How to keep your children healthy
- Teach children to wash hands often with hot water and soap for at least 20 seconds (that’s about as long as it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice).
- Teach children the proper way to use hand sanitizer. Gels, rubs and hand wipes all work well, as long as they contain at least 60% alcohol.
- Teach children to keep their hands away from their face and avoid touching their mouth, nose or eyes.
- Teach children to cover coughs and sneezes with tissues, or to cough and sneeze into their sleeves – not their hand
When to keep your child home from school
The Orange County Department of Health and the New York State School Health Service, states that a child should not be sent to school if any of these symptoms are present:
- Fever in the past 24 hours
- Vomiting in the past 24 hours
- Diarrhea in the past 24 hours
- Chills
- Strep Throat (must have been taking an antibiotic for at least 24 hours before returning to school)
- Bad cold, with a very runny nose or bad cough, especially if it has kept the child awake at night
It is essential that the school have a phone number where a parent/guardian can be contacted during the day and an emergency number in the event the parent or guardian cannot be reached. Contact the Nurse’s Office with any questions or concerns.
Guide for common childhood illnesses
Fever
Symptoms: Fever of 100 degrees or more
Return to school criteria: Fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication
Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease
Symptoms: Fever, sores in mouth, on hands or feet
Return to school criteria: When lesions (sores) heal
Head Lice
Symptoms: Itching, small red bumps on scalp, lice or eggs (nits) found in hair
Return to school criteria: After appropriate treatment begins
Influenza
Symptoms: Cough, chills, fever and headache
Return to school criteria: Fever-free for 24 hours without fever reducing medication
MRSA (Staph Infection)
Symptoms: Skin infection that looks like pimples or boils. May be red, swollen or pus-filled
Return to school criteria: Evaluated by provider, skin kept covered and excluded from contact sports
Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
Symptoms: Persistent cough or short convulsive-like cough
Return to school criteria: 5 days after physician-prescribed antibiotics started
Pink Eye (conjunctivitis)
Symptoms: Irritation of the eye, tears, swelling, buildup of sticky fluid and crusting
Return to school criteria: Eyes are mucus-free or on medication for 24 hours
Stomach “Bug”
Symptoms: Abrupt onset of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and discomfort
Return to school criteria: 24 hours symptom-free
Strep Throat
Symptoms: Sore throat, fatigue and fever
Return to school criteria: 24 hours after antibiotics started