I know when my kids aren't feeling well, but I'm not always sure when their colds warrant keeping them home from school. When I was younger I was only allowed to miss school if I had a fever or was throwing up.

I'm writing today on behalf of Triaminic. The National Association of School Nurses and Triaminic partnered to create Sick Day Guidelines. The Sick Day Guidelines aim to provide parents with the key signs that they should consider keeping their child home from school, as well as tips for relieving cough and cold symptoms.

Through the NASN, the Sick Day Guidelines, will be available in the form of a refrigerator magnet and will be given out by school nurses across the country.

How do you guys know when to keep your kids home from school? Do you let your kids stay home if they have a cold?

So, where's this magnet at? Does it address conjunctivitis (Pink eye)? There are dozens, if not hundreds of health reasons to keep a kid at home.

I think a parent's judgement is best. But don't be surprised when a School Nurse sends your kid home anyway.

The magnet will be given out by nurses at select school across the United States. The sick day guidelines only address cough and cold symptoms. You can find more information at: http://triaminic.com/moms-just-know/sick-day-guidelines.shtml. Let me know if you have any more questions!

I dunno. I'm all for parents having a guideline to go by, but this hardly seems to cover the range of sicknesses that should keep a child home.
The usual criteria for a School Nurse is determined by (a) will being in school harm the child? And (b) is whatever the child has contagious?

I am glad that the Powers That Be saw that having School Nurses was a good thing. Sometimes one needs some education to make a proper judgement. I remember, when I was in HS a classmate suffered a compound fracture of his right arm. He went to the ER in an Ambulance. HIS MOM SENT HIM BACK TO SCHOOL!!
I don't know what the School Nurse said to her, when this kid showed back up the same day, but I know what I would have......and it probably would have gotten me fired.

Wow, I definitely would not send a kid back to school with a broken arm. Yeah, these guidelines just cover cold and flu season. You're right, there are a lot of other factors that should go into the decision for keeping your child home from school. Like you mentioned in your post, whether or not they are contagious is an extremely important factor to consider.