Working parents who have to take sick days to keep an ill child home from school often have to make a tough call when deciding what is “sick enough” for their kid to miss class.
Dr. Andrew Snyder, medical director of outpatient services for Hasbro Children’s Hospital in Providence, says making that decision means parents have to use objective criteria.
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Fevers over 100 degrees, frequent vomiting or diarrhea, widespread rashes, frequent or painful urination or earaches with fevers always mean that junior has to stay home.
Snyder said it can be difficult for parents to tell when a child absolutely must miss school, especially since multiple emotional, physical and behavioral symptoms can overlap.
“Some parents send them when it’s a close call because they need to get to work and missing work is a big issue,” Snyder said. “However, at the other end of the spectrum, a lot of kids stay home with very minor symptoms.”
Runny noses and coughs that arise without a fever or breathing problems? Then it’s off to math class. Vague complaints of a headache or stomachaches usually shouldn’t warrant a day off, either, Snyder said.
“If you kept them home for every runny nose or cough, they’d never be in school,” Snyder said.
Snyder said most simple childhood illnesses can be treated at home without seeing a doctor. For things like rashes for which the source can’t be identified or urination problems, though, Snyder recommends seeking treatment from a physician.
A child can return to school as soon as the acute symptom – like a fever – disappears, Snyder said, even if they’re still coughing.
Overly optimistic parents who send a possibly ill child to school while trying to manage both their jobs and the child’s schooling normally have a safety net of sorts with school nurses.
“School nurses tend to be appropriately strict,” Snyder said. “If your child develops a fever or starts throwing up when they’re at school, they will be sent home.”
Snyder said children are most likely to pick up viral infections, colds, coughs, runny noses and viral diarrhea in a school environment.
“That’s why it’s so important to teach kids hand washing,” Snyder said. Ideally, children should wash their hands multiple times a day – like before and after eating or after playing with other children. “That’s the best thing you can do.”
Healthy children normally want to go to school and see their friends. If a child is frequently complaining of headaches or stomachaches and doesn’t have any other symptoms, Snyder said the complaints may indicate a larger problem at school or other emotional issues. The reasons can range from trouble with bullies or wanting attention from parents.
“If it’s a chronic symptom, they should at least be evaluated,” Snyder said. “Often those are signs of other stresses going on, not physical, medical illness.”
