When To Keep Your Child Home
Sometimes when your child does not feel well, it is difficult to decide whether or not to send the child to school. Here are some guidelines to follow when making that decision.
A child should not be in school when he/she has:
- Nausea or vomiting, or has vomited during the night
- Diarrhea
- Frequent coughing or sneezing
- Evidence of a communicable disease such as a rash, fever or unusual sores
- A temperature of 99.5 degrees or above. If a child has had a fever, he/she may not return to school until she/he has been fever-free for 24 hours (without taking fever-reducing medication)
- Sore throat
- Strep throat – must be on an antibiotic for 24 hours and be symptom-free
- A new cold or generally feels bad
- Unusual watery, burning or red, crusted eyes
Concussions at School
The district nurse instructs all staff to take head injuries seriously and to always assess for possibility of a concussion.
Two-minute video clip on concussions: CLICK HERE
*Remember, you don’t have to lose consciousness to have a concussion!
Signs of a Concussion:
- Headache
- Nausea or vomiting
- Confusion
- Dizziness
- Short-term memory loss
- Impaired cognition: feeling foggy
- Blurry vision and/or dilated pupils
- Possible loss of consciousness
- Sensitivity to noise or light
- Sleep disturbances
If symptoms are severe (loss of consciousness, blurred vision, slurred speech, etc), school staff is instructed to call 911 right away.
San Mateo County and Center for Disease Control guidelines:
| Symptom | Keep your Child Home If: |
| Communicable Illness | Pediatrician has diagnosed strep infection, hand foot and mouth, conjunctivitis (pink eye), poison oak, or other communicable illness. Child should be kept home in accordance with pediatrician instructions. Notify school of diagnosis. |
| Cough | Child coughs frequently, coughs up phlegm, cough sounds like a bark or cough is accompanied by a sore throat or wheezing. |
| Ear Ache | Child’s pain is constant or severe. |
| Fever | Child has a morning temperature of 99.5º F or higher, or temperature is below 99.5º but child is achy, pale, or tired. *Child must be fever-free for 24 hours without the aid of fever-reducing medication before returning to school. |
| Rash | The rash blisters, develops pus or is uncomfortable. |
| Sneezing or Runny Nose | Child is sneezing a lot and nose won’t stop running. |
| Sore Throat | Child has tender swollen glands and a fever of 99.5º or higher. |
| Stomach Ache | Child has had two or more episodes of vomiting or diarrhea or has had one in the past 24 hours and feels tired or ill. Child must remain at home for at least 24 hours following the last episode of vomiting or diarrhea. |