When to keep your child home from school

A problem parents commonly face is when to keep a child home from school if he/she complains of not feeling well.  Use the following guidelines until your health care provider can be contacted. If your child does stay home from school, please print the Absence From School Form and send in with your child when they return to school.  Students are allowed to miss a total of 10 days for the entire school year.  Excuses are due within 3 days of returning to school, if no excuse is turned in, that day will remain as unexcused. The only excuse accepted after the 10th day will be from a medical practitioner.  

Children should be kept at home if any of the following conditions are present:

• Fever of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or greater within the past 24 hours 

• Vomiting within the past 24 hours

• Diarrhea within the past 24 hours

• Undiagnosed skin rashes /skin infections

• A communicable disease 

• Head lice

• Persistent sore throat along with loss of voice, difficulty swallowing and/or rash

• Severe headache, toothache, or ear pain

• Stiff neck or headache with fever

• Abdominal pain with low grade fever

• Eyes that are painful, red, and matted

A child may return to school after a contagious disease or infection when:

• Chicken pox - When all blisters have formed scabs  

• Conjunctivitis - When eyes are clear and have been treated with antibiotics for 24 hours

• Scabies - 24 hours after start of treatment

• Strep throat or scarlet fever - 24 hours after start of treatment

• Impetigo - When skin is clear or child has been under treatment for 24 hours

• Head lice - When head is treated and free of lice and nits

Sometimes children may decide they feel sick on the morning of a big test or following a fight with a friend. True, at first you should always take your child's complaints seriously.  But if you notice a continuing pattern it is always helpful to speak with your child's teachers, counselor, and of course the school nurse.  Often these people have valuable insights into your child's experience at Carlynton.

When in doubt, please contact your child's pediatrician.