Guidelines for Keeping Your Child Home from School
Parents often wonder whether or not they should send their child to school when they have a mild illness. If your child has any of the following, you should keep him or her at home:
- Fever above 100° Fahrenheit or more, they should stay home for 24 hours after their temperature returns to normal
- If your child has vomited or had diarrhea, they should stay home until 24 hours after the last episode
- If your child has any rash that might be disease related or you don’t know the cause, check with your primary physician before sending your child to school
- If your child has started on antibiotics for any reason, keep them at home until they’ve had a full 24 hours of medication
- Purulent (pus-like) eye drainage
- Symptoms of severe illness such as unusual fatigue, uncontrolled cough, difficulty breathing
- If your child is ill, please call the school daily to report the illness
If you have any questions about these guidelines, feel welcome to call your school nurse or contact your family physician.
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DISEASE
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SYMPTOMS
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INCUBATION
PERIOD
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STUDENT SHOULD STAY HOME UNTIL . . .
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COMMON COLD
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Watery eyes, sneezing runny nose, fatigue
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1 to 3 days
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OK to come to school unless child has other symptoms requiring exclusion
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PINK EYE
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Red, itchy eyes, pus-like drainage from eyes
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1 to 3 days
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Until diagnosis is verified, and bacterial infection is treated for 24 hours
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INFLUENZE (FLU)
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Fever, muscle aches, sore throat, cough, congestion, fatigue
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1 to 3 days
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24 hours without fever and well enough to return to usual activities
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MONO
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Fever, sore throat, swollen glands, headache, fatigue
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4 to 6 weeks
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Until well enough to return to usual activities; Physician authorization for sports participation
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CHICKENPOX
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Fever, itchy rash with red bumps, blisters, pustules and scabs
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10 to 21 days
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6 days after rash began
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HEAD LICE
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Live crawling lice, nits (lice eggs) attached to hair shaft, itchy head and neck
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7 to 10 days
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Until treated with lice medication and no live lice or nits are seen. Must see the Health Associate before returning to class.
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RINGWORM
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Body: flat round lesions that clear in the center and may have a raised border;
Scalp: round scaly patch with broken off hair shaft
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Body:
4 to 10 days
Scalp:
10 to 14 days
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Until 24 hours after treatment begun
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IMPENTIGO
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Skin lesions with yellow discharge that dries, crusts and sticks to the skin
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1 to 10 days
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Until 24 hours after treatment begun
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STREP THROAT
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Fever, sore throat, headache, nausea, vomiting, sometimes a fine red rash (scarlatina)
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2 to 5 days
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24 hours after starting antibiotics without fever for 24 hours
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School Numbers Long Prairie High School 732-2194 ext. 1
Long Prairie Middle School 732-2194 ext. 2
Long Prairie Elementary 732-2194 ext. 3
Long Prairie District Office 732-2194 ext. 5