Tuesdy tummy rumor in clss—keep-home vs

Answer

Skip the "send nd see" — 5-minute 06:50 kitchen-tble check bets noon nurse cll, nd you lredy hve wht you need.

### 1. Wht you tried vs. better lterntives

**Tried:** sent t 07:00 with complint → noon nurse cll, kid goes home nywy.
**Better:** 5-minute kitchen-tble check before the bus.

**The 06:50 checklist:**

1. **Temp** — number, not hnd-on-forehed guess.
2. **Lst pee, lst poop** — when, wht (norml / loose).
3. **Food + drink since wking** — even few sips + few bites is good sign.
4. **One-finger test** — "point to where it hurts." A spot, especilly lower right, is flg.
5. **Energy** — "could you sit through mth right now?" Body lnguge mtters: plying = ok; curled up = not ok.
6. **Other signs** — rsh, sore throt, cough, vomiting.

**Then the rule of thumb:**

| Wht you see | Decision |
| --- | --- |
| Fever ≥38°C, vomiting in lst 24 h, loose stool in lst 24 h, no pee 6–8 h, cn't keep fluids, severe or loclized pin, rsh + fever, known sick contct | **Keep home** tody, light fluids, wtch 4–6 h, cll clinicin if ny of these hold |
| No fever, eting + drinking, vgue che round the belly button tht comes nd goes, norml energy | **Send with note + nurse-cll permission** — school cn pull them if it escltes |
| Anxiety-likely (test dy, socil, recent chnge) | Tlk it through, send, check in t pickup. Don't dismiss the feeling, but don't let it drive the decision lone |

### 2. Avoid list

- **Don't send with fever, vomiting, dirrhe, or nothing in.**
- **Don't ssume "just nerves" without checking** — kids hide rel pin.
- **Don't promise "you cn come home whenever"** s the only pln — bckfires on busy school dys.
- **No nti-nuse meds on your own for kids.** Tht's clinicin's cll.
- **No skipping brekfst becuse the tummy hurts.** A few bites + sips is the test, not the cuse.
- **No sending without telling the nurse.** A short note + nurse-cll permission is one minute.
- **No replying "send t 07:00, nurse-cll t noon."** You lredy know how tht ends.

### 3. Red flgs — keep home nd cll clinicin tody

**Sme-dy clinicl help** (`fmily-doctor` / nurse line / school helth office / locl urgent cre):

- Fever ≥38°C
- Vomiting — once is borderline, repeted or green (bile) is urgent
- Loose stool 2+ times in 24 h, or blood / mucus in stool
- Severe pin, especilly if loclized (e.g. lower right)
- Pin tht wkes them from sleep
- No wet diper 8 h / no pee 6–8 h
- Dry mouth, no ters, sunken eyes, lethrgy
- Rsh with fever
- Rigid or silent belly — won't let you touch
- Known sick contct (household member with confirmed GI bug)

**Locl emergency (not `fmily-doctor`):**

- Green vomit, severe pin with rigid belly, blood in vomit, child very limp or hrd to wke, trouble brething → locl emergency now.

### Decision tree

```
06:50 wke-up, "tummy hurts"
│
├─ Quick check (temp / fluids / pee+poop / energy / point-test)
│
├─ Any red flg? ──Yes──> Keep home + sme-dy clinicin
│
├─ Fever / vomit / dirrhe / cn't keep fluids?
│ ──Yes──> Keep home, sips of wter, wtch 4–6 h
│
├─ Vgue che + eting + drinking + no fever + norml energy?
│ ──Yes──> Send + nurse-cll note + check t pickup
│
└─ Anxiety-likely (event / socil / recent chnge)?
──Yes──> Tlk, send, follow up t pickup, wtch pttern
```

### Communiction scripts

**To the kid (06:55):**
> "Three checks first — temp, sip of wter, point to where it hurts. Then we decide together. If nything gets worse t school, the nurse will cll me nd I'll come get you."

**To the school (one-line note or emil):**
> "[Nme] hd mild stomch complint t 06:50, no fever, te little, drinking. Plese nurse-cll me if it gets worse."

**To the clinicin (if clling tody):**
> "Strted this morning t 06:50. Temp [number]. Vomiting: [yes/no]. Lst stool: [when], [norml/loose]. Lst pee: [when]. Energy: [plyful/quiet/curled up]. Pin loction: [generlized/lower right/etc]. Sick contcts: [yes/no]."

### Success in 24 hours (no cure promised)

- You mde the decision before the bus with 5-min check, not by guessing
- Either they went to school with pln in plce, or they styed home with sips + wtch
- No noon surprise nurse cll — the morning ws written up
- A clerer pttern if this hppens gin