Skip To Main Content

Logo Image

Logo Title

Is my child too sick for school?

Is Your Child Too Sick for School?

 
Early in the morning it is often difficult to make a decision about whether or not your child is sick enough to stay home from school. With minor symptoms, you often cannot tell whether they are going to get better or worse during the course of the day.
 

The main reasons for keeping your child home are:

  • They are too sick to be comfortable at school.
  • They might spread a contagious disease to other children.

 

As a rule of thumb a child should stay home if they have:

  • A fever over 100.4 degrees 
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • A very frequent cough
  • Persistent pain (ear, stomach, etc.)
  • A widespread rash
When will your child be sent home sick?
  • If their temperature is 100.4 or higher 
  • If they are actively vomiting or having diarrhea
  • If they are suspected of having pink eye or if they have a suspicious rash
  • If they need to be seen by a physician
  • If the school nurse feels it is in the best interest of the child

 **Students must be free of fever, vomiting, and diarrhea, for 24-hours without the use of medication, before they can return to school.

 
Most of these problems need to be discussed with your child's pediatrician to determine if an office visit is needed. Whenever there is a doubt in your mind about sending your child to school, consult your child's doctor before doing so. A phone consultation may be all that is necessary or your child's doctor may need to see the child in the office.
 
**If your child has frequent complaints of pain or other symptoms that cause school absence, you should consider the possibility that your child is intentionally avoiding school. Bring this to the attention of the child's doctor before a great deal of school has been missed.
 
 

Disclaimer

Alliance Academy for Innovation takes no responsibility for content on any external links parents or students reach by accident. The links provided are to websites that might be of interest to you. The inclusion of any resource or link in these pages does not imply endorsement. Visitors are cautioned that this site is not intended to provide medical advice about any specific medical condition they may have or treatment they may need, and they are encouraged to call or see their physician or other health care provider promptly with any health related questions they may have. Visitors should never disregard medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something they have read on a website.

Information changes rapidly, so please check with each sponsoring organization or agency as to whether the information you are receiving on their website is current.