Sickness and School

My son's school doesn't have a nurse on duty, but they do have a room tucked away near the principal's office where a student who's sick could rest and sleep a bit while they wait for their parents to pick them up. It takes me a good hour to get out of work and pick my son if he's sick. I've done this a couple of times. As far as notes are concerned, the school gives out the note. And I just sign it saying that my son is already fine and is ready to go back to school.

In my opinion, schools are just helping out the kids be sissys! lol I understand why they called yesterday... and its still a little ridiculous right at the end of the school day to call and have you come get her. Its like "c'mon, really? She's been with those kids ALL day! Just throw her on the bus!" But as far as them not letting her there today b/c of no doctor's note saying she can come back? Last I heard, the teachers and principals are supposed to encourage children to stay IN school, not help find excuses to send them home! If she was snotting all over the school or something like that then I could see their concern. But if she feels fine and WANTS to go to school, then who are they to stop her? Did you call the nurse after you checked her temp at home? I'd be raising hell my dear! I don't know if you work or not, but not you're missing a day of work b/c of no doctors permission note? I think that's a load of BS personally. It might be b/c of the whole "swine flu" thing that has swept the nation's attention and $$ - but c'mon. I don't know dorannmwin - I think I'd start rattling a few chains to see what's up. Also, if the school changed their sick kid policy, like about the note... then you should have been informed of it when that change was made....

For my children, I know that it's the school's policy that if the child had a fever the day before or if the child was vomiting the day before, they don't want the child back the next day. But if I didn't know that was the policy, I certainly would have listened to the doctor and sent her back in if she was feeling OK. Still in this case, since she did have a wee bit of a fever, I would have just picked her up and brought her home and mentally noted the fact, for next time, that they want a doctor's note.

Schools don't want to take any chances with children at school these days just in case they get sued.When I was at school and felt ill we were taken to rest room and put to bed,we had a teacher who looked after us.Things have changed so much these days,we were even given a disprin if we were poorly.We were looked after properly in those days.It is not in their interests to do anything but educate the kids these day,it is the health and safety people that have ruined it for everyone.A note to say she has been off sick but a letter from the doctor is just over the top.I am just glad all mine have grown up and don't have the nonsense you poor parents have to these days.

I would call the doctor and get him to fax a note to the school, shouldn't be too much of an issue after that. This is something I am not looking forward too come school years. Cheers.

Hi Dorann No, I didn't go through those issues as long as I followed school policy. It was fine, as I did not want others exposed, nor did I want my child in school and not feeling well. I think the bigger concern this year involves the H1N1 flu, so they are taking the side of caution...not really a bad thing at all. That stuff is so dangerous. I do hope she is well soon. Karen

well, no, not many schools here in ontario (canada) have school nurses so it is up to the teachers and you dont need a note to go back to school either. the secretary at my daughters school has called once or twice to pick my daughter because of tummy issues but thats about it.

hi dorannmwin temps in kids fluctuate but the schools I suppose' have their rules and sometimes its best with a sinus infection' to let the child stay home a day or two. I found several times when I pushed our son, he got sick all over again because he was not really over the bad cold that turned into the flu and was out for two whole weeks. a few days missed might be worth it in the long run.

I suppose if their thermometer is reading 100.1, that is a good enough reason for them to say she should be at home. If your thermometer has a different reading, one of them must be wrong! As your daughter doesn't feel ill, then it is more likely that the school one is wrong. A sinus infection isn't something that can be spread so if you could resolve the temperature issue I think she should be back at school. I do sympathise with you, as it is very hard to get it right with schools. On another occassion f you kept your daughter at home they would complain about that!

Well I can understnad where the schools are coming from but I also understand your frustration as well. I think it is more of a safety precaution as to why they will not let her back in but I am also not real sure as to why they just can't take her tempature and see that she no longer has the fever. Is there a way you can just call the clinic for the excuse? I have never really had any real problems with my kids school but I know that just the other day my friends daughter got sick about an hour or so after she arrived to school and was throwing up so she went to the nurse and the nurse allowed her to sit in her office for over an hour continuously throwing up before she contacted her mother so she could get her to the doctor or emergency room. I think that is just sad, they are very lucky it didn't turn out worse. After her mother was able to make it to the doctors office she was told that she had a mild case of food poisoning.

I think with the Swine flu going around the schools are taking precautions. I know at the college I attended my friend had to stay out of school for a week because they had thought she had the Swine Flu and it turned out she never had it in the first place. She was upset because she had missed classes and she had an exam that she missed.

There were a couple of times where I was sent home because I was too sick. Mostly in my younger years. One of them was absurd, like within thirty more minutes last of the day. I really could have gutted it out and just stayed home the next day. Regardless, I absolutely hate being sick. One hundred percent hate it. Thankfully I was not sick all too often. And I only missed school when I could not absolutely pry myself out of bed. Not to mention, even that, that was not for lack of trying. I felt like I was forever catching up. I remember when I was struck down with the flu during my Sophomore year of High School. Missed two days, felt out of the groove for about two weeks. Anyway, I got a bit off balance. I think children who miss school for just being slightly ill, its just a bit frustrating to me. Still, I think schools overreact because they do not want to be the subject of lawsuits. In other words, just covering their own backsides.

Well in our school where I worked, school nurses usually keep our students who are not feeling well in our clinic. They will stay at the clinic awhile and send them back to their classrooms if they are already in good conditions. But there are cases that we call their parents and send them home.