly fine (other than starving hungry).

There’s was no predicting these and they could come on with 30mins. There were times when I would have an attack at school and have to be collected from the sick room (with a plastic bucket for the car). But I was back at school the next day because there was nothing wrong with me and I was not infectious....it was a migraine. I’d love you know what would happen now, should my mum have kept a perfectly healthy child off school for 2 days?

It was on my medical notes that I had these so hopefully that might have swayed it?

They can’t be 100% sure from your phone calls that he isn’t still ill or contagious though, that’s why they follow NHS guidelines

I hate attendance Awards with a passion.
However if a school which pushes attendance so much still insists on 48 hours clear then surely that should show you just how seriously they take keeping sickness bugs out of School?
I'm not a massive fan of 100% attendance awards. I'd be happy with a 95%+ award though at the end of the year because people can't help getting bugs.

Point still stands people sending children in poorly is why half our department was absent this week.
This half term I had a student look horrendously ill but mum said he was fine and sent him in. He said he felt ill to me so I sent him outside with some water and was about to send him to the sick room when he threw up outside and came in looking green/grey.

He was sent back into school the next day!!

Seemingly secondary schools arent as hot on keeping sick kids away as primary which annoys me.

If you can't tell the difference between parents who send sick children to school and parents who know their children are not ill, there is no help for you
The thing is (as MANY people have said) thete is no way from looking to tell why someone has vomited.
If you havr that power then you better sell your skills to medical research.

As a friend if mine said this week 'it's annoying when you're fairly sure they just had too much pudding, but you can't be sure and the guidelines exist for a reason'