PLEASE READ THOROUGHLY TO PROTECT YOUR CHILD AND OTHERS!!!
 
You don’t want your child to miss school; but neither do you want to send a sick child to school to endanger him/her or others as well.
 
When should your child stay home? Here are a few guidelines we ask that you follow:

• A runny nose or “leaky faucet” is the way many children respond to dust, pollen or simply a change in season. If it isn’t a common cold, then it may be an allergy and allergies are not contagious. Don’t keep the child at home.

REMIND YOUR CHILD TO USE TISSUE TO WIPE THEIR NOSE, DISCARD TISSUE, AND IMMEDIATELY WASH HANDS!

• A bad cough or cold symptoms can indicate a severe cold, bronchitis, flu or even pneumonia. Some children suffer one cold after another all winter long and a run of the mill cold should not be a reason to miss school. But if your child is not acting “right,” has difficulty breathing, or is becoming dehydrated, it could be serious. Check with your physician right away.

• Fever is an important symptom; when it occurs along with sore throat, an earache, nausea, listlessness or a rash, your child may be carrying something very contagious. PLEASE keep children home during the course of a fever and for an additional 24 hours after the fever has passed.

• Diarrhea and vomiting make children very uncomfortable, and being near a bathroom becomes a top priority. If your child has repeated episodes of diarrhea and/or vomiting, consult a doctor and keep your child out of school until the illness passes.

 
Please make sure to update your phone number as well as emergency contact numbers. Your child’s school must be able to reach you or another responsible adult during the day, in case your child needs medical attention. (This is an important rule to follow whenever your child is at school.) Please feel free to contact your child’s school nurse with questions.
 
Suzanne Bowers, BSN, RN – School Nurse