Oh, just had a horrible morning with Yr 1 DS

[PiedWagtail]

He came into our bed at 6 and had a bit of a barking cough... but no temp. Came down, had breakfast, was cheerful. Time to get ready for school - he was fine. Time to GO to school - he tantrummed, lay on the floor and kicked, shouting no, no no.

Had to eventually carry him to car (DH took them to school today - perhaps that was part of the problem? He tends to play up more for DH than me) and they were 10 mins late leaving so dd was upset too (Yr 4 - she hates being late). I hate sending him off to school when he's upset like this.

He was sounding hoarse by the time he left but that was because he's been crying and shouting. DH is less sympathetic and doesn't believe in time off school unless you're at death's door... I was thinking about it because he's obv not feeling 100% but he was ok for breakfast etc - ooh, hard one to call.

WWYD?? Have emailed school to say they wil be late and also to ask them to let me know if he's OK during the day. My baby......

It's a tough one. I'm in the camp of unless at deaths door/contagious, you're going in. That said, I was known when the dc's where at nursery to keep them home if they had a bad night and just wanted some parental time. If it happens again tomorrow, maybe consider keeping him home for a bit of R&R, sending him in Monday unless he's much worse.

Dd (4) woke in the night with the runs, has been again at 6am and nothing since. Is currently bouncing off the walls but of course school has a 48 hour policy for stomach upsets, and she's at that age where she will tell she had runny poo, so I can't get away with sending her in tomorrow. She of course will be devestated tomorrow when she realises she will be missing sticker assembly.

Sokmonsta - we had a kids' book with a sock monster in - is that where your name comes from?! Thanks :) Dh said DS was fine by the time he got to school, but DD was upset at being late!!! Argh.

Sokmonsta - the reason behind the 48 hour rule is that even if your dd has not any more diarrhoea right now she will still be in all likelihood infectious.

Luckily enough you have decided to keep your dd home, unfortunately there are many parents sending children within 48 hours of a tummy bug to school resulting in a tummy bug spreading throughout school like wildfire. Not very nice. Sometimes it even results in a school having to close for a few days just because there are some parents who are unwilling or unable to understand public health.

I usually go by the rule that coughs and colds - go to school.
Anything more serious, eg chest infection, tonsilitis, D&V then DS stays off. I often feel I am the only person at DS's school who sticks to the 48 hour rule and it really irks me. Parents even tell me that little Jack/Jane was sick/ had diarrhoea last night but "seems fine" now. They are still infectious! Grr....

OP perhaps see how he is tomorrow but he will probably be fine. My DS has had a mild cold all week and seems worse today, he often ends up very chesty and if I feel he needs the rest to prevent a chest infection developing he may be off tomorrow so he can have a bit of recuperating/body rest day. But I won't be telling him this, and won't take his attendance rate down unless I feel it's necessary. I have to be quite tough as DS doesn't like school and would be faking at every opportunity if I wasn't.

If mine lay on the floor and shouted "no no no" then I'd be much more likely to send them to school if I was doubtful, because they I know they'd do it again.

I go for evidence to keep them off. Temperature or D&V. I've only twice been phoned to fetch them home, (and once was definitely a skive. Bed for the day cured that one ) and neither's been on a day when they said they felt bad before going in.

DeWe - I agree with you, but he is usually fine about going to school. Today was unlike him - it's how he gets if he's overtired or coming down with something. If he hadn't eaten breakfast and been playing with Daddy I'd have been more inclined to keep him at home, because he does have a barking cough...

Anyway, school have emailed and he's coldy but well apart from that.

piedwagtail I just like socks! I am quite happy to get nice/novelty socks as presents and have been known to be disappointed one year when I didn't get any. Although now you have said there is a book I shall of course be obliged to hunt it out and acquire a copy for the children.

I'm glad your son was fine when he got there. No doubt his sister will make her displeasure at being late known and he won't want to incur her wrath again unless for genuine reasons.

dikkertjedap If it had been a one off in the small wee hours I would likely have sent her. Afterall, once can happen to anyone. But I agree the 48 hour rule is there for a reason. I'm in no doubt DD may just have had too much fruit yesterday, but surely even if parents do consider sending them for their own practical reasons, the embarassment to their small child of soiling themself should be considered. DH was more concerned about that for our reception child than passing any bugs on. He was pretty surprised DD wasn't going to school tomorrow. Tis only a couple of half days she will have missed though and we can get some homework done in relative peace and quiet when the smaller 3 have a nap. Something which is hard to do in the afterschool routine at the moment.