Health Services

• Runny nose - is the way many children respond to pollen, dust or a cold virus. A minor cold or allergy symptoms should not be a reason to miss school. Many healthy children have as many as six colds per year, especially in the early school years. A child should say home if he or she is too uncomfortable to complete work and participate in other school activities.
• Coughing - especially if it is persistent during the day, can indicate a worsening of cold or allergy symptoms. It may be a sign of secondary infection (sinusitis, pneumonia), which may require medical treatment. It may also indicate mild asthma. If your child's cough is worse than you might expect with a common cold, you need to consult your child's doctor. You should do so immediately if the child is not acting normal, has a fever or has difficulty breathing.
• Diarrhea and vomiting - make children uncomfortable. It could be very uncomfortable and embarrassing for your child to have another episode while in school. Must stay home until they are diarrhea/vomiting free without diarrhea/vomiting suppressing medications for 24 hours.
• Fever - (100 degrees Fahrenheit of higher) is an important symptom - especially when it occurs along with a sore throat, nausea or a rash. Your child could have a contagious illness, which could be passed to classmates and teachers. While you can treat the fever, and usually make the child feel better temporarily, the cause of the fever (and the risk of passing it to others) is still there. Children with fever should stay home until there is no fever for 24 hours (without taking Tylenol, Motrin, Advil, etc.)
• Sore throat - consult your child’s doctor for advice regarding diagnosis and treatment. A child should stay home if they are too uncomfortable to complete work and participate in other school activities. If diagnosed with strep throat, a child may not return to school until 24-48 hours after the first dose of antibiotics was given and is fever free.
• Pinkeye (conjunctivitis) - can be caused by a virus, bacteria or allergy. The first 2 are very contagious. The eye will be reddened and a cloudy or yellow discharge is usually present. The eye may be sensitive to light. Consult with your child’s doctor to see if antibiotic eye drops are needed. Again, the child should stay home until symptoms subside and the child has been on antibiotic eye drops for at least 24 hours or until the doctor recommends the child return to school.
• Middle ear infections - can cause great discomfort and often fever, but are not contagious to others. The child should see his doctor for diagnosis and treatment and should stay home if there is fever or pain present.
• Flu - is a contagious virus that usually occurs in the winter months. Symptoms include body aches, high fever, chills, congestion, sore throat, and, in some children, vomiting. The child should stay home until these symptoms improve, usually 5 to 7 days. Consult your child’s doctor for treatment suggestions to make your child more comfortable.
• Skin infection - can be a staph or strep infection that creates a red, oozing blister-like area that can appear anywhere on the body. It can be passed to others by direct contact. Consult your child’s doctor for treatment and length of time the child should remain out of school, especially if the area cannot be covered.

Remember to make sure that your child's school knows how to reach you during the day and that there is a back-up plan and phone number on file if they cannot reach you.