News from the Health Office

Cold weather is here now and children should be prepared for recess time by having  all the necessary cold weather gear available every day, including snow pants and boots, when the snow comes.   Students can leave an old pair of tennis shoes in their lockers, for those days when they wear their boots and forget to bring shoes.

WHEN YOUR STUDENT IS ILL . . .When a student is sick, parents often wonder whether or not to keep a child at home from school.  If a child stays home and has the care he/she needs when first sick, he/she will often get better faster. Staying home and resting will help the body fight the sickness. Staying at home is also one of the best ways to keep others from becoming ill.

Reasons why children should stay at home:
1. Severe colds, coughs, or sore throats
2. Eye infections, especially if discharge is present
3. New skin rashes, especially if draining—unless medical opinion states rash is not contagious
4. Temperature of 100º or more with or without symptoms of an illness
5. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or abdominal pain
6. Any other sign of acute illness
7. Until results of laboratory tests (i.e., throat culture, nasal swab) are known.

Children may return to school when:
1. Well enough to participate in normal school activities
2. Free of all symptoms for 24 hours
3. Temperature remains normal for a 24-hour period without the use of fever reducing medications.
4. On an antibiotic for at least 24 hours
OR
5. Your health care provider states your child can return to school.

It is often very difficult to decide whether it is really necessary to keep your child home. There are no sure rules to follow as we are dealing with variables. Hopefully, the above guidelines will be helpful to you in making this decision.

Your School Public Health Nurse