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Nurse's
Page
Tips for
Keeping Your Child Healthy For School
Note: If your child does not feel well, it is best to keep
them at home for the day. Please be sure to call the school
office to report their absence.
Hand washing Hint-Please remember to have your children
wash their hands after toileting and before eating! This is
the best defense to ward off all those germs they encounter
every day! However, if they do become ill...
Common Childhood Illnesses-The Virginia State Code
requires that students be excluded from school if they have a
contagious or infectious disease. Please observe the following
guidelines before allowing the student to return to school
after an illness:
Colds-Please teach your child to cover their mouths
when coughing, and to throw their tissues away after blowing
their nose. If they feel well enough, and do not have a fever
or excessive cough, they may attend school.
Runny Noses / Draining Ears-If your child should have
yellow or greenish drainage from their nose or ears, they
should be taken to the doctor to be checked for a possible
infection.
Fever-An oral temperature over 100 degrees F. is
considered a fever. If your child has been ill and has a fever
during the evening, the child should be kept home the next day
as the morning temperature may be normal, but then rise by the
afternoon.
Strep Throat-If your child has strep throat, they must
stay home for 24 hours from the time the antibiotics were
started.
Pink Eye-If your child has “pink eye” (conjunctivitis),
they will need to see a doctor who will be able to diagnose if
it is a viral or bacterial infection. Your child must stay
home at least 24 hours after the first dose of medicine is
given, and until there is no further drainage from the eyes.
Chicken Pox-All the chicken pox lesions must be crusted
and dried before returning to school
Head Lice-This can happen to anyone! However, there are
some preventive things you can do. Please teach your child not
to share hats, combs, and other items of clothing with other
children! If your child does get lice or nits (eggs) in their
head, they must use a pediculosis treatment and be nit-free
before returning to school. After treatment, the parent must
bring their child back to school so he/she can be checked
before returning to the classroom. Always alert the school of
your child’s contacts, so they also can be checked.
Vomiting/Diarrhea-If your child has been vomiting, keep
him/her at home until they are symptom-free for 24 hours. If
your child has had diarrhea, keep him/her at home until the
stools are formed.
Rashes-Rashes can be indicators of
contagious/infectious diseases. Your child will need to be
seen by their doctor for diagnosis and/or treatment.
Scabies-Scabies is a skin disease caused by a tiny
“itch mite” that burrows under the skin, causing a very itchy
red rash. Your doctor will prescribe a medication, and your
child may return to school after this medication has been
applied. The itch may continue for several weeks.
Impetigo-The most common cause of blistering sores in
children is impetigo, and they are usually caused by a strep
or staph bacteria. Your doctor should diagnose this condition
and prescribe an antibiotic. Your child may return to school
24 hours after starting the antibiotic. An open, draining
wound may be a sign of infection and should be checked by a
doctor. Open wounds need to be cleaned and bandaged while your
child is in school.
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