IMHO

I would have to agree that some people can be excessive in using antibacterial products. The people I am referring to just practice simple common sense good hygiene. (They aren't obsessed with cleanliness, they are just good clean people). Like going to the store and using a grocery cart or shaking hands with someone at church, using a desk at school is taking some risk in trusting that the people you are in contact with have also practiced the same common sense good hygiene. I would think that during a pandemic/epidemic (or whatever they are calling it these days) that a student could take one simple precaution without being ridiculed by a teacher.

AHH Thatsright! Thanks!!! :)

IMO In my opinion, IMHO in my honest opinion

First off what is IMO?? I have no idea what it stands for.... At least i dont think I do?

Second I agree with you. I try to get my kids to get dirty and dont mind if they eat right out of the garden, my son last night dropped his sucker on the floor before he licked it I blew it off and gave it to him. Im not scared of germs but I also agree with sanitizers in a day care. You really dont want the 2, 3 or 4 month olds getting it.

Well although I agree with hand washing and general cleanliness, I have to think twice about the over use of these antibacterial wipes and sanitizers. IMO I think that is what is causing a lot of these kids to be so susceptible to germs.
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I remember as a kid we played in the sand, petted animals, and did lots of stuff without having to wipe our hands every time you turn around. Remember each time you use one of those products you not only kill off the bad germs, but also those that help you to gain immunity to some diseases. Our own Dr said that kids today don't eat enough dirt (remember sand and mud pies, or that worm your brother forced you to swallow LOL) to build their immunity to what we older adults have. And that is simply due to over use of antibacterial wipes and hand sanitizers.
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haha thats why my kids dont go there! Ihad a friend once from milton and a teacher told him since he was doing bad he should just drop out. He has sence got his GED but still shouldnt come from a teacher.
My sister works in a daycare and they are asking parents to send in either wipes or hand sanitizer like purel to use to help try to kill it before it spreads.

My neighbor has a child in Milton Schools and the kid takes antibacterial wipes to school to wipe down her hands & desks when going from class to class. I for one, believe in "an ounce of prevention" but students and TEACHERS tease her and give her a hard time about it. She might be on to something, because so far she remains healthy. This teasing & immature type of behavior is typical of kids, but it doesn't say much for the teachers.

Your welcome!

thank you facebooker that really means alot to me

momof1 you really need to grow up and be nicer to people!

aparentwhocares My heart sank when I read your post. I am SO sorry! My usband is 30 and I cant imagine how you must have felt. My heart really does go out to you!

It is understood that we all have are time to pass on ...but the way you said it was crude and uncalled for . And to talk about death in that manor is just wrong and not very godly

When it is your time to go, it is your time to go. I am a firm believer in God and know that when it is time for us to be called home, we go. It may suck and it may not be easy and it may hurt, but it is life. I am not naive, I understand our paths in life.

See it easy for her to say that because she is nieave and thinks this it will just pass her kids buy( witch I hope it does)..But what about the families that have lost their children I would like you to say it to their faces, that it is just population controll. I lost my husband last year he was only 30 ..maybe you should tell my kids its just population controll..

you called it population controll.....Thats not blowing it out of preportion. It may have been a "joke" but it wasnt funny and if it was a joke it was a sick one at that.

after reading your post that facebooker posted - think whatever you want momof1. I love my kids and if keeping them healthy means that you think Im an over reactor than fine.

I never said that I wouldn't be upset, you are reading more into my post than is there. I am stating a simple fact. Death will come to us all. Every flu virus and cold germ we come into contact with each and every day, has the potential to kill us. End of story. My child is taught hygiene and the importance of it. Everything really will be okay, just watch and see.

oh my god momof1. I didnt say I want my kids never to get sick. I just dont want them to get a flu that could kill them.

Momof1 - your a mom right? I mean yoru name didnt come from thin air right? So if you kid did get it and you had to wath them die its fine cause its a fact of life??
I feel bad for your kids. YES I know death comes at some point but as a parent I was put here to take care of them not say whatever to something that could be prevented.

Facebooker, it is a fact of life, death will come to all of us. This flu has killed a TON less than the regular flu. You are blowing it out of proportion. Use daily sanitary precautions and I am gonna bet you will be okay, and so will your kids.

And momof1 after your "All virus's and cold's can kill you. It is called population control. There you go. Lots of people are thinking it, and I said it!!" comment I dont really have much respect for your posts.

