Jun 25, 09 | Posted by: Sharyl Paley, M.D.

When children are sick home is the best place to be.

Being a doctor is very rewarding but sometimes it can be frustrating as well.  As doctors, we work hard to keep children well and when they are sick, get them better faster.  Unfortunately, often we are working against illness that spread quickly and easily.  Every day I see kids that are sick and continue to go to daycare, school, or camp.  I understand the pressures that children may give because they say- “but I really, really want to go.”  I also understand the pressure of being a working parent and trying to figure out how I can miss another day of work, but sick kids really do belong home.  There are many problems with sick kids at school or daycare.  The most obvious is infecting other children.  This is how diseases spread so rapidly through daycare.  I often here – “well I gave my child Tylenol in the morning so they didn’t have a fever.”  This does not mean that your child is no longer sick or contagious but simply that the illness is kept at bay with medication.  Four to six hours later your child’s fever will return and you will have to go get them.  During this time of course they will have had toys in their mouth, sneezed on other kids, or drooled on the floor.  Kids that come into contact with these toys or the floor will pick up the same germs and get sick.  Hence the rapid and easy spreading.  This is the most common reason to keep children home.  There is another reason that we as parents don’t often think of, when you are sick your resistance is down which makes it easier to get the next illness.  Sending your child to daycare, school, or camp when sick may increase their susceptibility to other illness, allowing your child to be sick longer.  We all know what is like to have sick kids and having this go on longer is no fun for anyone – parent or child.  One final reason for keeping your child home is that in the end, they really don’t have as much fun or learn as much because they are sick.  Even with Tylenol, they are still sick and still just a bit off.  What they really need is rest, sleep, liquids, and a lot of TLC.  This they don’t usually get at daycare to the degree that they would at home.

So please keep your child home if they are sick.  They should be at least 24 hours without any fever (without Tylenol or Motrin), diarrhea, or vomiting.  They should also be acting like themselves.  If they are sleepy, cranky, or just not right, then keep them home one more day.

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