The Nurse's Office

A fever is a warning that the body is fighting an infection that could easily spread to others.  A child with a temperature of 100.4F should not be sent to school; your child should stay home until they are fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medications like Tylenol. 

Colds are more difficult to assess. A slightly runny nose and occasional dry cough is not enough to keep your child home. However, if your child has a constantly runny nose and/or the cold is accompanies by a frequent and wet cough, nausea, extreme fatigue, and/or general malaise, it would be best to keep the child home for a day or two.

If your child has a severe cough, rapid and/or difficulty breathing, wheezing, or the cough is accompanied by a sore throat and/or general malaise, the child should stay home from school.

Diarrhea is defined as an unusual amount of very liquid stools compared to the child’s normal pattern. Children should stay home until able to participate normally at school. 

If your child has pain, swelling, drainage, or difficulty hearing, please see your healthcare provider. Untreated ear infections can cause temporary or permanent hearing loss. 

 If your child has red, itchy eyes with a clear, yellow, or green drainage from the eye, it may be contagious and a sign of bacterial conjunctivitis (pinkeye). A child with pinkeye can attend school as long as they are able to keep from touching their eyes and show they can properly wash their hands after contact with the infected eye(s).  

A rash might be the first sign of an illness. If your child's rash is accompanied by fever and behavioral changes, an open and/or oozing wound, or tender and increasing in severity, your child should be evaluated by a healthcare provider. 

If your child has a sore throat, a salt water gargle is recommended. If the child's behavior is normal and the child ate breakfast, it’s probably safe to send your child to school. If your child has difficulty swallowing and you notice saliva building up in your child’s mouth, please keep your child home. If you notice white spots in the back of the throat, please contact your doctor; this could be a sign of an infection.

Please keep your child home if your child has vomited more than 2 times in 24 hours and/or experiences general malaise with nausea.

Students with common respiratory illnesses like the flu or COVID-19 can return to school if their symptoms, as indicated above, are resolved.