I sent my daughter back to school yesterday after almost two weeks of the virus from hell.  We were fortunate that her illness arrived along with the big snow Tennesseans received a couple of weeks ago so she actually only ended up missing four official school days.  She’s still not completely herself, but after one antibiotic, one steroid pack, one inhaler, one bottle of codeine cough syrup, and AT LEAST one bottle of children’s ibuprofen, she’s well enough to return to school.

I have been so fortunate to be at home with my children during their early years, and it has not been much of a struggle to keep her at home during illnesses. For the last three years, I have been searching out full-time employment, and my chief concern has been that of childcare (for both my two-year-old son, and my school aged daughter when she is sick or out for breaks).  Still, I remain very dedicated to obeying the rules laid out for keeping my children home if they are sick. I believe for everyone’s sake that ALL parents should do the same.

Although attendance policies vary slightly from one school system to another or one daycare to another, there are a few basic rules that usually remain the same.  A child should be kept at home if he/she is experiencing one or more of the following symptoms:

– Vomiting

– Diarrhea

– Contagious rash

– Fever – Most all systems require a child to be FEVER FREE for 24 hours before returning to school/daycare.

This is our first year at the school my daughter attends. I admit that I have not seen first-hand sick children at school. However at the school she previously attended, I listened to a father describe his son’s night spent on the bathroom floor by the toilet (the school had called him to pick up his son due to vomiting and high fever).   I witnessed the mom in the car in front of me in the drop off line administer fever reducer to her child as the child got out of the car.  And I came in contact with several parents who “masked” their children’s fevers and sent them to school, realizing that the timing of the fever meds would allow for a full day of instruction without the visible fever. That is NOT fever free!!!

So, here’s what’s happening…I’m keeping my child home for the average two to three day period. I send her back, where she’s exposed to the children who should have been kept home, but were not. Two weeks later, my child is home sick again.  Now my theory…

If we suck it up, and keep our children home when they need to be home (until they have been fever free for 24 hours), then send them back, eventually, shouldn’t we see children healthier as a whole??? And doesn’t that benefit all of us?

Article by Mandi A.