How often is your child off sick from school?

[pepsi]

Just out of interest I wondered how often kids are off sick from school. Mine children are not in fool time education yet so no real experience. Its just that a friend of mine who has a 7 and a 5 year old always seems to have one at home sick. Particularly the 7 year old. In a 7 week term you can guarantee 5 days of ill with colds, tummy ache, conjunctivitus. Both children dont have any proper medical difficulties. I know if they are sick they are sick, but I wondered what a school takes as normal on this subject. Sounds like I being a bit anal about it all but sometimes I think she just keeps them off because she likes to have them at home with her. I visited once when one of off ill with a tummy bug and she seemed fine to many.....managed to run about the garden ok!

My nephew genuinely wasn't sick enough to have a day off the whole time he was at primary school. He's only had a few days off since secondary school too (year 10 now). Maybe some of them are just more robust!

My dd aged 7 has had 6 days off in total since she started nursery school at 2 and a half. And most of those were for the chickenpox she went down with last week!

My DD2 has had 2 days of nursery this school year for sickness and diarrohea. I can't ever remember having a day off school and have never had a day off work - so am unlikely to let my kids have time off for trivial things. My mum once sent my brother to school with 4 broken fingers (he was sent home by the school nurse) and made my dad drive himself to hospital - when he got there, turned out he had appendicitis - so being tough runs in the family !

Miggy - yep, quite right about the 24 hour thing and always stick to this and always give friends the choice of visiting if I know we have the poos or are sick. In my friends case there wasnt anything like that.......I was with my 4 and 2 year old so she would definately had said if it was that serious as she is really good like that. From reading everyones comments they do seem to have quite a lot of time off. I was wondering what schools actually thing. Do teachers chat about it in the staff room.....oh such and such is off again, or is it just not an issue. I think possibly what her kids need is some early nights and a better diet, they dont go to bed until 10.00 on school nights. Ive got a feeling they just get a bit run down and pick up everything thats going around. Its a shame because they are lovely. Sometimes when Im writing messages I feel like Im coming across all self-righteous and perfect. That is certainly not the case, far from it.

Hey guys can anyone help me my son is 6 and he brought me a letter home telling me the school has made an appointment for me to go in front of the board about his attendance and punctuality to discuss ways to improve it but my son is only ever off school if he's sick and I've called and informed them of this my dr has also stated to me she will not write a dr note as it's like the school does not believe you when your child is sick I just don't no what to do he was late a lot in reception but that was because I was caring for my mum who dying and I informed the school of this and they seemed to be understanding but in year one I can honestly say he has only been late about 2 or three time but always made it before the register was taken but he only ever had time off when he's sick this has made me feel so stressed I'm even doubting my self as a mother I just don't no what to do please help

Hello! You might be better off starting a new thread somewhere busy like 'chat' to get more replies. I don't have any experience of this myself but I would have thought you're best off working with the school as much as possible.

DS had a day off in Reception...he ate his lunch too fast, puked and so he came home and then had to have 48 hours away from school, thankfully it was a Friday so he only missed that day.
He's now in Year 2 and not missed any school since the 'scoffing' incident.
He's never ever ill, he's not been to the doctors since his 12 week check up, never had antibiotics, never needs calpol....he just seems to have a good immune system.

I don't think you can predict the health of your children or judge others. I have two children with chronic disease which makes them immunosuppressed. This means that a cough or a cold can become a big deal. People may think I am exaggerated keeping them home with a cough but they didn't see them heave, vomit and heave all night, nor would I necessarily tell them.

On the other hand, my other two healthy children have had ups and downs; some years no days off, some others tonsillitis, norovirus etc

I abhor primary schools rewarding attendance as it feels like a punishment for kids who are unwell and also encourages reckless behaviour, such as sending children in who are ill.

I think my dd in year 3 has had 2 days off since reception. Ds currently in reception and hasn't had a day off yet.
They both went to nursery and had many more days off then so I'm hoping their immunity is pretty good now!

If we had our way, our 7yo son wouldn't have missed any school apart from one D&V episode, But it seems to be that our son only has to sneeze twice, or cry, or seem "out of sorts" and the school is on the phone wanting us to pick him up and bring him home.

I'm actually going to talk to the KS manager, as it's happening too often. Every child gets colds etc, and that's no reason to miss school.

Last school year.

Ds - High school - 99.5% - Had about an hour off for a medical appointment

3 dds, two had 99.5% (were out long enough to nip them to the docs then straight back) and one 100%

They are only off if they are spewing, got the trots or a limb is hanging off.

My daughter is yr 4 (8yrs) and has had two days off for conjunctivitis and two days off for a sickness bug! My son who is still at ore-school has had none. I wouldn't dream If sending them if they are really poorly but they do go if they have a cold but feel pretty ok. We are lucky neither of them are very sickly and they haven't had chicken pox or anything similar.

My older one has had 3 days off actually sick in 8years of school ( but actually more "sick" as when they stopped authorising term time holiday I did take them out for a couple of long weekends a year and just said they had a bug). Little one hasn't had any days off so far. My children don't seem to get ill really ever, an occasional temp or short lived vomitting bug once but that's it!

Dd was in utero when this thread started and is now in Year 8 at secondary school!

My DDs are year 6&4 and have both had only 5 days sick ever max. I send them in with everything unless D&V. If they're ill the school send them home. Most kids can wake up feeling bad but within an hour are happily running round so I'd always send in on the presumption school will ring. Our school actually told us in reception that they prefer this

My DS is 12 and has had 4 days off sick, which includes 3 for chicken pox (rest of chickenpox was over weekend and hols).
I have taken 1 day off work due to sickness, which was the 1 other day he had off. My DH has taken 1 day off and my MIL travelled 100 miles for the other 2 days of chickenpox.

DS is pretty robust. He hasn't committed since he was 4 and although he gets colds, he soldiers on. I think he is healthy and lucky to start with, but he also eats well and sleeps well so tends not to get run down. I. Notice that often those who have lots of little bits of illness here and there - frequent colds and illnesses which parents keep them off for, are often those who don't seem to sleep well and get run down so I guess are susceptible to illness, plus feel more exhausted by it when it comes.

Of course I appreciate some people get more illness than others and it's not down to sleep.

We have been very lucky.

DD has had a grand total of 4 days off sick for heavy colds/ casual vomits in 11 years. She hasn't had any time off since year 4 and is currently in year 10. We've been incredibly fortunate to have a healthy child. On the other hand, some teenage girls in her year seem to have to take 2-3 days off each month with chronic menstrual problems, so in some cases it gets worse as they get older.

Just spotted the zombiesness. Oops!