I dont want my kid in a bubble, I am just saying that this "just a flu" has killed people and I really do not want to have to watch my kid die because some parent couldnt handel staying home with their kid. That was it. Im not a big germ freak. Kids get sick i know that. I dont freak out if my kids play with others who are sick, i dont freak out when they dont always wash their hands. However H1N1 is a little different.

its a flu that has killed people...

lovebeingmarried, facebooker09

Maybe if you are sooooooo worried about this "flu", you should keep your children in bubbles. Then you won't have to worry about them getting sick. For heaven's sake, it is not the plague!!! It is the flu....you would think it is the end of th world!! Or you could run around outside screaming that the sky is falling...it is essentially the same thing!

Like I said before I wasnt attacking you. I am just worried about my kids with every thing going around. If he wasnt sick - fine. You saw him not me. Im just saying if a kid throws up there is something behind it is not just a fluke.

Im also saying that my kids dont need to get sick because parents like you need to get back to work.

And im stating that if he threw up he spread germs, if he was at home resting with you than he may not have moved enough to make his stomach more upset. Say he gets up and goes back to school and throws up again. If there are other kids around hes spreading germs again. Im stating he should have seen a DR with all the bugs going around its just common sence to not spread anything.

... using common sense and heading to school. LOL

I bet some of you would still be bickering about silly rules and such if we were to have a deadly plague that kills half the infected people. Parents...if your kids are sick...keep em home. Think of the school personel that has to deal with 30 kids puking everyday. It's a school...not a ER.

Ok I was not thanking Lovebeingmarried there is a comma , in case you forgot what it looked like I was only thanking farmgirl and I was just stating the first 3 people who made comments on me and yes I should have used a semi colon and not a comma. Want to throw stones at my grammar now too? And the school sent him home cause he vomited and completely soaked his shirt. So they were asuming he was sick. And again and this is the final time I am not going to restate what I was originaly trying to make a point on.

If you just have a cough but don't have a fever and don't feel particularly ill it's OK to be back at work or school. Just use common sense!!

Well its not like shes known for her ability to post smart sounding things on here......

oh heck so she made a mistake after going through all of these comments,so she wrote the wrong name big deal. It is real easy to get confused as to who said what. I know I have been guilty of that, especially when I am tired.

LOL k_atie_e - wow I slam you and you thank me!! Awsome way of thinking ya got going on there. You yell at Facebooker who said they could see your side and you thank me for what I said.

We had over 200 students gone at Marshall today, and about a dozen teachers. Several teachers left school this morning feeling ill after arriving. Very many of my students that ARE in class have a hacking cough. This is definitely not a normal outbreak. Classes are starting to look pretty scarce. I hope we all build our immunities soon and we get over this. I have a bit of a nagging cough, but I'm not sure if I should stay home or not. I'd feel sort of guilty since I don't feel sick otherwise. In any normal year I wouldn't even consider a sick day for this little cough.

Stomach flu = vomiting and/or diarrhea
Influenza (swine or regular seasonal)=
sudden onset high fever, headache, body aches, cough; minimal sore throat and runny nose

Currently the ONLY people that the CDC and Wisconsin Dept. of Health recommends be tested or treated with antivirals are: pregnant women, health care workers, <age 2, elderly and those with significant, chronic medical condtions. Everybody else should stay home until fever is gone for one day. Influenza is a virus and does not respond to antibiotics, the vast majority will recover uneventfully without a doctors visit. Influenza is now widespread in the community and the current health care system cannot handle everyone rushing in for treatment that is not beneficial or necessary in most cases. It just spreads it around more. STAY HOME!

k_atie_e
I think you mean twerp13 is the one sticking up for you. They are the one who agreed with you. Lovebeingmarried is the one who slammed you .

Oh and K_atie_e look at other posts made by lovebeingmarried before you thank them. They dont agree with you on any other story.....

