It is a common time of year for people to be experiencing illness symptoms; especially respiratory illness. Parents have been reporting child cases of influenza, mycoplasma pneumoniae, strep throat, as well as other generalized illness symptoms like fever, vomiting, diarrhea, cough, and fatigue. We are doing our best to keep students and staff healthy. Here are some resources that you can use to help you and your children stay informed and healthy. Please remember to keep children home when experiencing illness symptoms.
When to Stay Home From School:
● A fever of 100 degrees or higher - child should remain home until temperature has been normal for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications (Tylenol or ibuprofen/Motrin/Advil) before returning to school.
● Vomited within the last 24 hours - child should remain home until no vomiting for a full 24 hours before returning to school.
● Diarrhea within the last 24 hours - child should remain home until no diarrhea for a full 24 hours before returning to school.
● Symptoms that prevent child from participating in school, such as:
○ Excessive tiredness or lack of appetite
○ Coughing and sneezing that brings up mucus
○ Headache, body aches, earaches
○ Sore throat - a minor sore throat is usually not a problem, but severe sore throat symptoms could be strep throat, even if child does not have a fever. Other symptoms of strep throat in children are headache and upset stomach. Contact your physician if your child is experiencing these symptoms as a special test may be needed to determine if it is strep throat.
○ Red eye - may have eye drainage and discharge, crusting, or “stuck shut” when awakening.
○ Unidentified rash - except poison ivy, poison ivy is not contagious.
Please make sure to call the office if your child is ill and let us know they will not be at school every day that your child will be absent. You can reach us at 641-664-2200 ext. 4. We may be asking about symptoms so that we can track better the illnesses that are happening at our school. We do appreciate your help in keeping our students and staff healthy and informed!