Too Sick for School?

A student should stay home from school if he or she:

• has a fever of 100º F or more.
• had a fever above 100º F in the last 24 hours.
• has vomited in the last 24 hours.
• has had diarrhea in the last 24 hours.
• has a runny nose that requires a great deal of management time.
• has a persistent cough that interferes with concentration.
• is too tired to engage in usual activities.
• has a significantly decreased appetite.
• has one or both eyes that are red, watery, or draining.
• has been on medication for an infection for fewer than 24 hours.
• has severe headache, especially when accompanied by fever.
• has severe sore throat accompanied by fever, malaise and/or red spots in the mouth.
• has a rash that is in various stages.
• has a rash that is pale, irregular in-between the webs of the fingers.

Generally, after the above listed symptoms disappear, students require an additional 24-72 hours to recover. If you are in doubt about whether or not to send your child to school during or following an illness, please call the school nurse-teacher for advice. If your child has a persistent cough, rash, fever, bump, or other bothersome symptom, you should contact your child’s pediatrician.