When to Keep Your Child Home

There may be times when your child is ill and you are unsure whether or not he/she should go to school. The following can be used as a guideline to help you make the right choice for your child and their classmates.

Keep your child home if…

• They have a fever of 100 degrees or higher, and child should be fever-free for 24 hours, (without fever-reducing medication)
• Your child has a low-grade fever (99 degrees) and has other symptoms (cough, headache, sore throat, nausea, cramps) or generally looks sick
• Your child has a GI virus that includes vomiting or diarrhea, they should not return until they have gone 24 hours without vomiting or diarrhea. Also if your child vomits in the morning prior to the school day, please don’t send them that day.
• Your child has severe congestion, including chest, nasal, sinus, or frequent nasal discharge
• Your child is coughing enough to need cough medicine during the school day, he/she should be kept home. Coughing is one of the most common ways to spread germs.
• He/she has a contagious disease such as an undiagnosed rash, mononucleosis, chickenpox, pink eye/conjunctivitis, lice, strep throat, etc). Return 24 hours after the start of treatment.
• Chickenpox – all scabs must be dry.
• Lice – lice must be treated and the head free of lice and nits. You must also notify the school when lice are discovered at home so we can eliminate it as quickly as possible. Check with the nurse before returning to class that day.