Most of my friends have asked me what my rule-of-thumb is when it comes to whether or not to send my kids to school when they may-or-may not be sick.
I WOULD send to school if:
my child complains of “not feeling well” but has no specific symptoms.
my child had a rash, but no other symptoms.
my child had a run-of-the-mill cough or cold.
I WOULDN’T send to school if:
my child had a fever of over 100F. I wouldn’t send him or her back to school again until he or she is fever free for over 24 hours.
my child had a rash with other symptoms, including fever, chills, difficulty breathing.
my child had green snot, which is usually the sign of an infection.
my child had diarrhea or vomiting. I wouldn’t send the child back to school until he or she is back eating normally again.
my child was complaining of an ear ache.
Obviously, I am NOT a doctor, and tend to err on the side of caution. I would hate to spread more germs to other children and would hate it if other moms and dads sent their contagious children to school to spread germs to me and my family. At the end of the day, you can always call your doctor for some advice, but Dr. Mom’s gut is usually the best instinct. I tend to know my children’s signs and am starting to distinguish between a nervous tummy and a sick tummy.
what do you think about yellow snot? (add this to the list of things that I never thought I’d ask anyone). Is it just green that’s bad??