“Hand Washing, Hand Washing, Hand Washing”
In the New York Times, Perri Klass on when to keep a sick kid home.
What do we know about the common cold, and about how it is transmitted? Just how infectious is that child whose cough hangs on for weeks? And how about the one with the drippy nose?
My friend Kitty is vindicated, as she said the same thing in the comments for my post on Wellness Remedies.
Also from the New York Times, if you do get a cold, don’t blow your nose. Yes, really.
February 12th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
And I feel vindicated, after sending a snotty nosed kid to school. Because really, in the winter? We’ve got snotty noses alllll season long.
February 12th, 2009 at 8:42 pm
I agree–if I kept the kids home every time they were drippy, we’d never go anywhere. I still am careful, though. I kept each of the boys home about 36 hours after their last vomiting incidents. They were fine within 12 hours, but probably still contagious.
February 14th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
I also have a puker, and yes, I absolutely agree about vomiting. Though it’s hard, because sometimes he manages to throw up just because he’s crying about going to bed or throwing a temper tantrum. It’s a close call, but generally I’m far more careful about throwing up or even, frankly, a stuffy nose and slight fever.
I have stomach flu-sick husband home right now and I’m killing all germs, real or imagined, with hand washing, hand sanitizer and lysol. I really, really, really don’t want a sick four year old or a sick me. Stomach flu is just a cruel trick on someone who is FINALLY past her morning sickness.
February 15th, 2009 at 10:24 pm
Best wishes on the new passenger, and may things go smoothly–I hope you avoid the flu.