Should I keep my child home from school?

It's 6.00 on Monday morning, your child starts crying that he doesn't want to go to school, "I don't feel good." The next question is.  Do I send him to school or keep him home?  Here are some guidelines than might help:

1. Take your child's temperature. He may not have a fever and still be sick, a temperature of 100.5 or over needs to stay at home until the fever is gone for at least 24 hours.  Please do not give a fever reducer then send him to school this will almost guarantee a call from school when the medicine wears off, as well as exposing others.

2. If your child is complaining of severe sore throat, swelling in lymph nodes, with fever contact your pediatrician.  If diagnosed with Strep throat he should be on antibiotics for 24 hours before return to school.

3. If your child's eye is red with cloudy drainage, matted eyelids, eye pain or itching.  Contact your pediatrician. If diagnosed with pink eye he may return to school after being treated for 24 hours.

4. If your child has a cough that is productive and has phlegm or is associated with fever or trouble breathing, keep him home from school and arrange to have him seen by his pediatrician.

5. If your child is vomiting he needed to stay at home.  He will be able to return to school once the symptoms have stopped and he can tolerate a regular diet.

6. If your child has diarrhea, where the stool frequency is often many times an hour.  He should stay at home.  If he is having fever, bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain or vomiting you need to contact your pediatrician.

7. If Head Lice is found in your child's hair.  He needs to stay at home and be treated with special medication that can be purchased over the counter.  He will also need to be recheck by the school nurse prior to returning to school.

It is sometimes hard to tell if your child is sick.  I have just touched on the major illnesses that I have seen.  Remember you can always take him to school if he starts to feel better.   If you have any questions regarding your child's health please contact me or your pediatrician.  Thank you for letting me care for your children.