Download Criteria for Parents to Determine Whether to Keep a Child Home

School Health Services
WHEN TO KEEP A CHILD HOME
WITH ILLNESS DURING COLD AND FLU SEASON
Sometimes it can be difficult for a parent to decide whether to send children to school
when they wake up with early symptoms of an illness or complaints that they do not
feel well. In general, during cold and flu season, unless your child has a fever, diarrhea,
or vomiting, the best place for them is in school where they have all already been
exposed to the same germs and where they are less likely to expose other more
vulnerable people, like the very young or very old, to their routine bouts of cold and
flu. Here is a guide to help determine if it’s a cold, flu, or pertussis:
SYMPTOM
Fever
INFLUENZA(FLU)
Usually
present
and high (102-104);
typically lasts 3-4
days
Headache
Very common
Aches and pains, Common,
often
muscle aches, chest severe
discomfort
Fatigue
and Moderate – severe;
weakness
can last up to 14-21
days
Extreme exhaustion Very common early
in illness
Stuffy or runny Sometimes
nose
Sneezing
Sometimes
Sore throat
Cough
Infectious period
Sometimes
Non-productive,
dry cough; rarely at
night.
Typically
lasts 3-7 days
COLD (VIRAL)
Uncommon
PERTUSSIS
Uncommon.
If
present, typically
low grade
Uncommon
Slight to moderate
Uncommon
Uncommon
Mild
Mild to moderate
Extremely rare
Rare
Common
Common, early in
the disease
Common, early in
the disease
Uncommon
Can be severe in
infants and young
children; persistent
cough
almost
always > 1 week,
usually 2-6 weeks.
Can last 10 + weeks
Common
Common
Hacking
cough,
often productive;
rarely at night.
Usually responds
to
cough
medications.
Typically lasts 3-7
days
1-2 days before Typically 4-7 days From 7 days before
onset to 5-10 days after
symptom the start of cough
after
onset; can be longer up to 21 days after
cough onset