Dear Teachers,

My child seems to be sick more than other children in his class. Although I would prefer to stay home with him, I sometimes take him in when he is just a little sick and feel guilty. What can I do to keep my child healthy?

– Sick of Feeling Guilty

 

Dear Sick,

Your concern and guilt are understood. We’ve ALL been there.

One of the best ways to stem the spread of infection is to keep your child home when they are ill. This socially conscious yet tough call is one that your childʼs teachers and classmatesʼ families appreciate. Not only does staying home allow your child the chance to heal, it also limits their exposure to more germs when their resistance is weakened. When your child is truly ill, all they want is you in the soothing comfort of their own home.

Our first obligation is to ensure that your child and their classmates remain healthy and safe. Teachers perform a visual health check of each child upon their arrival. If your child looks or acts unusually tired or uncharacteristically out of sorts, it is immediately noted. Often children know they are ill but lack the verbal skills to express their feelings or symptoms. Older children openly share sleep/health problems and medicines taken with teachers. Young children usually get more colds because of their developing immune systems and exposure to germs on a daily basis through friends. To support good health at the centers, each childʼs nap items are kept separated, toys are regularly machine washed or sanitized, and tissue use and disposal is supervised. Hand washing with soap and water is the single most effective way to prevent the spread of germs and is uniformly enforced in our rooms. When an ill child is identified through fever, for example, they are isolated until the parent arrives to limit the spread of infection to classmates. The child may return to school twenty- four hours after their temperature has returned to normal.

At home, you are hopefully taking the same precautions along with determining the amount of sleep, stress level, and nutrients/supplements in your childʼs diet which together all help to fight off illness. For those families with chemically sensitive or asthmatic children, a complete ban on chemical and environmental triggers such as scents, cleaners, hairspray and exposure to second hand smoke is necessary.

Occasionally, you will need to find other arrangements for your sick child on short notice. Your family should discuss this inevitability in advance and have a plan in place. Something as simple as parents alternating days off to care for their sick child works for some. Perhaps one parent has more flexible hours or the potential of working from home. Relatives are an obvious alternative for those lucky enough to have them nearby. Medical professionals may keep a list of sick-child providers for which you register in advance of use. Companies may provide sick child care as an employee benefit. If you belong to a social or religious organization, there may be families who would trade services: a stay-at- home mom may care for your sick child for a day in exchange for an evening out for them.