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: When is a child too sick to go to school?
DEAR DR.PAUL: I have a question that seems simple, but
I feel is an important one. How do you know when your child is
too sick to go to school? Thank you.
PEDIATRICIAN DR.PAUL Answers: This is a very basic
question with a broad answer. In today's society where often
both parents work, what to do with a sick child at home during
the day is an issue that complicates matters. I want to qualify
my answer however by saying that parents know their child best
and can eventually learn to judge when a child is too unwell
to go to school.
Aside from the real social issue related to both parents or
a parent (in a single-parent family) working without any readily
available child care support, I have broken down the decision
process to the following criteria:
- Is the child contagious? Most children with a viral infection
are contagious during the first few days. Children with chicken
pox are contagious as long as the skin spots are still full
of liquid, usually for about four days. Once the chicken pox
lesions dry and become crusty, the child is no longer contagious.
In the case of a bacterial infection such as a Strep Throat,
a child is no longer considered contagious after a period
of 48 hours if she has been on antibiotics. We do not consider
a child with an ear infection (Otitis Media) to be contagious.
- Is the child actively vomiting and/or having diarrhea?
This, of course, is a reason not to send a child to school.
The classroom is not a good place to be sick in. Additionally,
in this situation, we want to keep an eye on the child to
make sure he is not dehydrated, and to provide the necessary
fluids at home to prevent dehydration.
- How uncomfortable is the child? Is there any pain or other
symptoms that are making the child uncomfortable? For example,
is there a headache? Is the nose very stuffy? Does the throat
hurt a lot? Does the child have ear pain? If the answer is
yes and the pain makes the child uncomfortable, chances are
the child will not be able to concentrate and perform well
at school and should stay home, rest and take the necessary
treatment, if any.
- Is the child tired and/or listless? If so, the last thing
she needs is to go to school. Rest in bed would be better.
What I described above is a general outline or checklist to run
through that I think is useful in helping decide whether or not
a child is too sick to go to school. Of course, if still unsure,
your doctor can give you some specific advice.
Finally, here is a real common sense tip: when trying to
make this decision, put yourself in your child's position. If
you had a particular symptom or illness, would you send yourself
to school? |
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designed to be an educational aid only. It is not intended to
replace the advice and care of your child's physician, nor is
it intended to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment. If
you suspect that your child has a medical condition, always
consult a physician.
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