To send dd to school tomorrow, or not to?

[pooka]

DD (5) off today - had temp yesterday, still hot this am. Fine, rang school, kept her at home.

Then she said her tummy hurt, and had 3 bouts of diarrhoea. None since about 12pm. Has since eaten rice cakes and a bit of mashed potato and some carrot batons. Says she still feels a bit peculiar. But temp fine, and she says she wants to go to school.

Now I'm not sure that the runny tum was related to a bug, or to the calpol and nurofen she had for the temp. I know technically 24 hours from last bout of diarrhoea = off tomorrow as well. But may not be bug-related (though just as likely may be).

But what do you reckon? I would have no probs keeping her at home, but we did have a bit in the school newsletter about appalling attendance last week and she did have last weds off (terrible cold) and the wednesday before that off (terrible cough).

I hate that am now feeling guilty that might, if keep her off, be seen as over-protective mum but am even more resentful that the school is questioning attendance (not specifically dd) when it is the half-term of illness from what I can tell. If a child is ill, they're ill, but I'm not sure dd really will be ill.

What should I do?

Thanks

keep her off. they wont be happy she passes a tummy bug onto the rest of her class.

Keep her off, to hell with the attendance. your child is sick and needs to be at home with love and comfort and easy access to a toilet. Should she have an accident it will make her so embrassed.

God love an overprotective mother, they are like gold dust.

I would be inclined to keep her off, but at the same time, make it clear to the school when you ring tomorrow about the diarhoea and then they cannot complain for keeping her off.

Keep her off. She'll probably feel fine but its better to try and avoid spreading these bugs.

Oh I am so pleased with these responses!

My gut feeling is to keep her home and comfortable and if she feels a bit better I might make some popcorn (bland) to eat with a movie under a blanket on the sofa.

I also thought about the embarrassment if she had an accident, or even if she didn't, she hates having a runny tummy.

Of course tomorrow, like this afternoon, I am supposed to be doing freelance work (ds goes to childminder). But never mind. I can crack on tonight and tomorrow night for the weds deadline (isn't it always the way - you leave stuff til the last minute thinking you have 2 clear child-free session to get stuff done and then illness strikes. I should know better by now).

Thanks so much for advice. Will definitely big-up the diahrhoea (sp) tomorrow when I call the school, and await with bated breath the letter complaining about her poor attendance. Not the school's fault - the "every day matters" initiative that seems to be in vogue removes their ability to apply common sense when dealing with buggy children.