KidsHappen Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 12 yr. old dd has had cough for two weeks also maybe a little congestion. Before today she already missed two days of school because she has been coughing so bad that she would have been a disruption. Over the weekend she spent a lot of time inside laying around watching tv (not like her at all). Last night she was up all night coughing. I got her up for school. She didn't eat breakfast because she had an upset stomach but otherwise got ready no problems so I know it wasn't just an I-want-to-sleep-in kind of thing. As she is walking out the door she says, no way, can't do it and goes back to bed. She just woke up. In the mean time, 10 yr. old dd get up says she doesn't feel good. Upset stomach and only wants toast for breakfast. I should have known then and just sent her back to bed. But no, I send her and tell her if she doesn't feel good later then she can always call. Sure enough the nurse calls and says she doesn't have a fever but is definitely sick can I came get her? Now all three of us are having runny noses, some sneezing, coughing, headache, upset stomach, chills, the kind of fatigue that literally puts you to sleep for hours, and general aches and pains. All symptoms of the flu but NO FEVER. The school will take a couple of write in sick notices but for several days out they want a fever. There is no point in taking them to the doctor as I don't think that there is anything he can do and I don't want to contaminate any other people. If I was still homescooling these two it would be no problem at all but school complicates matters. So how long do I keep them home with no fever? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionfamily1999 Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 I'd call and speak to the school nurse. Here, she can write an excuse if she's seen the child (or sibling) and can verify illness. Of course, if they're out more than a few days (3?) they'll want a doctor's note, if only to show that you are not being neglectful of their health. Not to say you would be neglectful if you didn't take them to the doc's. Your reasons sound valid to me (and if it's a virus, what's the point?), but the school wants someone else's authority on that ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionfamily1999 Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 Because the schools assume that the parents are not taking their kids to the doctors because they don't care that their children are sick. Remember, these are the same folks that don't, for the most part, trust parents to teach basic hygiene to their children. Of course, they're going to assume the kids are not going to doctors because Mom and Dad are too backwards or stupid to take them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babysparkler Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 I had that same issue many times the past couple of years that dd was in public school. I don't take my dc to the pedi unless they have something that requires attention, and so I would just send them back to school with a signed note from ME saying that they had a virus and were not able to come to school. I figured that if they ever came to me needing a note from a doctor that I would ask them to pay the copay for me;). We never had any problems. I was also always sure to speak directly to her teacher and request all missed assignments to be sent home (or I would pick them up), so they couldn't complain that she was missing anything. I hope you all feel better soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionfamily1999 Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 I guess it is good I decided to homeschool. I'd probably be in jail by now otherwise....LOL :rofl: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secular_mom Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 Mine were sick for one week with no fever, then their temps started creeping up. I could only get an appt. for one child, so I took ds who was worse off than the others. They did a flu test (had him blow his nose into a cup) and it came back positive. We both wore masks while in the waiting room, and they didn't keep us in the waiting room long before they put us in the exam room to wait for the Dr. I say try to get them seen, they can do the flu test and see if that's what they have, and at least the Dr. will see that they are sick and you'll have a Dr.'s note to send to the school. I would hate to use up unexcused absence days when it's really not necessary. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 Maybe they feel a fever coming on. Warm drinks, then take their temps. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fivetails Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 The school will take a couple of write in sick notices but for several days out they want a fever. There is no point in taking them to the doctor as I don't think that there is anything he can do and I don't want to contaminate any other people. If I was still homescooling these two it would be no problem at all but school complicates matters. So how long do I keep them home with no fever? So tell the school that they have a fever. