Deciding When to Keep Your Sick Child at Home

No parent wants to hear it: “Mommy/Daddy, I don’t feel well.” But how can you tell when your child should stay home and when it’s best for them to “tough it out” and go to school?

The team at Rapid City Healthcare in Irving, Texas suggests you look for the following four signs to know when you should keep your child home from school and call our office for an appointment.

Signs your child should stay home

Keep your child home from school if he or she has any of the following symptoms:

1. Labored breathing

Is your child coughing a lot or having trouble breathing? A persistent but minor cough — the kind most commonly associated with the common cold — isn’t a good reason to keep them home. But it's best to take a doctor immediately if they’re wheezing, coughing up fluids, or struggling to take a deep breath.

2. Severe pain

A minor sore throat, a stomachache, or a mild headache aren’t enough to warrant a day off from school. But if your child is experiencing severe pain, especially in their abdomen, it’s best to keep them home and take them to the doctor. Several vital organs are around that area, so you’ll want to pinpoint what is wrong as soon as possible.

3. Fever 

Is your child running a fever over 100.40°F? They definitely shouldn’t be in the classroom. A fever can indicate an infection when the body starts fighting germs. And if they are fighting something, chances are they’ll be contagious, so they shouldn’t be around peers or teachers. 

Such illnesses usually last a day or two. Call the office to schedule an appointment if their fever doesn’t go down.

4. Vomiting or diarrhea

If your child keeps vomiting or experiencing diarrhea, it’s best to keep them home. Aside from ensuring they don’t get sicker while at school or pass the germs to someone else, you also prevent them from having an embarrassing accident in front of their peers and teachers.

Usually, stomach bugs clear up in 1-3 days. If your child is still vomiting 72 hours after first showing signs of sickness, call the office for a sick child appointment.

Child feeling ill? Bring them to Rapid City Healthcare

While you don’t want your child to miss valuable time in the classroom if they’re only slightly under the weather, it’s best to err on the safe side and let your child stay home if you’re not sure. 

Is your child too sick to go to school? Schedule an appointment with the excellent doctors at Rapid City Healthcare. Call us at (214) 256-1795 or book online.