{"id":112,"date":"2024-07-09T14:05:40","date_gmt":"2024-07-09T13:05:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/dg\/dandgattendancetoolkit\/?page_id=112"},"modified":"2025-01-21T11:36:48","modified_gmt":"2025-01-21T11:36:48","slug":"physical-health","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/dg\/dandgattendancetoolkit\/causes\/individual-factors\/physical-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Physical Health"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Physical Health<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Physical Health is a significant factor that can impact on schools attendance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Health needs | Disability and health | Parentzone Scotland<\/a> (external link, opens in new tab) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chronic Illness<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Children and young people with chronic illnesses such as asthma, diabetes and\/or epilepsy may frequently miss school due to medical appointments, hospital stays and\/or periods of illness.  Managing these conditions can be challenging and may require time away from school for treatment and recovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Management of Pupils with Diabetes in Primary Schools Guidance 2013<\/a> (link opens in new tab) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Acute Illness<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Related Pages and Links<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Individual Factors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

ASN<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Age<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anxiety and Mental Health<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Peer Relationships<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Risk Taking Behaviour<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Social Isolation<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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School Based Factors<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Common illnesses like the flu or colds can lead to short-term absences to prevent the spread of the disease and enable students to recover.\u00a0 Even after the acute phase of an illness, children and young people may require additional time to recuperate fully before returning to school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is my child too ill for school? – NHS<\/a> (external link, opens in new tab)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are government guidelines for schools and nurseries about health protection and managing specific infectious diseases.  There say when children should be kept of school and when they shouldn’t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Health protection in children and young people settings, including education – GOV.UK<\/a> (external link, opens in new tab) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mental Health Issues with Physical Symptoms<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The interplay between mental and physical health means that some children and young people struggling with mental health issues may also experience physical health problems.  Psychosomatic Symptoms:  Stress, anxiety and depression can manifest as physical symptoms such as headaches, stomach-aches and\/or fatigue leading to school absence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Injuries<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Injuries from accidents, sports etc. can result in absence due to the need for medical treatment and\/or rehabilitation.  Injuries that affect mobility such as broken bones or severe sprains may require children and young people to stay home until they can safely navigate the school environment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Specific Health Needs<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Children and young people with physical disabilities may require specialist care or accommodations, sometimes their health needs might necessitate time away from school.  Similarly, children and young people undergoing surgeries or other significant medical procedures will need recovery time, contributing to absences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Physical and motor impairment | Disability and health | Parentzone Scotland<\/a> (external link, opens in new tab) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Access to Healthcare<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Limited access to timely and adequate healthcare can exacerbate health problems, leading to prolonged or more frequent absences.  Furthermore, lack of access to preventative care can result in illnesses that might otherwise have been avoided, causing more school absences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strategies to Support<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Health Services in Schools<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Supporting children and young people with healthcare needs in schools: guidance – gov.scot<\/a> (external link, opens in new tab)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having trained medical staff such as School Nurses or First Aiders on-site can help manage  minor health issues and reduce unnecessary absences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

School Nurses \u2013 Dumfries and Galloway Health and Social Care<\/a> (external link, opens in new tab) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Directorates Education and Learning Operational Procedures are available to all Head Teachers and Teaching staff via GLOW or CONNECT and are always subject to regular review.<\/p>\n\n\n\n