GUIDELINES FOR KEEPING STUDENTS HOME DUE TO ILLNESS

GUIDELINES FOR KEEPING STUDENTS HOME DUE TO ILLNESS


Dear Parent or Guardian:

It is sometimes difficult to decide when and how long to keep an ill child home from school.

The timing of the absence is often important in order to decrease the spread of disease to others, and to protect your child from other illnesses while his/her resistance is lowered. In addition, unnecessary absences from school can have a negative effect on a student’s attitude, work habits, and progress. The information below is not intended as medical advice, but as general guidelines to assist you.
FEVER – Any temperature of 100.4 F or above. Your student should be fever‐free (without taking fever reducing medication such as Tylenol or Advil) for 24 hours before returning to school. Remember that fever is an important symptom. When it occurs along with a sore throat, nausea, listlessness or a rash, your child could be carrying a contagious illness. You are encouraged to seek advice from your doctor.

COLDS AND RUNNY NOSES – A run‐of‐the‐mill cold may not be a reason to miss school. However, if your student is not acting as usual, has a fever over 100.4, or a runny nose with lots of uncontrollable green or yellow discharge please keep him/her at home. Your child should remain home while symptoms are serious enough to interfere with his/her ability to learn. Simple hay fever is not normally a reason to keep your student home.

SORE THROAT, STREP THROAT AND SCARLET FEVER ・ Any child with a sore throat with fever should be kept home from school. Strep throat usually begins with a sore, cherry red throat, fever and possibly pus spots on the back of the throat. With scarlet fever there are all the symptoms of strep throat as well as a strawberry appearance to the tongue and rash of the skin. Your child should remain home from school until receiving a full 24 hours of antibiotic
therapy and without fever for 24 hours. Most physicians will advise rest at home 1‐2 days after a strep infection.

RASH – All unidentified rashes should be checked by your doctor. A note from your doctor should be sent to the school, identifying the rash as not contagious.

CHICKEN POX – Chicken pox (varicella) is a very uncomfortable and extremely contagious viral disease. If your child has a fever, is itching and begins to sprout pink or red spots with watery center, it may be chicken pox. Your child should remain home until 6 days after onset of the rash or until all lesions have dried and crusted.