I don't know that keeping siblings home will do anything to stop the spread of H1N1. Too many people have it in most states. You have to remember, most people do not have ANY immunity to this disease yet (unless they are getting over it right now). Of course, if you are sending a child to school that has a sibling with H1N1, be sure they use standard precautions like handwashing and covering their mouth when they cough or sneeze. The thing about Swine Flu is that you can be contagious for 7 to 10 days after onset. They also can not determine who is in the early stages without testing, and it just isn't cost effective to test everyone daily.

There will still be a mom or dad out there that sends their child to school regardless of contagion or not. I remember graduating with a girl who had perfect attendance and remembering that in third grade she threw up all over me because her mother wanted her to win the perfect attendance award at graduation. She argued with the teacher who wanted to send the girl home. I of course had to wear clothes from the "emergency outfits for kids who wet their pants" box for the rest of the day.

I don't think so. If the siblings are not sick or showing any symptoms, they shouldn't be pulled from school. Pulling kids from school who are well just because their siblings are ill would hinder their studies and would increase their risk of getting sick. There is no reason to keep children who are not sick from attending school just like there is no reason for adults to stay home from work if their spouse is ill and they are not. Once that individual gets ill, then and only then does it becomes necessary for them to stay home.

I don't think so. My son is healthy as a brat, and almost never gets sick. It's not fair to keep him home just because his sister gets sick. I, on the other hand, have a compromised immune system due to the Lupus and Addison's, so I get every little bug around. If this were a rule, my son would NEVER have gotten to go to school.

Not that he thinks that's a bad thing....

No, It would not cut down the spread of flu if siblings stayed home also.

I have 3 children.They do not all get sick at the same time or with the same thing. It would not be fair to hold all the kids home for one of them being sick. My daughter is in 3rd grade.In her class currently there are 18 kids.She informed me that at least 10 of them are sick.2 were sent home yesterday for flu like symptoms and are not allowed back untill they are symptom free.My daughter uses hand sanitizer at school as per my direction.She has not been sick.My other daughter is in Nursery school and has only 8 kids in her class.She was diagnosed with croup last week ,which she got from school not from her sister. I have a baby who is 5 months who has close contact with both sisters who has not gotten sick.
Now why should I keep my 2 older girls home for only one getting sick from the other kids in her class? Keep the sick kid home only.All parents do not follow this rule due to not having childcare for their kids or not wanting to care for a sick kid 24 hrs a day..It is unfair to the healthy kids to have the sicko kids spreading germs to everyone.

My three were only sick with the flu one time together, which was awful. Most years they got sick at different times, had I kept them all home each time one of them got sick they would have missed many days.

I would not keep them all home because one is sick and it would not cut down on the spread of any flu or illness.