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When a Child Should Stay Home

It is important for the health of all that your child not be at school when sick.  The following guidelines are appropriate reasons to keep your child home from school:

• A fever of 100° F or higher.  Your child should be fever free for 24 hours before returning to school.
• A consistently goopy, runny nose.
• White or yellow drainage from the eye, crusty eyes, and/or redness of the eyelid or skin surrounding the eye.
• A bad cough- one that you wouldn’t want your well child to be around.
• A sore throat, especially with fever or swollen glands in the neck.
• Shortness of breath or other problems with normal breathing.
• A child that seems ill-unusually tired, pale, or difficult to awaken; says he or she has a headache or body ache; seems confused or irritable, and/or lacks normal appetite.
• A rash that is associated with fever or severe itching.
• Vomiting within the last 24 hours or as directed by your physician.  Your child should be free of vomiting and feeling well for 24 hours before returning to school.
• Diarrhea and/or bloody diarrhea.  According to Washington State Administrative Code, a child who has one episode of bloody diarrhea, or two episodes of diarrhea at school must be sent home and cannot return until the diarrhea has resolved.   You should contact your health care provider if your child has severe or bloody diarrhea.
• If your health care provider has prescribed antibiotics, your child needs to remain at home for at least 24 hours after starting the antibiotics.
• Any contagious disease that can infect others such as chicken pox, influenza, whooping cough or gastroenteritis.