Is your child too ill to go to school? The 8 vital reasons they should be kept at home, and when they should be in class

It’s simple to assume your child should remain home from school when they are sick.

However, a lot of parents may be preventing their children from attending school needlessly.

They don’t necessarily have to skip out just because a health issue seems dangerous or contagious.

Furthermore, once a patient has begun therapy, many illnesses, even those that may be more severe, are generally seen as harmless.

“January is the beginning of a new term, with new things to learn and new friends to make,” stated Dr. Richard Pebody, director of clinical and emerging infections at the UK Health Security Agency.

“Aside from being inconvenient for parents and caregivers who must miss work, time off school might interfere with learning.

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“This is why it s important to know when to keep your child at home and when to send them to school.”

“We are aware that the Covid-19 pandemic may have caused some parents to feel less confident with assessing whether their child is well enough to be in school, so we have laid out some information which we hope you will find helpful,” said Professor Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, who is eager to address high absenteeism rates.

“Educational and health specialists generally believe that school attendance is essential to children’s and youths’ prospects in life.

“Throughout life, attending school enhances socialization, health, and wellbeing; the biggest advantages are experienced by children and youth who attend on a regular basis.

“It is usually appropriate for parents and carers to send their children to school with mild respiratory illnesses, however children should not be sent to school if they have a temperature of 38C or above.”

Here, we outline the precise times when it’s safe for a sick child to attend school and when it’s imperative that they stay at home.

Coughs and colds

According to the NHS, sending your child to school with a normal cold or a little cough is generally safe.

However, if they have a fever, they have to stay at home and not go back until it passes.

Additionally, parents should teach their children to wash their hands frequently and to discard any used tissues.

Whooping cough

According to the UKHSA, children who have a severe cough, such as whooping cough, which causes people to gasp for air, or pertussis, should not attend school.

Two days after beginning antibiotic treatment, or 21 days after the onset of symptoms if the medication is not taken, they may reappear.

High temperature

Until the temperature drops and they feel better, anyone with a high temperature (over 38C) should stay at home.

Sore throat

You may feel compelled to keep your child out of the classroom if they complain of sore throat.

However, as long as they don’t have a fever, the NHS and UKHSA say it’s usually okay for youngsters to attend.

Chickenpox

Children who have chickenpox should be kept apart until all of their blisters have formed.

According to the NHS, this often occurs five days after the spots first appeared.

Conjunctivitis

Surprisingly, children with conjunctivitis, commonly referred to as red or pink eye, are not excluded for any period of time.

Nonetheless, parents must to consult a pharmacist and advise their children to wash their hands frequently and refrain from rubbing their eyes.

Respiratory infections

Children who are otherwise healthy but have minor symptoms, like an arunny nose or an ache in the front of their nose, can still attend class.

However, kids must remain at home if they are obviously ill and have a high temperature.

A child should miss three days of school if they test positive for COVID-19.

Flu

The NHS cautions that children who have the flu should not attend school because they could spread the illness to their peers.

According to government guidelines, they must remain at home until they are completely recovered.

Diarrhoea and vomiting

Vomiting and diarrhea can be caused by a variety of things, including parasites and noroviruses, but all of them require children to be absent.

Returning to nursery or school 48 hours after symptoms have subsided is usually safe.

Different recommendations could be necessary if a specific cause, like E. coli or hepatitis A, has been established. Consult your doctor or dial 111.

Ear infection

Seeing a doctor isn’t always essential because ear infections heal themselves.

However, children must remain at home until they feel better or their fever goes down if symptoms include a high temperature or significant pain.

How to keep kids safe

As students return to school, they run the risk of contracting numerous harmful diseases because classrooms are serving as breeding grounds for winter illnesses.

However, specialists believe there are several easy ways to maintain them as healthy as possible. The recommendation is to:

It’s a significant time of year, as kids begin the new school year,” stated Dr. Richard Pebody, director of clinical and emerging infections at UKHSA.

