Guidelines for Keeping Children Home

School Guidelines for Keeping Your Child Home

Regular attendance is an integral part of your child’s education and school success. The following guidelines should help you decide about when and how long to keep your child home due to illness.

  • When a child has a fever of 100 degrees or more, the child should stay home for 24 hours after the temperature returns to normal (without needing medication to keep the temperature down).
  • When a child has vomited or had diarrhea, the child should stay home until 24 hours after the last episode.
  • When a child has an unexplained rash, please check with your family physician before sending the child to school.
  • When your child is not running a fever, but is having excessive secretions, continual coughing or excessively tired it may also be good to keep him/her at home. Extra sleep, fluids, and possibly medication can be effective in resolving these symptoms and preventing a relapse.
  • Building nurses will assess students and determine if your child needs to go home if they become ill/exhibit signs or symptoms of illness during the school day.  

Please have an “emergency plan” for the care of your child should he/she need to go home from school due to illness. Students who are ill should be picked up as soon as possible to help prevent the spread of illness. 

Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to a healthy, productive time in school. Please contact the nurse at your child’s school if you have any questions.

Sayra Maberry, RN, LSN
Health Services Coordinator