Is your child too sick for school?

A GUIDE FOR PARENTS/GUARDIANS.

     Winter is coming and so are winter colds and other illnesses that attack young children. You don’t want your child to miss school, but neither do you want to send a sick child to school and endanger him or her and other children as well. When should your child stay home from school? Here are a few guidelines you might wish to follow:

A runny nose of “leaky faucet” is the way many children respond to pollen, dust, chalk, or simply a change in season. If it isn’t common cold, then it’s an allergy, and allergies are not contagious. Don’t keep the child home.

A bad cough or cold symptom can indicate a severe cold, bronchitis, flu or even pneumonia. Some children suffer one cold after another all winter long and a run-of-the-mill cold should not be a reason to miss school. But if your child is not acting “right”, has a fever, has difficulty breathing or is becoming dehydrated, it is could be serious. Check with your pediatrician right away.

Diarrhea and vomiting make children very uncomfortable, and being near a bathroom becomes a top priority. If your child has repeated episodes of diarrhea and vomiting accompanied by fever, a rash or general weakness, consult a doctor and keep your child out of school until the illness passes. However, a single episode of diarrhea or even vomiting, unaccompanied by any other symptoms, may not be reason enough for the child to miss school. But please make sure we know how to reach you or another responsible adult during the day, in case diarrhea and/or vomiting recurs and your child needs emergency attention. (This is important rule to follow whenever you send your child to school with any of the symptoms mentioned here.)

Fever is an important symptom, when it occurs along with sore throat, nausea, listlessness or a rash, your child may be carrying something contagious. Most pediatricians advise parents to keep children home during the course of a fever and for an additional 24 hours after the fever has passed.

Strep throat and Scarlet Fever are two highly contagious conditions caused by a streptococcal (bacteria) infection. They usually arrive with a sore throat and high fever. Some 12 to 48 hours after the onset of scarlet fever, a rash will also appear. A child with either strep throat or scarlet fever should be kept home and treated with antibiotics as prescribed by a physician after 24 hours on an antibiotic. A child is usually no longer contagious and may with the doctor’s permission, return to school.

Conjunctivitis or Pink Eye is highly contagious and uncomfortable, so take heed when your child complains of an eye or eyes burning, itching and producing a whitish discharge. Minor cases (caused by a virus) and severe cases (caused by bacteria) require treatment with prescription eye drops. It’s best to keep your child home until your doctor says it’s all right to return.

Ear Infections, unless properly treated, can cause permanent damage. Here again you should follow the 24-hour rule for fever and antibiotic therapy.

Mites and lice once brought into a home or school can quickly produce an epidemic of wholesale itching and scratching. Mites are tiny insects in the same class as spiders and ticks; they irritate the skin and cause scabies. Lice are tiny parasites (like ticks) that thrive on the warm damp scalps of children. (AFT school nurses recommend that you keep the child home until the initial treatment is completed). Caution your child against sharing anybody else’s combs, brushes or clothing, especially hats.  You can put linens, clothing, etc. in the dryer to kill the lice. Vacuum mattresses and carpets in general.

Chicken Pox, a viral disease, is not life threatening to children but is very uncomfortable and extremely contagious. If your child has a fever, is itching, and begins to sprout pink or red spots (with watery centers) on the back, chest and/or face, the chances are good it’s chicken pox. Please tell us if it is, it is important that the school knows this information. Keep your child home for at least a week from the time the rash appeared or if there is still fluid in any of the pox and at least two days after the last spot has appeared which ever period is longer.