Staff Members
Keeping Children Home From School

One of the most common dilemmas is knowing when to keep children home from school. Sick children should not be in school for their own well being and the well being of others. Please keep your child home when they are sick and contagious to others.

Often the first sign of illness in a child is a change in behavior such as irritability or tiredness. Fever may or may not be present. When your child shows signs of not feeling well, it is best to keep them home from school so that you and your health care provider can further evaluate his or her condition. Children must remain out of school when:

  • Has a fever of 100 degrees or higher. Your child cannot return to school until his or her fever is gone for 24 hours without medication.
  • Has conjunctivitis (pink eye). Your child cannot return to school with bacterial conjunctivitis until 24 hours after antibiotics have been started and with viral conjunctivitis, until symptoms are clear.
  • Has vomiting and/or diarrhea. Your child cannot return to school until he or she is symptom free (no vomiting or diarrhea) for 24 hours.

Please also consider keeping your child home with symptoms that prevent him or her from participating in school, such as:

  • Excessive tiredness or lack of appetite
  • Productive coughing, sneezing\
  • Headache, body aches, earache
  • Sore throat

A minor sore throat is usually not a problem, but a severe sore throat could be strep throat even if there is no fever. Other symptoms of strep throat in children are headache and stomach upset. If your child is diagnosed with Strep throat, they can not return to school until 24 hours after treatment has been started.

If you child becomes ill during the day (i.e., diarrhea, vomiting, signs of contagious illness, fever above 100 degrees or is injured) you will be called to pick up your child promptly. Please keep emergency numbers current and provide available alternative contacts. In the case of an emergency an ambulance will be called at the nurse’s discretion.

Medications at School

If your child requires a prescription medication at school, the nurse needs a signed doctor’s order and a signed medication administration form. The medication must be in the original prescription container. All three requirements must be met before the nurse can give a prescription medication to your child at school. The medication also needs to be brought to school by an adult.

Certain over the counter medication are available through the health office. Please refer to the Over-The Counter Medication form for which medications are available. Parent will need to complete the form and return it to school. (link to form) If your child needs over-the -counter medication such as cough syrup, you need to send a note stating why they need the medication, when they had the medication last and when they can have it at school. For Tylenol, Advil and Benadryl, we would also like to have a medication administration form signed. The medication needs to be brought to school in its original container by an adult. The health office will not supply Tylenol and Advil. Only adults can transport ANY medication to and from the school.

Health Screenings

Vision and hearing screenings are done on students yearly. Parents will be notified and a physician referral form sent home if a student fails a screening. Please have the physician fill out the referral form with the results of the evaluation and return the form to the school nurse. This will allow us to update our health record on your child.

If you need assistance finding a doctor or paying for an evaluation, please contact the school nurse for help. This will be handled in a confidential manner.

Heights and weights are done yearly and graphed on BMI scales.

Head Lice:

The management of head lice should not disrupt the educational process of the child/children involved. We do not have a no-nit (egg) policy. Children who are found to have head lice can remain in school and the nurse notifies parents so treatment can be done at home that evening before the child returns to school. The school nurse can assist you in selecting a product to use. Once the student has done the treatment, care should be taken to remove (comb out) all nits to prevent re-infestation. Daily combing and nit removal for three weeks following treatment is very important. Treatment also includes washing all bedding and stuffed animals, thoroughly vacuuming the house, washing hats that have been worn and sterilizing combs and brushes. Members of your family also should be checked for head lice. Head lice is spread from direct head to head contact and in-school transmission is rare but when it does occur it is generally found among very young children with increased head-to-head contact. Remind your child to not wear another student’s hat, hoodie/coat or share combs or hair bands. An infected student needs to be seen by the school nurse before re-entering school. It is important for parents to check their own children periodically for head lice. If you see your child scratching or itching their hair alot you should check them. Head lice can be found around the ears and back of the head close to the base of the hair follicle. They can spread further onto the hair shaft too. Treating head lice can be a very frustrating process. If you suspect your child has head lice, do not hesitate to contact the school nurse for assistance

So what does a school nurse do all day??

The school nurse assists students, staff and families in the management of first aid, communicable conditions, accident prevention and chronic health conditions in the school setting. School health records are maintained with immunization audits and annual screenings (height, weight, vision, hearing). The nurse also works with the classroom teacher in providing wellness promotion education. Information about your child’s health issues is kept confidential. Parents/guardians are encouraged to communicate with the school nurse about your child’s health status changes. We also encourage you to notify the nurse when/if your child begins a new medication or the dose is changed on a current medication. We do like to keep on file all medications that a child might be on.

School Nurse’s Role in Student Educational Success
  • Provider of school health services
  • Manager of student health care
  • Educator, Counselor, Advocate