desymbol: “Be Like Sam”: Mom’s Post About Not Letting Your Kids Go To School With A Fever Goes Viral

We all know how important it is to keep our children healthy and safe. But no matter how much you protect them, they will catch a cold or get the flu sooner or later. And when that happens, it’s vital that parents remember that their priority is to help their kid recover, not social obligations to others.

That involves not going to school and, yes, even avoiding awesome birthday parties (unfortunately, the delicious chocolate cake will have to wait). One mom, Samantha Moriá Reynolds, posted about how important it is that your sick kids stay at home and her message went viral on the net.

While the idea she was trying to put across might sound obvious to some of you, Pandas, there are some parents out there who might need to hear it. Scroll down for Bored Panda’s interview about dealing with fevers with Dr. Liz Donner who runs the My Friend The Pediatrician page.

Samantha Moriá Reynolds’ post about keeping kids at home when they’re ill went viral

Image credits: Samantha Moriá Reynolds

According to Dr. Donner, a fever is defined as a temperature of 100.4°F (that’s 38°C) and above. “It is important to keep a child home from school or daycare when they are spiking active fevers in an effort to prevent the spread of infection,” the pediatrician stressed the importance of not letting others catch whatever your child has as well.

“For example, the common cold can cause fevers lasting several days!” she noted. That means lots of staying at home with your kid in your pajamas, watching cartoons, getting plenty of sleep, water, and chicken soup.

“Medications like Tylenol or Motrin can temporarily relieve fever and the associated discomfort, but high temperatures may persist until the underlying infection has cleared,” Dr. Donner told Bored Panda.

But how long should you keep your child at home? According to Dr. Donner, she recommends keeping a child home from school until they are fever-free (without the help of fever-reducing medications) for at least 24 hours.”