Survey Shows Parents Unsure When To Keep Sick Kids Home

It’s a decision many parents have to make during a school year.

A new national poll from the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital says many parents aren’t sure when to keep their kids home from schools when they are sick.

The survey of 1,400 parents, shows the top factors in parents’ decisions to keep a child home is concern that the illness could get worse or spread to classmates.

While 80-percent of parents are not likely to send a child to school with diarrhea, only about 60-percent do so if their child is vomiting or has a slight fever but acting normal.

The poll also shows logistics plays a part in the decision.

Nearly 20 percent of parents say not being able to find someone to stay home with their sick child is a very important factor while 11-percent cite not wanting to miss work as very important.