Should I keep my child home or send him or her to school?
School policy (and state law) requires a child stay home if he or she:
- Has a fever of 100.0° (degrees) or higher
- Has been vomiting or has had diarrhea
- If s/he is coughing or sneezing often because this spreads the sickness to others
- Has symptoms that interfere with participating in school, such as:
- Very tired or poor appetite
- A headache, body aches, or an earache
- A sore throat—a little sore throat is ok for school, but a bad sore throat could be strep throat, even if there is no fever. Other signs of strep throat in children are a headache and stomach upset, or rash. Call your doctor if your child has these signs. A special test is needed to know if it is strep throat
Remember the 24-hour Rule!
- FEVER: Keep your child home until his or her FEVER has been gone WITHOUT medicine for 24 hours. Colds can be contagious for at least 48 hours. Returning to school too soon may slow recovery and make other.
- If your child has been sent home with a fever, they cannot return the next day!
- VOMITING OR DIARRHEA: Keep your child home for 24 hours after the LAST time he or she vomited or had
- ANTIBIOTICS: Keep your child home until 24 hours after the FIRST dose of antibiotics for anything like an ear infection or strep
We often have many children and adults with colds coming to school, and each one is passing their sickness to others. Please help others from becoming sick by keeping your child home while they are sick.
For more information, or if you have questions, contact the School Nurse.