School closings for sickness already!

[Buckalew11]

Two of our local school systems have closed school for a few days to try to allow students and faculty to get over swine flu, regular flu, strep throat, and stomach viruses.

Pretty early in the school year for something like this.

If your schools have started, how are they doing with sickness?

 

[HsvTeacher]

Our students came back to school on August 10. In the past week, our school has had one confirmed case of H1N1, two cases of whooping cough, and numerous kids with strep. I've never seen anything like it!

We've been keeping everything wiped down with Clorox/Lysol wipes and Lysol spray. Hopefully, things will slow down soon.

 

[teacups]

Oh no! I hope all those kids get well fast. School just started here this week, and we homeschool anyway.. but we are still exposed during other classes such as PE and music and horseback. We will keep antibac as always and keep a close eye on whats going on in the schools... as thats a good indicator. Stay well everyone!

 

[ZachnElli]

We started Aug 20 and I just got an email 30 minutes ago that there is a confirmed case of H1N1 at my DD's school and it's also her grade. I kept DD home Tuesday because of a sore throat, cough, stuffy nose and headache in case it was the flu, but it was just a cold. The school doesn't want the kids if they might have it, they told me that Monday when she first said her throat hurt at school, they called me. She felt much better this morning so I sent her.

 

[golfgal]

We haven't even started school yet . This fall is going to be interesting that is for sure.

 

[mom2kazkids]

School started here in WI on Tuesday, tommorrow is my DD first day of school. Running a temp 100.8/100.9 and a cough. Today no temp, and back to being herself--so off to school she goes tommorrow.

 

[Buckalew11]

DD had whooping cough this summer and I had pneumonia. Weird and wild summer!

Teacups, we homeschool also. DD does AT for football and soccer though so she's aroundkids at one of these schools a lot.

They are all disinfecting everything like crazy but it doesn't seem to be helping much. DD ex-basketball coach is 8 months pregnant and she said at a v-ball match last night that it was her last outing. The doctors want her to stay in because of the H1N1 flu.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

We went back last week. Today I had my first student with flu like symptoms. Poor kid didn't make it all the way to the bathroom. I have a bad feeling about the next few days! I told them all today NOT to stop by my deck to ask to leave - JUST GO. I'll send a buddy to check up on you! Thank goodness I can do that with the 7th and 8th graders.

 

[mandy200587]

Campus started back Monday and they already told us we have any symptoms email them and stay the heck home till we've been cleared. They would work with us and it wouldn't count against us.

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

I begin my student teaching this year, my school opens on the 9th.

I hope I don't pick anything up and bring it home to my little one

 

[IDoDis]

I work in a fairly large school district of 87,000 students. We've been in school 2 weeks and so far there is only one confirmed case. That student is doing well and should be back in school any day now.

 

[disney1990]

Our students came back to school on August 10. In the past week, our school has had one confirmed case of H1N1, two cases of whooping cough, and numerous kids with strep. I've never seen anything like it!

We've been keeping everything wiped down with Clorox/Lysol wipes and Lysol spray. Hopefully, things will slow down soon.

Whooping Cough -- isn't there a childhood vaccination for that?

 

[Ember]

Whooping Cough -- isn't there a childhood vaccination for that?

Yes, there is.

 

[pilesoflaundry]

Whooping Cough -- isn't there a childhood vaccination for that?

Yes but even in 100% vaccinated people (meaning you have had 4 doses in childhood) it's only effective in 80% of those people. Then you have people delaying or not vaccinating AND adults who do not keep up with the needed boosters who probably work in the school or the community and pass it to kids without full immunity.

It's efficiency wears off in late adulthood if you had any immunity in the first place. And adult will only have the mild lingering cough and not realize what it really is and it's spread through saliva and airborne droplets.

I think wiping everything down with super sanitizer is actually causing more harm than good. I swear we never got this sick as kids when we were in school. I remember strep a few times and staying home for a stomach bug but it seems like now that the schools use industrial sanitizer more nasty super germs are created and schools are shut down!

My kids have been in school for a month. I have one home sick today. I've gotten 2 nasty colds from the kids and my other dd had a nasty cold last week.

 

[ICF]

we've been in school for 3 weeks and havent heard any reports of anything unusal regarding sick kids.

 

[live4christp1]

Nothing here so far. There is one "unconfirmed" case at another neighboring county school. The results that it's H1N1 are not in yet. Started last year giving the kids a multi vitamin with immunity booster and so far we haven't had any major illness other than a 24 hours stomach virus last winter. Also really big on hand washing with warm water & soap. Only use the antibacterial stuff (germx) when someone is sick. Not a big advocate of using it all the time as some medical professionals will tell you it's not a good idea to use it all the time.

 

[Christine]

I think wiping everything down with super sanitizer is actually causing more harm than good. I swear we never got this sick as kids when we were in school. I remember strep a few times and staying home for a stomach bug but it seems like now that the schools use industrial sanitizer more nasty super germs are created and schools are shut down!

Not only is it causing more harm, it just doesn't make any sense.

Most of the problematic illnesses (H1N1, whooping cough) are respiratory illlness that are picked up when a person coughs or sneezes. Their lifespan on a surface is minutes to hours. So the best defense is handwashing and trying not to be in someone's face when the cough or sneeze. Other than that, having parents come into the school or a cleaning crew come in and sanitize once in awhile is just a waste of time and money (unless, of course, you're trying to control NoraVirus).

 

[HsvTeacher]

Sorry, but when it comes to being responsible for 19 children in my classroom, I'm not taking any chances about whether or not to wipe down common areas with antibacterial wipes. We're also practicing good handwashing techniques, because you'd be surprised how many children come out of the restroom or blow their nose and then not wash their hands with soap and water.

 

[Buckalew11]

Whooping Cough -- isn't there a childhood vaccination for that?

Yes. And my DD had the vaccination and whooping cough. It isn't 100%.

 

[Christine]

Yes. And my DD had the vaccination and whooping cough. It isn't 100%.

I think they are saying that the vaccine is now only good for 5-10 years or something to that effect. My kids just got boosters (they are 14 and 18). I had whooping cough 3 years ago. NOT fun.