Please keep your child home and/or contact, via phone, your child’s doctor for:

• Fever greater than 100.0°F (taken by mouth), chills
• Vomiting and/or diarrhea within the last 24 hours
• Severe sore throat along with fever and feeling ill for more than 48 hours, or after exposure to strep throat infection or possible exposure to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
• Honey-crusted sores around the nose or mouth, or unknown rash on other body parts
• Large amounts of mucous (liquid) from their nose, with face pain or headache
• Severe ear pain or fluid coming from the ear
• Severe headache, especially with fever
• Shortness of breath
• persistent cough
• Muscle pain
• Open sores on body that are not healing

If your child has a fever, it is not a good idea to give them medicine like Tylenol or Advil and send them to school, because as soon as the medicine wears off, the fever may return and you will be called to come and pick up your child.

Please keep children home for 24 hours after the fever ends or they have completed 24 hours of medication if prescribed by your health care provider for symptoms or illnesses.

Remind children to throw away used tissues, to cover their mouths and noses when they cough or sneeze using a tissue or their elbow, to keep their hands away from their face, and to wash their hands often with soap and warm water for a minimum of 20 seconds or by using alcohol-based hand sanitizer. These steps will help keep everyone healthier.

If you find your child is frequently asking to stay home from school, if they are falling behind or appear anxious about school, or if there does not appear to be any physical symptoms, contact your school nurse and your health care provider to discuss your concerns. Social emotional staff at school may also be a valuable resource for you and your child.