Akron Central Schools

WHEN TO KEEP A CHILD HOME WITH ILLNESS

It can be difficult for a parent to decide whether to send children to school when they wake up with complaints of not feeling well or early symptoms of illness. In general, if your child presents with any of the following symptoms, it is probably best to keep him/her home to monitor, and confer with his/her health care provider if necessary:

•  Persistent fever higher than 100.5 degrees orally, including a fever that requires control with medication.
•  The child is too sleepy or ill to concentrate or withstand a busy day at school.
•  A significant uncontrolled cough that makes the child uncomfortable or disrupts the class.
•  Sore throat that is severe, accompanied by fever and/or feeling ill.
•  A confirmed case of Strep throat, unless the child has been on antibiotic therapy for 24 hours.
•  Any unidentified rash.
•  Eyes that are red and are draining or crusted. If diagnosed with Pinkeye, the child must be on antibiotic eye drops for 24 hours before returning to school.
•  A large amount of discolored nasal drainage, especially if accompanied by a fever or headache.
•  Severe or persistent stomach ache, especially if accompanied by nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.
•  Severe ear pain or drainage from the ear.
•  Severe headache, especially if accompanied by a fever.
•  Any condition that may be serious or contagious to others.

If you send your child to school even though you suspect there is significant illness as described above, please send him/her with phone numbers where you can be reached that day, should your child become more ill during the day, and require early dismissal.