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Akron Children’s Hospital School Health Services
DON'T LET THE FLU CATCH YOU!
Parents often ask for some general guidelines about when to go to school or to stay home. We hope
these help:
-
If you send your child to school on the "borderline" of illness, you need to have a back-up
plan in case your child's condition worsens during the school day. If you send your child to
school and say, "if you don't feel well, just go see the nurse,” you can expect a phone call.
-
Make sure all parent and contact numbers are current.
Do not send your child to school if any of these have been present for the previous 24 hours:
1.
Temperature of 100 degrees or above - your child may return when it has been normal for
24 hours without the aid of medication.
2.
Vomiting and/or diarrhea -- often when children vomit, they feel better afterwards only to
have it happen again. If your child vomits during the night, keep them home.
3.
Rash of unknown origin -- it could be a symptom of strep throat or other contagious illness.
4.
Bacterial infection -- your child may return after 24 hours of antibiotic therapy. This
includes antibiotics for strep throat and pinkeye.
5.
Suspected pinkeye -- with thick mucous and pus drainage.
6.
Severe headache.
7.
Ear pain with fever and/or discharge.
8.
Sore throat with inflamed tonsils - a common symptom for strep is a stomach ache in
children.
9.
Continuous hacking dry cough.
10.
Any child who is unusually tired, difficult to wake, or has a decreased appetite. You can
always have your child come to school later in the morning if he/she seems better once they
are up and moving around.
If you are ever unsure about sending your child to school, please call the Health Services staff.
Remember, the most important thing to do to prevent the spread of illness is to wash your hands!
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