Umm ok- I wasnt attacking you but ok. I was saying parents who send sick kids in general bother me. If he wasnt sick fine, Im just saying as a parents Id be amad if my kid came hme and was fine right away.
Lovebeingmarried attacked you more but your siding with them? Ok!? And yes he may have wanted to go back the next day that dosent mean he was not trying to get out of it the first day.
I wasnt there and I didnt see him but Im just trying to say if the school thought he was sick looking the first day maybe they were just worried that he was still going to be sick. I know people who can throw up and not look sick at all after and I know people who loose all color in their face.

lovebeingmarried,farmgirl(thank your for sticking up for me),facebooker09~no my child was not trying to get out of school. He was crying the next morning when he found out he couldn't go back because of guidelines. A kid who wants to get out of school does not get hysterical when not being able to go back. And all the rest of you I didn't go into detail and I guess I should have knowing the judgement and the stones that get thrown at others on these blogs!!! However I do know my child and he was NOT sick. And no it was not an excuse. Something made him just vomit, who knows what but in the last 2 weeks since he vomited he has not been sick or vomited again or shown anyother symptoms. As a toddler/young child when he got upset or stressed (he does not show emotions well) he would vomit and I will not continue to go on with my childs medical history. My point I was trying to make is that in some situations due to the H1N1 going around people are overeacting cause I as a parent know that my child was NOT and is still NOT sick!!!

Well I don't know what goes on at Jackson but that would surprise me since all schools have the same guidelines from Mat Haeger.

Added Note: At Blackhawk/ the absent rate is growing every class day. If you were not alarmed before about the seriousness of this, do pay heed. Argue all you like back and forth. Once yah catch this, you'll slow down the counter-aditudes. This will not be your average flu-season. Next year we can dis the system. However they do know how fast this passes for one to another, and they do know how vulnerable OTHER students are/ no two alike. Even if your a resiliant parent and the kids eat right and seem healthy, this bug will change your views on listening to warnings.

Hoss- At Jackson Elementary they are NOT allowed to go home unless the have a fever or have vomited. The is no "not encouraged". The children are told no.

Apparently some of you folks have not caught this bug yet? I am on day 6 of it. You may like the following information though, it won't help much once you ...
It gives no slight warning before hand. 100% healthy 1 day/ sicker than a coot-owl-on the next day. I have never had a bug like this one. So, before you debate the schools actions? Wake up and smell the cough-meds. It is far too early into any flu season, and this one is going to effect everyone around you, if not you too.
Debates are fun. Causing other ill-will isn't as enjoible, but alas. it happens here. This subject you should forget to test others smarts, and share anything that sooths those effected. Attempt to have a heart.

No, they HAVE to go home if they vomit or have a fever of 100 or more. Students can go home for just not feeling well, but it is not encouraged. They want them to try and stay if possible and learn.

As for sick policies, they are there not only for the children, but for the staff. Maybe the child who threw up did not have the flu, but remember teachers and school staff are not doctors and have families to go home to. They appreciate families consideration with taking a little extra precaution and keeping kids home. A child may throw up once, but we won't really know if they won't throw up again. Hind sight is 20/20. Be proactive and cautious by keeping sick kids home. The child may not had the flu, but upset tummy, food poisoning, or any other reason for throwing up, still needed some time at home to rest. All too often children are sent back to school and end up throwing up again and teachers hear that they threw up earlier that morning or during the night.

Hoss- your child is only sent home if they vomit of have a fever.

A "non-issue"? They may not take you to court for that, but it shows up on their report card and on their record. And what if you don't take the child to the doctor because of overly booked doctors or you know they just have the flu or the beginnings of a cold? Why do we have to take kids to the doctors for everything little sniffle? What happened to bed rest and plenty of fluids? Why do we have to take them out in the public and get everyone sick instead of staying home and taking care of them? I think doctor visits are out of control and it has lead to the problems of virus' rejecting anti-biotics because they are given for everything.

FYI the Janesville School District has changed their abs policy so if your child is sent home ill it should not count against your 10 parent days anymore.

At 10 - 20% the absence rate is not high enough to warrant closing the school. First - those days would count against the snow day allotment unless the health department ordered the close. That means make-up days...and we all know how wildly popular those are around here. (No make-up for days ordered by the health department according to the DPI). Second - closing would only delay the spread of the illness - not stop it. As soon as school re-opens there would be another burst of influenza. Best to just let it run its course.

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As for limiting days of kids, I'm pretty sure the district won't be filing for truancy for kids who miss a few days to a week for influenza. Even if they did, the courts would probably throw it out. It is a non-issue.

I realize the Roosevelt mother is upset about the school wanting her child to stay home for 48 hours. The office staff is just doing what they are told by the district. Maybe complaints should be directed to staff at the ESC (Educational Services Center) rather than here and/or Roosevelt's office staff. I believe the district is trying to err on the side of caution in hopes of preventing more illnesses at the school.

