Sick Days
When you should keep your child at home!
Fever: Children will be sent home if their temperature is 100.0 or higher and must stay home the next day for observation. Children must be free of fever (any temperature above 98.6 degrees) for at least 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication. The same policy applies if your child develops a fever at home. They must be fever free (any temperature above 98.6 degrees) for at least 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication.
Rash: Any rash other than a common diaper rash or skin irritation will require that child to be sent home for an evaluation and diagnosis from their doctor in writing of exactly what it is. They may return to school based on that written doctor’s evaluation, and clearance that it is not contagious.
Conjunctivitis (pink eye): Children will be sent home if there appears to be an unusual amount of discharge from or irritation to their eye(s) and must stay home the next day for observation. Before returning to school they will need an evaluation and diagnosis from their doctor in writing of exactly what it is.
If the diagnosis is BACTERIAL CONJUNCTIVITIS children must have received at least 24 hours of treatment.
If the diagnosis is VIRAL CONJUNCTIVITIS your child may return AS LONG AS THERE IS NO DISCHARGE.
If in fact they do not have “pink eye” we need a doctor’s note with a diagnosis and a clearance that it is not contagious.
Thick White, Green or Yellow Discharge: Children will be sent home if they appear to have any thick white, green or yellow discharge. This is often indicative of an infection and they must stay home the next day for observation. Before returning to school they will need an evaluation and diagnosis from their doctor in writing and at least 24 hours of treatment. If in fact they do not have an infection we need a doctor’s note with a diagnosis of exactly what it is with a clearance that it is nothing contagious. The Department of Health and most doctors are of the opinion that once on antibiotics for 24 hours, the discharge is no longer contagious even though it may persist for up to two weeks.
Diarrhea: Children will be sent home if they have three or more loose bowel movements in one day and must stay home the next day for observation. Before returning to school (after the day of observation) children must be free from diarrhea for 24 hours with at least 1 regular bowel movement. If your child has one or more loose bowel movements on their first day back they will again be sent home.
Vomiting: Children will be sent home if they vomit and must stay home the next day for observation. Before returning to school (after the day of observation) children must symptom free with no vomiting for at least 24 hours.
Persistent Hacking Cough: Children will be sent home if they have a persistent hacking cough and must stay home the next day for observation. Before returning to school they will need an evaluation and diagnosis from their doctor in writing and at least 24 hours of treatment. If in fact they do not require any treatment we need a doctor’s note with a diagnosis of exactly what it is with a clearance that it is not contagious.
Lice: Children will not be readmitted until after treatment and must be nit free. The Director or a Lead Teacher will make an evaluation and determine if the child can be readmitted.