A Parent's Guide to Sick Days, School Rules, and Staying Sane Through Cold & Flu Season
Every new school year comes with a new wave of germs. Here's how to get through the rest of cold and flu season like a pro.
Why everyone gets sick in the first month of school (and why it's normal)
New classrooms mean new immune systems meeting each other for the first time, and young kids get sick a lot: children typically catch 6 to 10 colds a year, and in families with kids in school or daycare, that number can climb as high as 12. Those illnesses cluster at the start of the school year, and it isn't a sign your daycare or school is doing anything wrong. The same pattern shows up every year, all around the world.
Young children are especially susceptible for three reasons: they haven't yet built immunity to many of these viruses, their hygiene habits are still developing (think hands in mouths, wiping runny noses with the back of their hands, normal toddler things) and they're in frequent close contact with other children, many of which are shedding virus. And there's a lot to build immunity against. More than 110 distinct types of rhinovirus (also known as the common cold) have been identified, and new strains appear every cold and flu season.
If you have more than one child, you've watched one cold become everyone's cold. The research backs that up. In a Canadian study, the illness peak hit school-age children an average of 17.7 days after Labor Day, preschoolers at 19.4 days, and adults at 24 days, a sequence suggesting the viruses traveled from school-age kids to the younger children then to the adults around them.
So every rough first month of the school year is your kids' immune systems doing their job. Speaking from experience, it does get easier, year by year.
The “can they go today?” quick check
Every school and daycare’s policy differs slightly, so your school handbook is the final word, but these rules are nearly universal, and knowing them saves the 7am scramble:
Keep them home if, in the last 24 hours, they’ve had:
A fever of 100.4°F or higher (they need to be fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication before returning to school)
Vomiting or diarrhea
Any rash you can't explain, until a doctor clears it
Eye redness with discharge, until treated or cleared
Usually fine to go with a mild runny nose or lingering cough with no fever, normal energy, and the ability to participate in day-to-day activities.
Your sick week survival kit
Stock these now, while everyone's healthy:
A working thermometer (we’ve found that ear thermometers are most accurate for babies, big kids, and adults)
Infant or children's fever reducer medications (check dosing with your pediatrician)
Sore throat relief lollipops
Electrolyte drinks (and electrolyte popsicles for the days the promise of a “special drink” won’t do the trick)
Saline nasal spray
A humidifier
Future you will be grateful you have all of this on-hand.
Track it while it happens (your pediatrician will thank you)
If you do end up at the doctor, the questions are always the same: When did the fever start? How high did it get? When was the last dose of medication, and what dose are you giving? How many times have they been sick this year?
Jot it down as you go: temperatures with times, every medication dose, symptoms as they appear. It prevents accidental double-dosing when two tired parents are trading shifts, and it turns "I think it started Tuesday?" into confident answers at the appointment.
When to call the doctor
Most colds run their course at home, but pediatric experts flag a few signs that mean it's time to call:
Fever in a young baby: any temperature of 100.4°F or higher in a baby younger than 3 months.
A fever that lingers: more than 24 hours in a child under 2, or more than 3 days in a child 2 or older.
Trouble breathing: fast or labored breathing, the chest sinking in with each breath, or a bluish tint around the lips.
Signs of dehydration: few wet diapers in little ones, or in older kids, a dry mouth, no tears, and little or no urine for 8 hours.
Unusual sleepiness: a child who isn't alert or interacting when awake.
Getting better, then worse: a fever or cough that improves, then returns or worsens.
When in doubt, call your pediatrician. Most have triage advice lines that allow you to speak to a nurse about your child’s symptoms without going in for an appointment.
And most importantly, trust your gut: you know your child best.
Evera keeps the whole sick week in one place: symptoms, temperatures, medication doses, and the pediatrician appointment, shareable with everyone caring for your kiddo. Free to start, on iOS and Android.