My understanding regarding the attendance policy is that if you have a doctors note (and these can be faxed right to the school from the doctor) it is labeled as a medical on your child's attendance and it DOES NOT count against the 80 hours of absences allowed by the district. At least this is how it is at the high school where my daughter is.

No I was not there, but it is only common sense that says if you are really sick other symptoms will show up shortly,and after a entire night and he was still "fine" the next day. I would have to say he probably wasn't contagious. I asked a nurse and she said the same thing, her opinion was that is was a fluke, or a a way to get out of school. and she would have sent her son back to school too.

I know I was saying I could see both points. Were you there with his mother to know that he was fine?? Im saying just because you throw up and feel ok does not mean that you are not sick still.

I was just told by my middle schooler that 17% of students are currently absent at Edison, and only at 30 % will they close school. They talked about it today in class.

Facebooker: that is the entire point. He was fine once at home, no fever,cough,aches,tiredness. He ate, played,and was still fine the next day. Could be he wanted to go home, sure, maybe he had a test he wanted to get out of, Maybe he had just a nervous stomach or ate something that didn't agree with him. But should he have to stay home another day when no other signs pointed to being sick...nope not in my opinion either.
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I too have in the past had a bout with vomiting, nothing more. Felt absolutely fine once I was sick one time. Does that mean I had the flu? Nope just a upset tummy. Also who can afford to go to the Dr every time they throw up? Common sense needs to take over. If any other symptom would have been present then yes stay home, if not go back to school.

more than 10% gone

I can see both sides here - yes she as a parent knows if her child is sick or no.
However if he was fine right after he got home - was it just a way to get out of school?
Then yes send bim back to school but if there was not Dr visit how do you know. I got the flu las tyear and threw up once but was still sick for almost a week.
I as a parent though am bothered when parents send their sick kids back to school. Its too much of a bother to take care of them or what?

They have the "stay at home guidlines" for a reason. I know since I have worked in schools for years that it was not a welcome back to school from the staff. And if her kid is just throwing up for no reason than maybe she should have gone to the Dr.
yes I know as his parent then yes she knew if he was actually sick but it is a precaution to not get kids more sick.

lovebeing married, sometimes kids do throw up and are not actually sick. Stress, food poisoning etc are possible reasons. If she says there was no fever, he wasn't fatigued, had no other symptoms and ate normally, than more than likely she was right and he was no considered to be a contagious individual.
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Her choice to send him to school the next day seems to be the right one. I am confident from her posts that had he any of the other symptoms she would have kept him home until he was well. But in this case he wasn't "sick" so he should be back in school.
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I agree flu season is just beginning and already many kids have used up their "sick days" and I am sure they will probably have more. Hope the JSD does what the UW and other companies are doing and being more lenient with the sick day allotments and not punish those who go over them.

I think it is wrong to limit the number of days a child can be absent. Especially here, in Wisconsin, where we get hit with so many more colds and flus, and bad weather. I can see getting on a parent if their child is persistently absent, but otherwise it's more bad than good. Parents are afraid of the attendance policies and send their kids to school before they have had time to recover. My daughter has been sick a lot through her school career, and almost every time was doctor excused and I still received a warning about her absences like she was some sort of juvenile delinquent. I don't want to have to send her to school when she has a cold and is feeling bad, and I don't want to have to run to the doctor everytime either. It wastes everyone's time when the child should just be home resting and out of the elements. They also need to be lighter on this because sometimes, our kids aren't sick, but need to stay home. Like in the case last year, my daughter and I were at the monster truck show in Madison and we saw that man killed. I kept my daughter home for 2 days. I had talked to the counselor throughout that time and she pushed for my daughter to go back to school and join the other kids who had seen it in a session. I sent her back, and she did. It did not help. It hurt. Those kids said some graphic and sick things that their parents had obviously said and it set my daughter back to square one. I think attendance should be in the hands of the parents, at least the ones who don't abuse it.

When I called my sons dr he told me that he has always been healthy enough and not to worry about getting the shot for him.

Also I guess if our kids get sick we can blam people like you Katie_e!!

I have 3 kids, one in middle school, one in 1st grade and one that is almost four at home. I am a little nervous about this H1N1 vaccine. Just curious what everyone elses thoughts are on it, and if you are going to have your kids vaccinated?

Just FYI, your doctor (pediatrician or otherwise) can send a doctor's note without actually seeing your child. Our pediatrician didn't want my second child to come in, because she knew my first child was sick with H1N1 (confirmed) and the symptoms were consistent. So, we didn't have to use up all the parent-excused days in October (whew!).

