Student Health & Wellness Information
When Should A Student Stay Home?
According to the CDC, Staying home when sick can lower the risk of spreading infections. Under routine circumstances, some illness spread among school communities is expected. In general, children with improving symptoms should be able to participate in school
If a child’s needs while sick with an infectious illness would interfere with school staff’s ability to teach and care for other students, the child should stay home. Schools must balance the risk of infectious disease spread with educational, social, and mental health needs of children when determining when students should stay home.
Schools, parents, and caregivers often do not know what specific illness a child may have; rather, children present with symptoms. If someone has the following symptoms, they should stay home because their illness could affect their ability to participate in school and there is concern that they might spread an infection to staff and students.
Fever, including a fever with a new rash.
Vomiting more than twice in the preceding 24 hours.
Diarrhea that causes ‘accidents’, is bloody, or results in greater than two bowel movements above what the child normally experiences in a 24-hour period.
Skin sores that are draining fluid on an uncovered part of the body and are unable to be covered with a bandage.
Respiratory virus symptoms that are worsening or not improving and not better explained by another cause such as seasonal allergies.
