IS HE/SHE SICK?
As parents, we are often faced with the dilemma of whether our child is "sick enough" to stay home from school. The following
information from the health office will help you to make that decision when your child is ill.
Fever
A fever is a warning that all is not right with the body.
The best way to check for a fever is with a thermometer. No child with a temperature of 100 degrees or over is allowed to attend school.
Do not allow a child to return to school until he has been free of fever for 24 hours.
Head Lice
A child with head lice must remain at home until the child's hair has been treated with lice shampoo and until the nits have all
been removed from the child's hair. The entire household must also be cleaned and all clothing and linens laundered.
Please contact the school nurse and report head lice so we may check the child's classmates and siblings.
Stomachache, Vomiting, Diarrhea
Consult your doctor if your child has a stomachache which is persistent or severe enough to limit his activity.
If vomiting occurs, keep your child home until he can keep his food down.
A child with diarrhea should be kept home.
Call your doctor if prompt improvement does not occur.
Pain
toothache: contact your dentist
earache: consult your doctor without delay
headache: a child whose only complaint is headache usually need not be kept home
Eye Infections
Reddened, itchy eyes accompanied by eye drainage may be conjunctivitis or pink eye and must be treated by a physician. A
child with pink eye must be on medication for at least 24 hours and have no active drainage from the eye before he/she can return to school.
Cold, Sore Throat, Cough
The common cold presents the most frequent problem to parents.
A child with a "mild" cold but otherwise feeling well may go to school.
A child with a "heavy" cold and a deep or hacking cough belongs home and in bed even though he has no fever.
If your child complains of sore throat and has no other symptoms, he may go to school. If white spots can be seen in the back
of the throat or if fever is present, keep him home and call your doctor.
If your child is being treated for strep throat, keep him home from school until he is fever free for 24 hours and has been on the
antibiotic for at least 24 hours. Please contact the health office if your child is diagnosed with strep throat.
Rash
A rash may be the first sign of one of childhood's many illnesses, such as measles or chicken pox.
A rash, or "spots" may cover the entire body or may appear in only one area.
Do not send a child with a rash to school until your doctor has said that it is safe to do so.
A child who has had chicken pox may return to school when all of the pox are dried and scabbed over. Please contact the health office if your child is diagnosed with chicken pox.
Please post this for future reference.
If you would like to request homework for your child who is home ill, please call your child's teachers' voice mail in advance
and plan to pick the work up after school.
