Infectious Diseases in School
Infectious diseases, also called communicable diseases, are widespread in our society and a common experience among children. It can be hard to know when to send a child to school if they tell you they do not feel well. Usually, the best place for children is in school, but there are some instances when keeping them home to rest or call for an appointment with your health care provider is recommended. Crowded conditions in schools create a particularly ripe environment for the transmission of a variety of these diseases.
You can help prevent communicable disease spread in our schools by washing your hands vigorously for 20 seconds with soap and water after coming into contact with food or waste. Please cover your mouth and nose when sneezing and coughing, and stay home from school when you are experiencing signs and symptoms of illness.
If your child experiences any of the following symptoms, please do not send your child to school and contact your medical provider immediately for further instruction. Cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, fever, chills, muscle pain, body aches, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, new loss of taste or smell. If your child has a fever, please DO NOT medicate them with Tylenol or ibuprofen and send them to school. The medication will wear off, the fever may return, and you will be called to pick your child up from school.
Per the CDC, a wide range of symptoms associated with COVID-19 have been reported-ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Anyone can have mild to severe symptoms. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19
Cough
Shortness of Breath or Difficulty Breathing
Fever
Muscle Pains/Body Aches
Sore Throat
Nausea/Vomiting/Diarrhea
New Loss of Taste or Smell
Please keep you child home and contact his or her medical provider immediately.