Health News from the School Nurse………………

Children are encouraged to cough and/or sneeze into their sleeves (if they do not have a tissue with them) and wash their hands as necessary to prevent the spread of germs.  

Each day many parents are faced with the decision about whether or not to keep their child home from school.  Please consider the following guidelines when making that decision:

• COLD: Consider keeping your child at home if he/she is experiencing discomfort from cold symptoms, such as nasal congestion and cough or feels too ill to perform their normal tasks in school.

• CONJUNCTIVITIS (pink eye): The child may return to school

      24 hours after the start of treatment and when the eye is no longer                 

           wet/weeping.

• DIARRHEA/VOMITING: A child should be symptom free (no diarrhea/vomiting) for 24 hours before returning to school. 

• FEVER: The child should remain at home with a fever of

100 degrees or more.  The child can return to school after he/she has                        been fever free for 24 hours (without the use of fever reducing medicine).

• STREP THROAT: The child may return to school 24 hours after the start of treatment.

• RASHES: Common infectious diseases with rashes are most contagious in the early stages.  A child with a suspicious rash should return to school only after a health care provider (physician) has made a diagnosis an authorized the child’s return to school.

A sick child may not learn effectively and may not be able to participate in classes in a meaningful way.  Keeping a sick child home helps to prevent the spread of illness in the school community and allows the child an opportunity to rest and recover.

Thank you     Mrs. Deanna Hess, R.N., M.S.Ed, CSN