Health Information

When to Keep Your Child Home from School

Be sure the school has current telephone numbers in case your child becomes ill while at school

FEVER- A temperature of 100 or over you must keep your child home. The child must be 24 hours fever free without fever reducing medication before returning to school. Giving a fever reducer (Tylenol, Ibuprofen) and sending them to school will almost guarantee a call from school when the medicine wears off, as well as exposing other students to your child’s illness.
VOMITING and/or DIARRHEA- If your child has been vomiting or having diarrhea during the previous evening, keep them home for 24 hours. Consult your doctor if symptoms continue more than 48 hours or worsen instead of improving.

CONTAGIOUS DISEASE- If your child is diagnosed with a contagious disease, such as strep, impetigo or pink eye they should be on prescribed antibiotics for 24 hours and/or fever free for 24 hours, before returning to school.

RASH- A rash is a characteristic symptom of infectious diseases. If your child has a rapidly spreading rash with fever, signs of other illness or behavioral change they need to be evaluated by a physician. Rashes include: Impetigo, Scabies, and Ringworm which are extremely contagious.

NASAL DISCHARGE/COUGH- Keep your child home if they have heavy nasal congestion and/or frequent cough. They probably feel miserable and will not be focused on school work, as well as sharing their illness with others.

RED, RUNNY EYES- If your child has crusty, red or weepy eyes with thick or sticky eye drainage please keep home until evaluated by a medical provider. Prescription medication may be needed depending on the diagnosis.

LICE- We have a “No Live Lice” policy. Keep your child home until after the first treatment is administered. Please see our LICE POLICY on the drop down under School District Nurse.

MALAISE- Any illness that prevents your child from participating comfortably such as short of breath, cough that interrupts normal activity, abnormally tired, & pain – ear, head, throat ; in class or school activities.

Below is a list of common illnesses and the protocol that we follow for each.

Chicken Pox-Exclude for 7 days or until all lesions are crusted over
Fifths Disease-No need to exclude from school. By the time the rash appears the child is no longer contagious
Hand Foot and Mouth Disease –Exclusion until weeping lesions have dried
Impetigo-Exclude until 24 hours after initial dose of antibiotic
Pink Eye(Conjunctivitis)- exclude until 24 hours after treatment begins or child is examined by physician
Ringworm-Exclude from school until 24 hours after treatment begins and lesion begins to shrink, unless the lesion can be covered. A child does NOT need to be excluded if lesion can be covered
Scabies- Exclude until after the first scabicide treatment
Ringworm-Exclude from school until 24 hours after treatment begins and lesion begins to shrink, unless the lesion can be covered. A child does NOT need to be excluded if lesion can be covered

We follow the Illinois Department of Public Health Guidelines.