“There are simple steps you can take to help stop the spread of nasty illness in the next few weeks of winter, including making sure your child is regularly washing their hands, knowing when to keep your child off school and ensuring they are up to date with vaccinations.”

Measles

Since measles is extremely contagious, it is imperative that you avoid contact with others while infected.

A high temperature, a runny or blocked nose, sneezing, coughing, and red, painful, and watery eyes are typically the initial symptoms.

A raised, blotchy rash may then develop once spots start to show up in the mouth.

Four days following the rash’s start, children are deemed too sick to attend school.

They can then come back when they’re well enough.

Scabies

Over the past few years, the number of scabies cases has increased.

Mites are the cause of a painful rash, which spreads through intimate skin contact.

Therefore, receiving treatment right away is crucial before seeing others.

After their initial course of therapy, children can return to nursery or school, but close contacts and the household also need treatment at the same time.

Scarlet fever

A doctor must prescribe medicines to treat your child if they have scarlet fever; otherwise, they will remain contagious for two to three weeks.

High fever, sore throat, and enlarged neck glands are typically the first signs of the infectious infection. Twelve to forty-eight hours later, a red rash that resembles sandpaper appears.

After taking antibiotics, your child can return to school 24 hours later.

Tonsillitis

An infection of the tonsils at the back of the throat is called tonsillitis.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, it usually doesn’t necessitate sick leave.

Children should remain at home until their temperature drops and they feel better, though, if it is higher than 38C.

Head lice

Every parent’s worst dread is Nits.

To help curb the spread in schools, parents spend hours attempting to get lice off their kids’ hair.

According to the NHS, however, “there is no need for children to stay off school or to wash laundry on a hot wash”—just let their teacher know.

Ringworm

Consult a pharmacist if your child has ringworm (unless it’s on their scalp, in which case you should visit a general practitioner).

However, when they have begun therapy for the fungal infection, which results in a scaly and occasionally itchy rash, they are okay to go to school.

However, you ought to inform their professors that they possess it.

Cold sores

According to the NHS, there’s no reason to keep your child home from school if they have a cold sore.

However, it does advise parents to warn their kids not to share cups or towels, kiss anyone, or touch the blister.

This is due to the fact that they are infectious from the time you first experience tingling until it fully goes away.

When to call 999

In cases of life-threatening emergency, YOU should dial 999.

For kids, this consists of:

• Seizure
• Choking
• Difficulty breathing (grunting noises, stomach sucking under rib cage)
• Unable to stay awake (can’t keep eyes open for more than a few seconds)
• Blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, tongue or lips
• Limp and floppy (head falls to the side, backwards or forwards)
• Heavy bleeding (spraying, pouring, making a puddle)
• Severe injuries (after a serious accident or assault)
• Signs of a stroke (face dropping on one side, unable to hold both arms up, difficulty speaking)
• Sudden and rapid swelling (lips, mouth, throat, tongue)
• Sudden confusion (agitation, odd behaviour, non-stop crying)

Source: NHS

Mumps

“Hamster face” is a common term used to describe the painful swellings that the mumps develops on the side of the face.

Since the virus spreads so easily, children who have it are unable to go back to school until five days after the swelling first started.

Seeing a general practitioner is also crucial.

Rubella

Rubella, often known as German measles, is an uncommon disease that results in a patchy rash.

It usually gets better within a week, but it can be serious so it is important to avoid the classroom until five days after the rash begins.

During this time, students must get plenty of rest, stay hydrated and take painkillers if uncomfortable.

Impetigo

Impetigo, a very contagious skin infection which causes red sores and blisters, requires treatment from a GP, usually in the form of antibiotics.

The NHS says it is important to keep children off school until all the sores have crusted over and healed, or for 48 hours after they start treatment.

They should also be encouraged to wash their hands regularly, and not to share towels and cups with their peers.

Diphtheria

Diphtheriais a rare infection that affects the nose and throat, and sometimes the skin.

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Avoiding social contact when you have it is essential, as is getting treatment.

Family members of those affected must also stay at home until cleared by health officials.

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