What do you do when a school is accusing of truancy when a child is absent because of illness?

Question

My daughter is 5 and has asthma; so every cold that she gets settles right in her chest and makes for a very nasty cough. Well this is my daughters first year in public schools and I have received a letter in the mail yesterday and a phone call from the counselor today regarding her absenteeism. Do you think the schools should be more concerned with a childs attendence if there is a valid medical condition that is prohibitting them from attending school or the individual childs health? my irritation comes from the question the counselor left me "what can we do to have your daughter here every day?" well if there was a pill to cure her asthma or magically make her immune to colds by all means! she'd be there everyday; but there isn't and as a mother my concern and my first priority is that my child is healthy; if she's not whats the point in sending her to school if she's sick and not able to learn and retain whats being taught! What do you think?

i do care about her education and i don't particularly care for someone assuming that I'm not sending her to school just because... and there will be a note from her pediatrician sent to the school but i know of instances where it doesn't count. so what next?!

and no i was never rude when explaining to my daughters school about her medical issues; i am just irritated by the accusations with out so much as a question about her health.

Answer 1

You didn't say what state you are in. First check the attendance laws in your state and also in your local school district. While schools would like to have 100% attendance every day, in our state they are not actually REQUIRED to go to school until they are seven. That said, take the previous advice about having a conference with school, taking in letters from pediatrician etc.
Before your child turns seven or whatever is the madatory school attendance age in your state, consider asking for a 504 hearing. This is a federal law that mandates various accomodations for kids with medical problems which could affect their learning. This is what gives you the power to arrange for home tutoring, asthma treatments at school etc. If you encounter any resistance or reluctance , look for an advocate group. Your district special education office should have contact information for local parent support groups. If that fails, go to the state department of education, special needs unit, and ask for suggestions. If all else fails, look for a private ad educational advocate, someone who knows the ropes and rules who can walk you through whatever procedures are available. Don't give up. You and your daughter have a long road ahead of you. You are your child's first advocate. Don't baby or over protect her, but don't let the school district walk all over you either. Good luck.
The first two sites below are asthma support groups. The third is a helpful site for the 504 law.

Answer 2

If your child is repeatedly being kept off school, they are probably just assuming that you can't be bothered taking her along. After all, as you say, this is only her first year and they don't know you or her that well.

What you need to do is inform the school that your child has chronic asthma and, during these winter months, she is prone to colds that quickly turn into serious chest infections. Draw these concerns up in a letter to send to both the school and education boards and also make an appointment to visit the school yourself to discuss this. I'd also involve your doctor so he can verify that it isn't a case of your daughter not going to school but rather she can't go.

I don't know if you have an asthma nurse (s/he will the be person who tends to run asthma clinics) as they would be the ideal person to also have a chat to the school about what your daughter's conditions entails, how serious it is and even what the school should do if she has an attack in class. A number of schools just don't understand that some children aren't in full health and they need to be informed before they start helping parents. This will also prepare them for when your daugher is illl and what they can do to ensure she doesn't fall behind. Having worked in a health care setting, it is the schools who are prepared who tend to be the ones who are understanding.

Answer 3

Is the school aware of your daughter's asthma and how bad it can get? If they are you would think they would do more to help you and to help think of ways to solve the absentee problem. It's not like you purposely keep your daughter home for no reason, she has a severe case of asthma for crying out loud! And whatever happened to schools "helping to solve" problems like this. It's like they don't care anymore. You have a very valid reason to keep her home. Talk to the Board of Education, explain the situation. Maybe then something can be done to think of a solution. As I said, you have a valid reason to keep your daughter home! It's not a bogus excuse just to keep her home. Her health is at risk, I feel that's reason enough! Good Luck Hon!

Answer 4

If a child in West Virginia has an extended illness, the parent may ask the school and board of education to place the child on "homebound study." It's sort of like having your own private teacher come to your house, but the board pays for it; the parent doesn't. You would have to have verification from the pediatrician, etc. The teacher gives the child her work, grades it, and reports the grades to the regular teachers who put them in the gradebook or on the computer.

Answer 5

Many school district (or even state) policies require schools to check on students who are frequently chronically absent. They can risk their state funding if they don't.

Do work with the pediatrician and I note that some of the previous answers to the question are excellent - such as home bound schooling so your daughter doesn't get behind. Yes, even in kindergarten, they can get behind.

Answer 6

Have your doctor write a letter to the school explaining this or seriously consider home schooling.

You are asking the question here and I don't think that getting rude with people trying to help is the way to go about it.

Answer 7

maybe you can work with the school nurse to give her the asthma medicine. or everytime she gets a cold, tke her to the doctor to be able to have a doctors note for the abscence from school.