Sick Kids

1 in 5 parents consider if their child in middle or high school needs a mental health day when deciding whether they’re too sick to go to school. 1 in 4 parents think school attendance policies make it difficult for children with medical conditions. 2 in 3 parents say their child in middle or high school worries about the impact on grades if they are absent from school.

1 in 6 parents report their child complains about belly pain at least once a month. Among parents whose child frequently complains about belly pain, 2 in 5 have not talked with the child’s doctor. 1 in 3 parents are very confident they can tell when their child’s belly pain may be a sign of a serious problem.

9 in 10 parents agree that running a low-grade fever helps a child’s body fight off infection. 2 in 3 parents are very confident they know whether their child needs medication to reduce fever. 1 in 3 parents would give fever-reducing medication for elevated temperature below 100.4°.

Almost all parents encourage personal hygiene habits (such as frequent handwashing) to prevent colds in children, consistent with scientific evidence. Half of parents have given their child vitamins or supplements to prevent colds, despite no evidence that these products prevent colds. Many parents still believe in non-science “folklore strategies” for cold prevention, such as not going outside with wet hair.

Only about half of parents are very confident they can get a same-day appointment with their provider for a sick child. About 4 in 10 parents will take their child to an urgent care, retail clinic or emergency department if they wake up with sore throat and fever. 10% of parents would use email with their provider to get advice for a sick child.

The top factors in parents' decision to keep a child home are concern that the illness will get worse or spread to classmates if the child goes to school. Parents are more likely to keep a child home with diarrhea, vomiting or fever, but send a child to school with a cough or runny nose.

Over-the-counter cough and cold medicines have warning labels that say these products should not be given to children under four years old. 4 in 10 parents reported giving cough medicine or multi-symptom cough and cold medicine to their children under four years old.

Nearly two-thirds of parents of young children in child care say their children could not attend because of illness in the past year. One-third of parents of young kids are concerned about losing jobs or pay when missing work to care for sick kids.

6 in 10 parents of children 2 and under gave their children over-the-counter cough and cold medicine within the last 12 months. About half of parents who use OTC cough and cold medicine report that their young children’s health care providers say these types of medicines are safe and are effective.