10 Signs Your Child Should Stay Home
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When immunities are down and illness shows up, it's smarter for kids to skip school.
Even the healthiest child can come down with a case of the sniffles. But how do you know if your child's symptoms are serious enough to keep her home from school or day care?
Stay Home
"Two main reasons that a child should not attend school are fever over 101°F within the last 24 hours and the inability to focus on schoolwork due to illness," says Dr. Jennifer Shu, Atlanta-based pediatrician and co-author of Food Fights (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2007). "If a child is tired or in a great deal of pain-whether from an earache, stomachache or sore throat-she's better off recuperating at home."
Signs your child may need to lay low include:
- Fever over 101°F
- Excessive fatigue
- Rashes
- Severe pain
- Difficulty breathing
- Frequent cough
- Thick eye discharge
- Dehydration, with symptoms such as dry mouth, infrequent urination, and lack of tears
- Repeated episodes of vomiting or diarrhea
- Inability to concentrate due to sickness
For any of these symptoms, parents should seek medical advice before letting their child return to school.
Feel Better
To help your child feel better as he gets well, Shu suggests these tried-and-true tips:
- For dehydration: Offer plenty of water and other fluids, such as water mixed with 100 percent juice for extra flavor and nutrients, plus frozen 100 percent juice pops and gelatin.
- For the common cold: If he's old enough, give him chicken soup, which can reduce congestion and inflammation.
- For difficulty breathing: Use a vaporizer or humidifier to soothe and clear airways.
- For a cough: Consider products that contain camphor, menthol and eucalyptus oil. Honey is a natural remedy that's safe for children 1 year and older.
For all illnesses, keep your child at home in bed or on the couch to make sure she rests. "Most childhood illnesses are caused by viruses and kids will get better within a few days to a week," says Shu. "If symptoms last longer or seem severe, it could be a sign of a more serious infection that should be checked by a doctor, or your child may need antibiotics."