If your child is sick.....what to do
HEALTH CENTER
IMPORTANT HEALTH NOTES FROM THE NURSE
The control of communicable ("catching") diseases during the school year is a difficult problem and a grave responsibility. The first responsibility must fall upon the home, as parents know the normal appearance of their children and should be the first to detect signs of illness. The symptoms of a cold are also the symptoms of communicable diseases.
The following rules will help control communicable diseases in the community. Please keep this sheet at a convenient location for reference.
1. Do not send your child if he/she shows signs of illness.
2. Do not send a sick child to school for the nurse to decide whether he/she should be in school. If in doubt, call the family physician.
3. If your child is sick, keep other children away from him/her.
4. Some of the signs and symptoms of acute illness are:
Restlessness at night Diarrhea
Fever (oral temp 100.0 or more) Red, watering eyes
Runny nose Flushed face or paleness
Sneezing and coughing Headache
Rash Swelling neck or face
Nausea or vomiting Earache
5. If your child shows any of the above signs, he should be put in a room by himself. If there is any doubt, call the family physician.
6. KEEP HIM/HER HOME UNTIL TEMPERATURE HAS BEEN NORMAL ONE WHOLE DAY. Normal temperature is about 98.6 F. Take the temperature at mid‑afternoon each day if you suspect it is above normal. Continue this process until the temperature is normal for a whole day without Tylenol, then the child can return to school if no other symptoms of illness are present.
Any child with an undiagnosed rash should remain out of school until all symptoms are gone or a physician verifies the child is not contagious and is well enough to return to school.
If every parent follows these procedures, it will save much suffering and the spread of contagious diseases, some of which may be life‑threatening.
Don't hesitate to call your physician if you have any questions or concerns regarding your child.