The first time I ever went to Japan, I was surprised to see many people walking around with face masks over their mouth and nose. This was before I had children so we're going back almost 20 years now, long before some of the really scary issues of more recent times. Anyway, it turned out that they were just being considerate of other people when they had a cold or the 'flu.

My son was very ill after a Strep. related illness when he was a little boy and I talked to the school nurse about being informed if there were any reported cases of Strep. throat etc. in the school. It was a smallish school, and everyone from preschool to year 12 mixed quite closely at assembly and other places like the library.

The main problem was that parents were sending their children to school knowing they had certain illnesses and not notifying the school even if they were away for a day with something infectious. I remember a child in my daughter's year 3 class had whooping cough and was at school. I know that there is a time limit on some of these infectious illnesses, but honestly I was shocked many times when I saw the way some children looked when they were at school. Even things like Impetigo (school sores) are highly contageous and can be dangerous. I remember when chicken pox was spreading like wildfire through my son's preschool class. I'm sorry, but I didn't want my children to get chicken pox. The general concensus with most of the other adults there was that it was good to get it, 'cause then it's over and done with.

I totally understand that a lot of those parents both worked, but I don't understand sending a child to school who is ill like that, or still in an infectious stage and likely to spread their illness to others. I mean, what about little babies too? Lots of people just don't think about everyone else and whether they may have a pre-existing illness which could make something like that dangerous to their health. I think that's the problem. Lots of people just don't think about anyone else at all.

I hear you, Julie.