How to print an Ickly poster for your school or daycare
School directors, class parents, and PTO representatives can download a free, school-specific Ickly poster in English, Spanish, or Ukrainian, then place it where families will see it.
September 2026 · 6 min read
School Vaccine Questions, Answered by Dr. Jessica Reggi
A Chicago pediatrician answers parents’ questions about school vaccine requirements, flu and HPV vaccines, community protection, and where to find trustworthy guidance.
Our family got our flu and COVID shots: why, what science says, and a pizza party
Anna-Mi shares why her family, including two young kids and a baby on the way, got their flu and COVID shots together, what the science says about these vaccines, and how a Friday afternoon at CVS Minute Clinic turned into a pizza party.
What's new on Ickly
7 stories
Ickly is coming to Android, and I need 12 of you
The Android app is built and ready for its first real-world test. Here is what is in it for you, and exactly how to sign up as a beta tester.
Vaccination and health exam records, now on every Chicago Public School page
You can now see vaccination and health exam compliance rates for Chicago Public Schools right on the school page, alongside what is going around. Here is where the numbers come from, what they mean, and why we put them there.
The August Ickly Recap: What Back-to-School Season Looked Like
Organic traffic doubled, 65% of parents logged a health signal, and 22 new schools were requested across 10 cities. Here is what August looked like on the Ickly radar.
Schools
7 stories
Meet Devin Bray, our new school ambassador at Ellen Mitchell Elementary
Devin Bray runs the Mitchell first grade WhatsApp mega-group, serves on the Local School Council, and is a liver transplant recipient. Here is why he joined Ickly, and what he hopes to build this school year.
Ickly is coming to the Pritzker Back to School Bash
Join founder Anna-Mi Widman, Ickly Community Contributors, A.N. Pritzker PTO, and Friends of Pritzker at the Back to School Bash on Saturday, October 3. Stop by, say hi, and follow Pritzker Elementary on Ickly.
"Solutions do not come from the top": Annie Pecoraro on parents building for parents
The owner of Le Village Cowork Lakeview on anonymous reporting, shared missions, and why the best answers for working parents come from other working parents.
Founder & Community
5 stories
Why I built Ickly: a Chicago mom's story
Anna-Mi Widman became a mom during the pandemic, lived every version of sick season, and got tired of guessing. In her own words, here is why Ickly exists.
We took a tech meetup to the playground: inside Chicago's first Family TechWalk
Ickly co-hosted Chicago's first Family TechWalk with Ismael El-Amin of PiggyBack Network. Founders, product builders and working parents met in the park, kids in tow, to talk about what family tech should actually solve.
Network effects start with 135 parents, not a million users
Network effects do not start with millions of users. They start with 135 parents in Chicago, 86 schools, and the moment three families at the same school start logging symptoms.
Immunization
1 storyFor parents
16 storiesHow to Share Ickly With Your Parent Circle (and Why It Matters)
The Ickly share kit makes it easy to tell friends, neighbors, mom groups, and school communities about what's going around. Here's how to use it and why every share helps.
When to Keep Your Child Home From School: A Parent's Sick Day Decision Guide
Deciding when to keep your child home from school can be tough, but generally, children should stay home if they have a fever, are vomiting, have diarrhea, or feel too unwell to participate in activities.
Summer Camp Illness: What Actually Spreads, What to Pack, and How FSA Dollars Can Help
The realistic parent guide to summer camp illness (strep, GI bugs, hand-foot-mouth, swimmer's ear), a practical pack list, average cost by camp type, and how dependent care FSA dollars apply.
Ickly insights
2 storiesThe Pinkeye Paradox: Why Daycare's Red-Eye Rule Is the New Parent Battleground
Parents are stuck between pediatricians who say "it's just a virus" and daycares that demand antibiotic drops. The real cost isn't the pink eye. It's the PTO, the wrestling match with a toddler, and a policy that hasn't caught up to science.
Strep Throat: Decoding False Negatives, Treatment Updates, and What Chicago Parents Need to Know
You suspect strep, but the test came back negative. What now? This article explores the latest research on strep throat false negatives.
Behind the scenes
4 storiesStrep, Sick Kids, and the Hidden Cost of Working Parenthood
My son got strep this week. Here's what four days of mild symptoms, one midnight urgent care run, and America's broken sick-leave reality taught me about why parents need better information.
Keeping Our Kids Safe: Understanding Chicago School Food Inspections
As parents, ensuring our children's well-being extends beyond the classroom to the food they eat every day. Learn how the City of Chicago inspects school cafeterias and how Ickly can help you easily access this vital information.
Inside Ickly School Pages: The Health Data Every Parent Deserves
Ickly school pages bring together food inspections, environmental health records, wellness indicators, and parent reviews — all in one place. Here's how to use them.
Illness guides
48 storiesHow Long Is the Flu Contagious? A Day-by-Day Timeline for Parents
Kids spread flu before the first symptom and for days after. Here's the contagious window, day by day, plus when it's genuinely safe to go back to school.
Flu A vs Flu B: What the Letter on Your Child's Test Actually Means
The lab says flu A. Or flu B. Here's what that letter actually tells you about symptoms, timing, treatment, and when your kid can go back to school.
Beating the Surge: How Urgent Cares Can Prep for 'Icky' Season
Urgent cares are about to get hit with the seasonal surge. Here is how to use patient data to triage faster and protect your margins.
Chicago & local
8 storiesRSV and Flu Season: The Source of Truth Parents Are Searching For
Respiratory season has parents stuck in low-grade fever limbo. Here is why the guidance feels fragmented, and what a clear, community-backed plan would change.
Did You Survive Flu Season? Take the Quiz and Find Out
Chicago parents — flu season is over, but how did you really do? Take our fun quiz to find out your survival style and share your results with fellow parents.
Navigating the Healthcare Maze: Understanding Inequities in Chicago's Kid Health Resources
A recent survey highlights significant disparities in health resources for children across Chicago neighborhoods. Learn how these inequities can impact your child's well-being and what steps you can take to advocate for better access to care, no matter where you live in the Windy City.