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What ARE the Rules About Sickness and Daycare/School?


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We’ve all had that ‘ughhh’ moment as a busy parent. You go through your morning routine, go to wake up your child, and are met with a fever, snotty nose, or yuks that were chucked in the middle of the night.

We also have all had that ‘it’s ok, we’ll still go to school’ moment of desperation.

I can’t tell you the number of times that I’ve been tempted to take my kiddos to someone who was willing and able to watch them, and not have to cancel my plans.

I CAN tell you the number of times that we’ve shared germs and come down with gunk from three different schools, hospitals, and other shared play centers. It’s not fun, and it can be slightly more preventable.

While it’s impossible to figure out where kids pick up a majority of their ills, it’s easier to keep your child home and wait until they cease showing signs of an active illness before sharing space with caregivers, classmates and playmates.

But what is that time frame?

A good rule of thumb, for most symptoms, is 24 hours symptom free (not 24 hours since being sick).

With a fever, it’s usually 24 hours from the moment fever breaks.

If you’re dealing with a rash, runny nose, or other cold symptoms, the usual recommendation is 24 hours after medicating the symptom.

The only one that I am a strict and stringent germaphobe about is stomach bugs.

Kids puke SO MUCH. The stomach bug is SO EASY to catch. And a majority of the time, it’s because families are throwing their kids back into the mix of socialization without absence of those germs.

With stomach illness, it’s recommended to wait at least 24 hours-36 since the last instance of getting sick.

I like to extend this to 48. I also wipe down with a 10% bleach solution EVERYTHING my child touches.

We throw away toothbrushes.

We disinfect and sterilize sippy cups.

All clothes and blankets and bedding? In the wash.

But, Heather! 48 hours?! Dude I have WORK.

I get it. It sucks.

But it sucks too to infect others, and/or to push it, send your kid, and have them reinfect themselves with the same germs that they got in the first place.

If you’re not sure what to follow, ask your nanny, sitter, or school nurse for a guide of their own individual policies, since they may be slightly different.

And, as we head into the cold and flu season, godspeed for a smooth, illness free one!

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