When should I keep my child home from school?

During cold and flu season, children tend to be exposed to more germs, more often. Unfortunately, that means that kids tend to be sicker during this time of year. As a parent, it can be difficult to know when it's best to keep your child home, and when it's safe to send them to school or daycare.

“While it can feel like your child is constantly sick and you may wonder if your child has a problem with their immune system, it’s actually typical for a healthy child to have 10+ episodes of mild illness in a given year,” says Dr. MacKenzie Rinaldi, Pediatrician at Palouse Pediatrics, with Pullman Regional. “When this is condensed into October-March, it can feel like a never-ending cycle! Proper nutrition, sleep, hydration and hygiene are our best techniques to minimize the frequency of illness and get us all back to work/school quickly.”

The Academy of Pediatrics provides some guidance around keeping your child home from school and childcare. The following symptoms warrant keeping your child home:

• Fever: A fever is defined as a temperature of 100.4°F or higher. Children should stay home until they are fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medication. If your infant is under 2 months old and develops a fever, contact their doctor right away, even if there are no other symptoms.
• Vomiting: Children should stay home if they have vomited two or more times in the past 24 hours, unless it's confirmed that the vomiting is due to a non-communicable or non-infectious condition and they are not at risk of dehydration.
• Diarrhea: While this rule doesn’t necessarily apply to older children, they should be kept home if diarrhea leads to accidents. Children in diapers must stay home if their stool cannot be contained.
• Abdominal pain: Abdominal pain lasting more than two hours, or intermittent pain accompanied by a fever or other symptoms, is another reason to keep your child home.

“Trust your parent-gut and keep your child home if you are worried,” Dr. Rinaldi suggests. “Generally, if they are fever free for 24 hours, able to eat/drink enough to stay hydrated, and have enough energy to participate, they can return to daycare and school.”

Kids don’t need to stay home for just a runny nose or mild cough. It is important to remind them to wash their hands after blowing their nose and to cough into their elbow, not their hands. If your child has a cough, having them wear a mask is an effective way to reduce the spread of germs to classmates. Keeping up with vaccinations, including your child’s annual flu shot, is also a great way to help prevent illness from spreading.

Some schools and daycares have their own guidelines for when a child needs to stay home and when they can return, so always check with your facility to ensure you’re complying with their rules as well.

Palouse Pediatrics is here to help your kids get back on their feet and feeling better whenever they need it. We have same-day appointments available at both of our Pullman and Moscow locations. Plus, our on-call pediatrician is available 24/7 for any after-hours emergencies. Give us a call in Pullman (509) 332-2605 or in Moscow (208) 882-2247.