Although we have been spared this season's typical COLD weather, we continue to see some of the common illnesses of the season- COLDS/FLU/VIRUSES-  We once again encourage you to keep your child home from school if he or she is sick.  This helps to maintain the overall general health and wellness of the school.  Your child should remain home from school if he/she has the following:

 

   * vomiting within the past 24 hours (in most cases children do not vomit because of something they ate.  If your child

     avoided  he/she probably has a virus and should remain home from school until 24 hours after last vomiting episode.

   

   *fever during the past 24 hours.  Your child should remain fever free without the aid of fever reducing medications such as

    Tylenol or Motrin for 24 hours before returning to school.   A fever is a symptom of a bacterial or viral illness which is contagious

    to others.  Children who come to school too early after a fever typically start to fatigue during the school day.

 

   *diarrhea during the past 24 hours.  This becomes ever more important if there has been associated vomiting.  The diarrhea

    is a sign that the virus is still present and your child is still contagious to others.

 

   *coughing that is uncontrollable.  If your child is consistently coughing, he or she will be distracted during the school day. 

    Uncontrollable coughing, especially with inconsisten covering of the mouth, is a huge way in which germs are spread in the

    school setting. 

 

   *diagnosis of strep throat or scarlet fever.  Your child should not return to school after a strep infection until he/she has 

    completed 24 hours of antibiotics.  Along with this, though, your child must also be fever-free as stated above.  Also, please

    make sure your child feels up to going to school.  Strep is an infection and children may still feel sick, even if on

    antibiotics.  Make sure your child is up to himself/herself before returning to school. 

 

   *an open/draining sore or wound that has not been evaluated by the doctor.  Skin infections can spread easily to others

    especially in an elementary school setting.

 

   * a red/crusty/weepy eye.  This may indicate a pink eye infection (conjunctivitis).  Pink eye is highly contagious to others.

    Your child may return to school after he/she has been on antibiotics for 24 hours.

 

   *If your child does not feel well before school and you will not have a way to pick your child up from school, should he or she