I drop off my grandson at Van Buren yesterday there was a little girl in his class per my grandson she was sitting on the ground all alone she looked so sick. I asked her if she wanted me to talk to a playground assistant, she said yes she did not feel good. Well I was told that it is not my child so I should leave it alone. Now this morning there were two little girls coughing and did not look well so I did nothing. I do not want to be accused of anything. If these kids are sick, keep them home I know some parents have to work but for the sake of the kids find someone or call in sick if you have to.

Well their are so many kids with it you can't even get though at the Mercy east peds desk, they just told me my son had it and he doesn't have half the symptoms I thought it was a sinus infection. What I'm saying is isn't there a better way to prove that is what it really is?

loopylibertarian - I never said it wasn't a symptom, I said its not a common symptom.

tiredofhearingit, this is several weeks earlier than the seasonal flu normally peaks, and it would never be as much as 10% of the school out. This CDC chart should give you an idea:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/weeklyarch...
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Rocky, H1N1 is expected to return in waves over the next two years until most of the population has been infected and develops resistance. The vaccine will still help those who haven't yet been exposed. It has to be grown; they can't make it grow any faster than it does, and some years this causes delays with the seasonal vaccine.

Just a question, I wonder how the school district is going to handle overages in sick days? If they are not even testing for it at the Dr's office and want you to stay home, along with clinics asking you not to come in unless it is severe,then what, you have no Dr excuse and then are you going to be reported as a habitual truant?
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And as stated this is only the very begining of the flu season. I can see using up all of the sick days and then some.

Yes I agree sick kids should stay home. But as a parent you know if your child is sick and he was not sick and as I stated I would never endanger another child or parent buy sending my sick kid to school.

MrScott, actually, if you follow the link below for the CDC website, vomiting and diarrhea IS associated with this flu, just not in every case.

My daughter is home with fever, coughing, and bodyaches. Type A or H1N1, it doesn't really matter. Sick kids should stay home.

Most people are usually quite contagious for 48-72 hours before and after they have symptoms. The symptoms of H1N1 usually do NOT include vomiting, so if that was the case, it sounds more like a stomach bug. H1N1 is a respiratory virus, not a stomach virus.

I had an incident a few weeks ago with Roosevelt my son who is in 5th grade and is never sick had a weird fluke and threw up in class. Was sent home. When he got home he had no fever and had an appetite and all he wanted to do was play. He wanted to go to school the next day and I as a parent knew that he was not sick and would not endanger any child however the school wanted us to keep him home for 48 hours due to district policy and I was irate. They tried telling me he was showing H1N1 symptoms. He threw up once and showed no other symptoms. I do beleive we all get sick but I think that if we all believe there is a pandemic than fear will take in and than panic.

I was called to pick up my daughter from Marshall yesterday. The office was full, all seats taken, and many kids standing around. There were several parents picking up their children. The nurse said it had been like that all day.

"over 10%" is a little misleading - why not tell what it really is? --- My son told me last night Craig had over 300 out sick out of 1700. Also - how does this compare to a "regular" year of a round of flu going around.What do the numbers look like in those years?

What To Do If You Get Sick: 2009 H1N1 and Seasonal Flu

http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/sick.htm

i don't think it is a "little case of hysteria". my grandkids have been sick for over a week and I see a lot of other young kids with the cough and fever also and I dont see any improvement yet and the cough syrup and tylenol the doc recomended is not working. Is there a web page that give the H1N1 symptoms?

I have two kids in the school system one in elemenrty and the other in middle school , both sick with high fever ,sore throat, chough , and bodyaches...I took them to the doc. and he believes it is the N1h1 , but they're no longer testing for it due to inchurance not paying for the test anymore. He said the cost of the test are well over $400 ...my son has asma ...and he seems to have gotten much sicker then my doughter..I do think this will pass like the normal flu...but some children who cant afford to get this. So ya some parents maybe keeping their children home if they have underline conditions...I should have

I heard last night that Milton schools are running at about 20% absences. Seems like the vaccine will be too little, too late.

I appreciate the school district (Matt Haeger) calling the all parents about the measures they are taking and to update parents on the increased absenteeism. I think a lot of the sickness call-ins might have something to do with a little case of hysteria. I am hoping they don't have to close down the schools but, if they do maybe they could plan it right around Christmas time! ;)