When your child is unwell, we know it can be hard deciding whether to keep them off school, or not. Not every illness needs to keep your child off school. If you keep your child away from school, make sure you inform the school on the first day of their absence.
Use common sense when deciding whether or not your child is too ill to attend school. Ask yourself the following questions.
· Is your child well enough to do the activities of the school day? If not, keep your child at home.
· Does your child have a condition that could be passed on to other children or school staff? If so, keep your child at home.
· Would you take a day off work if you had this condition? If so, keep your child at home.
Vomiting and Diarrhoea - children with these conditions should be kept off school. They can return 48 hours after their symptoms disappear. Most cases of vomiting or diarrhoea get better without treatment but if symptoms persist, consult your GP.
Inform the school
It is important to inform the school if your child is going to be absent. On the first day of your child’s illness, telephone the school to tell them that your child will be staying at home. The school may ask about the nature of the illness and how long you expect the absence to last.If it becomes clear that your child will be away for longer than expected, phone the school as soon as possible to explain this.
Head lice continue to be a problem in school. We realise that treatment with lotions and foams can be expensive so the following advice is not only effective but also cost effective!
1. Buy a nit comb. We can recommend the “Nitty Gritty” nit comb which is stocked by local pharmacies. This can be reused for years so is worth the investment.
2. Wet hair and cover with conditioner (cheap value conditioner is fine)
3. Starting with the neck area, section the hair and work methodically from root to tip of hair with the nit comb. Concentrate particularly on the areas at the base of the neck and around the ears.
4. Rinse or wipe the comb after each stroke.
5. Repeat this treatment, every three days for three weeks, even if the hair appears to be clear from eggs and lice.
6. Treat the whole family… you too parents!!
7. If necessary, introduce a sticker chart or reward system to praise and encourage your child’s compliance!
8. Once clear, recheck hair with conditioner and the nit comb weekly. This is an excellent way to detect head lice on children who haven’t previously had them. (We should all be checking our children weekly!)
9. Ensure long hair is always tied up at school.