Health and Illness

Prevention and Care

Parents should keep their child at home or seek alternate care arrangements for the following conditions:

•Pain – any complaints of unexplained or undiagnosed severe pain that makes it difficult for your child to be at school

•A common cold with fatigue, runny nose and eyes, coughing, sore throat and fever.  Once the child’s temperature, well being and energy have returned to normal, the child may no longer be contagious, and may be able to return, even though coughing and runny nose may persist.  Generally speaking, a person who catches a cold can spread it to others from one day before symptoms appear, and about five days after the cold (above) begin. If the symptoms (runny nose and eyes, coughing) are caused by a known allergy (e.g.:  hay fever, asthma) the child is not contagious and does not have to be excluded.

•Difficulty breathing-wheezing or a persistent cough, unless otherwise cleared by a physcian.

•Fever (100 C degrees F/38 degrees or more) accompanied by general symptoms such as listlessness or sluggishness may be an early sign of an illness that requires a doctor’s attention.

•Sore throat with red swollen tonsils or trouble swallowing.

•Infected skin or eyes, or an undiagnosed rash.

•Headache and stiff neck

•Unexplained diarrhea or loose stool (may be combined with nausea, vomiting, or stomach cramps).  These symptoms may indicate a bacterial or viral gastrointestinal infection which is very easily passed on from one child to another via the fecal oral route. The child should be kept home until all symptoms have stopped for 24 hours.

•Severe itching, dry skin of either body or scalp if caused by head or lice or scabies. The child should be kept home with live lice present, and may return after treatment.

•  Children with known or suspected communicable diseases.

In summary, a child must be kept a home (or taken home) when the child is suffering from one or more of the above symptoms, or is not well enough to take part in the regular school programs.

Managing Illness

Parents will be immediately notified when their child becomes ill while at school. Parents may be expected to pick up their child on very short notice. If your child is ill at school, the child will be given a quiet area, away from the other children, but within supervision, until the parent arrives. Before a child who has been ill returns, they should be clear of symptoms and able to participate. If the child is receiving mediation, the child should be on medication for a 24 hour period prior to returning to school. Parents are requested to inform the classroom teacher within 24 hours of diagnosis of or exposure to serious illness or communicable disease.

Medication Administration

Medications ARE NOT administered by staff to children. Please ensure medications are given before school. You are welcome to come at lunch to administer medications.

Children with serious allergies and known serious medical conditions will have their information and photo in the staff binder.

If your child requires an EPI-PEN, school policy is to keep the EPI-PEN on student at all times. A small backpack or fanny pack is recommended for recess and lunch.