Microsoft word - common illness and attendence.doc

Common Illness & School Attendance Guidelines Fever: Any temperature greater than 100 degrees F is considered a fever. Children must be fever-free for 24 hours without using fever reducing medications (such as Tylenol, Motrin, Advil, etc.) in order to return to school. This applies even if the underlying cause of the fever is non-infectious, such as middle ear infections, bronchitis, urinary tract infections, etc. Children with a fever do not usually feel well enough to participate & attend school activities. It is recommended that they be given 24 hours to recover from the fever before returning to school. Please note that a child who exhibits symptoms of illness without a fever may be sent home if the nurse feels this is in the best interest of the child or the child’s classmates (with compromised immune systems). Colds: Children with an upper respiratory infection without a fever may attend school if they feel well enough to do so. It is helpful in preventing the spread of illness if children learn to cough or sneeze into their sleeve or use tissues to cover sneezes and coughs, and wash hands after contact with the secretions. Infections: Any child who has been on antibiotic therapy for 24 hours is no longer considered infectious and may return to school. This includes infections of the eye, nose, skin and strep infections. (Exception is pink eye, not all doctors treat this, so the doctor or nurse will decide if exclusion is necessary to protect others from being contaminated). Diarrhea: Children with diarrhea should remain home until they are symptom free for 24 hours. The only exception is if the diarrhea is the result of a chronic condition, then a note from the doctor is needed indicating the diarrhea is not infectious. Vomiting: A child who has vomited the evening before or in the morning before school should remain home for that day. Common Childhood Diseases: If a child has chicken pox, measles or any other known untreatable contagious disease, they must be kept home until they are no longer contagious. For most common childhood diseases, the period of contagion is known. Consult your nurse for additional information. Medications: If your child is on medications at home but not at school, please let your school nurse know. Many medications cause unusual or undesirable side effects that can be mistaken for other problems. All medication must be in the original container with a current label. Tell the school: It’s important to keep the school informed if your child is going to be absent. There should be a clear process for you to follow to inform the school that your child will not be attending. Usually, you should telephone the school to tell them that your child will be staying at home. The school may ask about the nature of the illness and the expected duration of absence from school. If it becomes clear that your child will be away from school for longer than expected, telephone the school to explain this as soon as possible.

Source: http://www.lcs.k12.wi.us/schell/Past%20Year%20Projects/SimpleMachines2012/school/healthroom/Common%20Illness%20and%20attendence.pdf