Health Office Memo
THE BEST WAY TO PREVENT ILLNESS IS HANDWASHING!
Should my child go to school?
Please take a few minutes to read this information regarding your child’s health and his/her attendance at school. I hope this will be useful in your decision making process when your child is ill. In general, there are two reasons to keep a child home from school: when he/she is contagious and when he/she feels too sick to face the demands of the day. This is a guideline for your information only and is not intended as medical advice.
Guidelines for some basic illnesses:
Intestinal Upsets
Happen to almost every child. Stomach aches, vomiting and diarrhea are usual, minor and temporary. Please keep your child home until the symptoms have resolved and he/she is able to keep food and liquids down. Consult your health care provider if fever and stomach pain persist or your child appears dehydrated.
Fever
Often the first sign of infectious illness is elevated temperature. Your child may attend school with a temperature less than 100 degree F without the use of analgesics. Do not give aspirin for fever as it has been linked to Reye’s syndrome.
Upper Respiratory Infections
The most common of childhood illness is the common cold. Children average six to eight colds per year. A child may attend school if there is no fever. A sore throat, in conjunction with a fever, swollen glands and possible stomach issues may indicate strep throat. Call your health care provider to have your child evaluated and tested. Children are no longer contagious after 24 hours on antibiotic treatment.
Persistent cough with or without fever should be seen by the doctor.
THE BEST WAY TO PREVENT ILLNESS IS HANDWASHING!