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyK Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 This is interesting. Our school *wants* you to keep the kids home if you at all think they're too sick to be there. There's a lot of push that direction (to keep home when sick), and there's no need to get a doctor note. Since H1N1 it seems to have gotten even more aggressive. I just got a big glossy handout about all the symptoms to keep kids home, and major congestion, cough were listed. Here they seem more worried about the pressure on parents from work to send kids even if unwell. But what really puzzles me is this -- I can't get a doctor appointment here for something like that. I have to talk to the nurse, and she basically talks you out of coming in for something like that. So I'm not sure how I'd get a doctor note if I wanted one. :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted September 9, 2009 Author Share Posted September 9, 2009 This is interesting. Our school *wants* you to keep the kids home if you at all think they're too sick to be there. There's a lot of push that direction (to keep home when sick), and there's no need to get a doctor note. Since H1N1 it seems to have gotten even more aggressive. I just got a big glossy handout about all the symptoms to keep kids home, and major congestion, cough were listed. Here they seem more worried about the pressure on parents from work to send kids even if unwell. But what really puzzles me is this -- I can't get a doctor appointment here for something like that. I have to talk to the nurse, and she basically talks you out of coming in for something like that. So I'm not sure how I'd get a doctor note if I wanted one. :001_huh: Well, the reason nurses are doing that is because basically there is nothing that a doctor can do for the flu and if you go to the doctor you are just going to contaminate all of the other people there. If you are sick enough that you really need a doctor then you need to be in a hospital. The school has been very proactive about if your child has the flu keep them home. They have also said that you do not need to send a doctor's note if your child has the flu. My problem is I am not sure if they have the flu since they don't have a fever. If I keep them home for a few days now and it turns out they don't actually have the flu now and then later they get the flu and miss days then, well then, you are talking a lot of missed days and that's when the PS system starts talking truancy. :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyK Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 Well, the reason nurses are doing that is because basically there is nothing that a doctor can do for the flu and if you go to the doctor you are just going to contaminate all of the other people there. If you are sick enough that you really need a doctor then you need to be in a hospital. I totally hear you, and I agree. I'm just thinking it doesn't make sense for the schools to require a doctor note if your doctor's offices (like ours) don't want to see you for every virus. And that's terrible about truancy -- maybe it is just because my kids are in elementary that I've never heard about that, or maybe it is a regional difference. My kids go to a really diverse school, with a fair amount of transfers, and I do know kids that miss a lot of days because their parents have something that conflicts with bringing them, and the kids live too far to walk or ride bikes. I think those parents get talked to sometimes, but I've never heard of that for too many sick days. I'm really sorry you have to deal with that. That would be a bummer to worry about on top of sick kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fivetails Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 The school has been very proactive about if your child has the flu keep them home. They have also said that you do not need to send a doctor's note if your child has the flu. My problem is I am not sure if they have the flu since they don't have a fever. If I keep them home for a few days now and it turns out they don't actually have the flu now and then later they get the flu and miss days then, well then, you are talking a lot of missed days and that's when the PS system starts talking truancy. :confused: Then don't label it "flu". Tell the school that they're sick - use the word 'feverish' if you have to - and in bed and don't feel obligated to answer anymore questions -- the school isn't your doctor, what business is it of theirs as to *exactly* what symptoms your kids have? If they get the flu later, keep them home then as well. These aren't kids (I assume) who are known for skipping, mouthing off, stealing, graffiti, smoking in the bathroom, or other types of trouble, right? What school/board is going to waste their TIME and their MONEY chasing after good students who stayed home sick? They'd just come out looking foolish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OHGrandma Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 The school has been very proactive about if your child has the flu keep them home. They have also said that you do not need to send a doctor's note if your child has the flu. My problem is I am not sure if they have the flu since they don't have a fever. If I keep them home for a few days now and it turns out they don't actually have the flu now and then later they get the flu and miss days then, well then, you are talking a lot of missed days and that's when the PS system starts talking truancy. :confused: So, you let them know they've been home sick with flu symptoms. They might have it, might not; but they're definitely sick and the only symptom they don't have on the list of H1N1 is the fever. And the fever is not always present in H1N1! If they get sick later with flu symptoms, it could be a different strain since they expect the typical flu's to come around, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 (edited) If there's no fever, headache or upset stomach I send mine. For a cough that can be controlled I do send them. From what I understand the schools will let a child have a cough drops as needed. Sometimes mom knows best. If they are relaly feeling misreable and you know that one day of rest is all that is needed to get through the worst of a cold, I go with that. Unlike my mother, I do let my middle son who suffers from allergies to stay home 1 day in his room with the hepa filter which cuts down his allergy duration and misery. Edited September 9, 2009 by lynn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HRAAB Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 I guess it is good I decided to homeschool. I'd probably be in jail by now otherwise....LOL I'd probably being sharing your cell. I am so glad I'm not dealing with these issues. Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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