By Christine Wood, M.D.
We often get calls from parents about when to send their child to school or daycare when they are ill. Here are some guidelines that have been developed that will give you some direction.
Ask yourselves these 4 questions the next time your child is sick and you think they shouldn’t go to school or daycare…
- Is my child safe at school?
- Is it safe for my child’s classmates?
- Will my child be able to learn at school?
- Is enough care available at school/daycare for my child?
Don’t send your child to school…
- A fever of 101degrees or higher
- Untreated strep throat (once they are treated for 24 hours, they may go back)
- Uncontrolled diarrhea and is not toilet trained
- Very frequent diarhea and vomiting
- Children in theri first days of flu or serious cold
- Having a hard time breathing because of a pneumonia
- Asthma where it has reached the point where they need evaluation at the doctor’s office or hospital
- Cold sores (if the child is very young)
- Scabies, until treatment is started
- Chicken pox lesions that are not all crusted over
- Undiagnosed skin rashes with a fever
- Severe headaches
- Significant pain of any sort
- Recent significant head injury
Do send your child to school…
- Your child starts to look and act like they feel better and will not all of a sudden get worse
- If your child has mild symptoms of a common cold, sore throat, ear infection or runny nose (yellow, green, clear – ALL OK) and does not have a fever
- Fifth’s disease
- Hepatitis B
- Has been treated for head lice, ringworm, scabies
A few thoughts on the common cold…
The common cold will last between 5 days and 2 weeks. Normally only the first 1-2 days are bad. After that, the child should have their needs met at school. Children are most infectious on the first day or two, and on the day before the symptoms begin. Coughing and sniffling are not dangerous to the child or to others in contact with the child. Green or yellow nasal discharge are not a reason to stay home!
A few thoughts on asthma…
Asthma is the biggest single reason why kids miss school. A student who is well enough to receive medication at home, can receive their medication at school and usually does not need to miss school!