When will I receive a call from the school nurse? 

When I know getting a call from me during the day is not what you want to receive, but rest assured, I want to keep the kids at school as much as you do.  Not all calls mean you have to pick up your child. I will not call on minor bumps and skin abrasions, bug bites or short visits to the clinic for stomach aches or cold symptoms.  I will always call you when your child has a major head bump or facial abrasions, however many times they do not need to go home. In addition, sometimes for our little ones, just hearing mom or dad’s voice is the TLC that is needed to make it through the day.

When will I need to pick up my child from school due to illness?

• Fever at or greater than 100.0
• Vomiting x 2
• Diarrhea x 2
• Eye that appears bacterial, yellow crusting, oozing
• Coughing, sneezing, runny nose that affects the child’s ability to focus in class/disruptful cough
• Stomach ache that is not resolved with rest or bathroom and effects child’s ability to remain in class.
• Sprain or strain and child will not bear weight.
• Head bump accompanied with loss of consciousness, nausea/vomiting &/or headache.
• Laceration that needs to be assessed for sutures

If a child is sent home in the middle of the day with fever, vomiting, diarrhea,  they cannot return to school the next day. Remember, 24 hours fever and symptom free!!!  

** A parent reminder:  If you tell your child that you will pick them up if they don’t feel well,  9 times out of 10, you will receive a call within the first 2 hours of the school day!!  

When is my child too sick for school?

Is it just a cold or is your child too sick for school?  Here are a few parameters on when you should keep your child home.  If a child is sent home in the middle of the day with fever, vomiting, diarrhea,  they cannot return to school the next day. Remember, 24 hours fever and symptom free!!!  

1. Temp at or greater than 100:  Fevers are a common symptom of viral or bacterial infection.  Children are likely to be contagious to others when they have a fever.  Keep child home until they are fever free (without meds) for 24 hours.
2. Stomach Pain: Vomiting or diarrhea, keep at home until symptom free for 24 hours.   No other visible symptoms: child may be hungry, ate too fast, nervous about school or just wanting to stay home.  A bathroom trip might be in order also. Consult a medical provider and do not send a child to school with a stomach ache that is persistent or severe enough to limit activity.
3. Cold/coughing:  A child with mild symptoms, no fever and otherwise feeling well may be fine at school.  A child with heavy cold symptoms such as deep or uncontrollable coughing or significant lack of energy belongs at home even without a fever.  
4. FLU: A child with flu-like illness (fever and cough) must stay home from school for at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever or signs of a fever, without the use of fever-reducing medications.  Children are one of the biggest sources for spreading the flu.
5. Sore Throat: a child with a mild sore throat, no fever and otherwise feeling well may be fine to attend school.  Keep a child home and contact a medical provider for a severe sore throat and if white spots are seen in the back of the throat, with or without a fever.
6. Pink Eye:  Conjunctivitis is a common infectious disease of one of both eyes caused by several types of bacteria and viruses. If a child’s eye is red, irritated and has copious drainage the child should be kept at home until seen by a medical provider & return to school with or without treatment depending on the diagnosis.  Bacterial conjunctivitis requires prescription medication and child must be treated for 24 hours before returning to school.
7. Strep Throat:  If your child is diagnosed with Strep Throat, they must be kept home until 24 hours after antibiotic treatment has started.

When do I have to notify the school due to illness?

Please notify the school if your child has been diagnosed with strep throat, chickenpox, scarlet fever, lice or any other contagious illness.

What about medications?

All medications must come to the clinic in their original container.  Over the counter medications need to be new and unopened when you bring them in. Prescription medications need the pharmacy label attached. A medication form needs to be filled out for any medication, even over-the-counter (OTC) meds, to be given at school.  Prescribed or over-the-counter medications brought in baggies, in unmarked containers or that are expired shall not be given. 

We do not provide OTC meds.  We do not provide COUGH DROPS!

What if my student needs a special action plan? 

If your child has any medical action plan, ie: food allergy, seizure, diabetes, asthma, etc., a new action plan, signed by the physician, is required each year.  Please send in updated action plans asap.  

Feel free to contact me anytime with questions or concerns.

sgunn@csdecatur.net  

470-283-7340, ext 3004