Safe Luxury

When to keep your kiddo home from school?

Earlier this week I saw one of the kids at her school sitting up at the front office (that's where the kids go if they are waiting to be picked up by a parent for some reason) who's eyes were all red and puffy, he said they itched. My guess is pink eye, but Im not sure. Anyways, today my daughter woke up and one of her eyes is all red and she says it itches...should I keep her home to be safe or send her and risk it?

Public Comments

1. If you think it's pinkeye then keep her home. If she feels bad, then keep her home. If it's possible she's just coming down with a cold, but is still feeling ok, then send her in. Just be prepared for the possibility of a call from the office asking that you come pick her up. Pinkeye will generally cause a discharge. Either way, wash your hands a lot and go ahead and wash the sheets on her bed.
2. Usually with pink eye their eye will be crusted over in the morning. When my kids have had it I had to use a warm wash cloth to clean it so they can get their eyes open. I would try an allergy eye drop like Claritin eye drops. If the redness and itching is better in a few minutes it is probably just allergies.
3. Anytime they're contagious then you need to keep them home. Pink eye is contagious. Always better to be safe than sorry. I used to work at an elementary school and was amazed how many parents sent their kids to school sick, even with the stomach flu!!
4. I would keep her home and call her dr to get it checked out
5. Yep. It is allergy season, but to wake up with one eye suddenly "wrong" -- that says infection. And staff infections and pink eye can be VERY contagious.
6. If it's going around, I would definitely keep her home and take her to the dr. if for nothing else, just to rule pink eye out.