Cold and flu season is upon us and parents are already missing work to take care of sick kids. 

A new survey of more than 1,000 parents of school-aged children revealed the top illnesses parents are concerned about during the school year and the impact those illnesses have on families and working parents. 

• 65% of parents say it is difficult to work when a child is home sick 
• 57% of parents have taken a full or half day off work due to a child being home sick
• 1 in 5 parents admit to encouraging kids to still go to school even when they do not feel well
• Nearly 47% do not have child care to rely on if their child cannot go into school
• 46% of parents with young children say they’ve dealt with a daycare shutdown due to illness

While most families are taking precautions to avoid the winter sickness surge, 80% of parents believe their kids will still end up getting sick.

Nearly 1 in 4 parents believe their kids will get sick 3 times.

What are the top illnesses parents are concerned about this school year? 

Covid-19, the flu, the common cold and strep throat are the four illnesses top-of-mind for concerned parents. 

Children and Common Illnesses: 48% Already Sick In the 2022-2023 School Year.