Being absent from school too often,
excused or not, can put a child’s
academic achievement at risk—but it
may also jeopardize future health. A
new policy statement from the American
Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in
the February 2019 Pediatrics, “The
Link Between School Attendance and
Good Health,” recommends health
care providers promote good school
attendance as preventive medicine.
Defined as missing too much school
for any reason, chronic absenteeism
starting as early as preschool has
been linked to both poor educational
and health outcomes, according to the
AAP. Research shows that missing
school a lot, whether from excused
absences or truancy, makes students
less likely to do well academically and
more likely to drop out. This, in turn,
PEDIATRICS
MISSING
SCHOOL
How Much Is Too Much?
Yes, sometimes a child is
too sick for school…but
chronic absenteeism can
have far-reaching effects.
puts them at risk for unhealthy behaviors
by the time they reach their teens,
and poor health as adults.
“School absences can add up quickly,”
said Mandy Allison, MD, MSPH,
FAAP, lead author of the policy
statement and a member of the AAP’s
Council on School Health, which
developed the report. “Asking about
school attendance and approaching
chronic absenteeism as a health
risk factor can have a big impact on
patients’ lives,” she said.
More than 6.5 million U.S. children—
about 13% of all students—
miss 15 or more days of school each
year, a benchmark for chronic absenteeism
that’s been used by the U.S.
Department of Education. At least
10% of kindergarten and first-grade
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