Written on 14 July 2016. Posted in Health

Chilton Public School District encourages regular school attendance for all students. Unnecessary absences have a negative effect on school performance and academic success. Here are some guidelines to use in determining whether your child should stay home in order to promote quicker recovery and prevent the spread of illnesses at school. The following information is not intended to take place of your pediatrician’s advice, but rather to provide a guideline to be followed until your doctor can be contacted for his/her opinion.

1. FEVER: A child with an oral fever of 100 degrees or higher should be kept at home. Please keep your child home until they are fever free for 24 hours without the help of fever reducing medications.

2. VOMITING, DIARRHEA: Children should stay home until they have been free of vomiting and/or diarrhea for 24 hours and until he/she can keep fluids and food down.

3. COLDS/COUGHS: Unfortunately, colds are a common occurrence in the classroom. If your child is moderately uncomfortable, has a constant runny nose with green or yellow discharge, exhaustion, or muscle or body aches, please keep your child at home to provide rest and adequate fluids.

4. SORE THROAT: If your child has a sore throat but no other symptoms, they may go to school. If the sore throat is severe enough to interfere with swallowing or if white spots can be seen in the back of the throat or a fever is present, keep your child at home. Strep throat is a highly contagious condition caused by bacterial infection. Symptoms include sore throat accompanied by fever, pus in the back of the throat, or rash. A child with strep throat needs to be kept at home, medically evaluated and treated with antibiotics for 24 hours.

5. UNDIAGNOSED SKIN RASH: A rash may be the first sign of one of many childhood illnesses. If a rash is present, your child should see a healthcare provider to determine if it is safe to be at school.

6. ANTIBIOTIC THERAPY: Antibiotics are sometimes prescribed to treat bacterial infections. If antibiotics are prescribed for a contagious condition, your child must be on them 24 hours before returning to school.

7. HEADACHE: Keep your child at home if headache is severe enough to interfere with learning. Over the counter pain medication can be given to your child if you bring properly labeled medication in its original container with a medication authorization form. (See “OTC Medication Administration” tab).

8. EARACHE: If your child has moderate or severe pain, consult your health care provider.

**When your child is ill, be sure to provide plenty or rest and fluids. Handwashing is the single most important method of preventing the spread of illness. Be sure both healthy and ill family members get into the habit of washing their hands with soap and water several times a day especially after using the bathroom and before eating.

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