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Should my Child Go to School?
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Parents/Guardians are often faced with making a decision to keep their child home or send him/her to school. If a child remains at home, and has the care that he/she needs when first becoming ill, the length of time he/she suffers from the illness, is often shortened. If your child is infected with a communicable disease, remaining at home may prevent the spread of illness to other students and staff. It is suggested that children should remain at home if they have the following symptoms/conditions: 1. Severe colds, coughs, or sore throats 2. Eye infections, especially if discharge is present 3. New skin rashes, especially if draining-unless medical evaluation indicates the rash is noncommunicable 4. Temperature of 100 degrees F or more 5. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or abdominal pain 6. Until result of throat culture is known Children may return to school when: 1. Free of symptoms (i.e. no vomiting or diarrhea for 24 hours) 2. Temperature remains normal for 24 hours (without use of fever-reducing medication such as Tylenol) 3. On an antibiotic for 12-24 hours (depends on illness being treated) 4. Advised by a physician to do so Infectious Disease Exclusion Guidelines for School-Aged Children
In the event your child has been diagnosed with an infectious disease or it is suspected at school that your child has an infectious disease, we ask that parents take their student to his/her physician for further treatment.
The following are a few examples of infectious diseases and the recommended exclusion criteria: Impetigo: Exclude until treated with antibiotics for 24 hours and sores are drying or improving. Influenza: Exclude until fever is gone for 24 hours and the student can participate in classroom activities. COVID-19: Exclude until fever is gone for 24 hours and the student is well enough to participate in classroom activities. Lyme Disease: No exclusion Scabies: Exclude until 24 hours after treatment begins. Warts: No exclusion Shingles: No exclusion, if blisters can be covered by clothing or a bandage. If blisters cannot be covered the student should be excluded until the blisters have crusted. A student with severe, disseminated shingles should be excluded regardless of whether the lesions can be covered. Strep Throat: Exclude until student has been on an antibiotic for 12 hours or more. Exclusion criteria for other infectious diseases will be discussed on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the student's physician in conjunction with the school nurse and/or administration. Emergency Situations If a student requires emergency care (either due to illness or injury), health office personnel or administration will attempt to contact the parent, guardian, or other designated emergency contact. If the parent or specified contact is unavailable, and the school nurse deems an ambulance is necessary, designated school personnel will arrange transportation to the hospital.
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