🏫Is My Child Too Sick to Go to School?
A practical guide to help you decide when to keep your child home from school
Making the Right Decision
Deciding whether to send your child to school when they're not feeling well can be challenging. You want them to get their education, but you also don't want to risk spreading illness to other children or making your child feel worse. This guide will help you make informed decisions based on your child's symptoms.
Remember: when in doubt, it's better to keep your child home. Schools prefer children to stay home when they're contagious rather than risk spreading illness to other students and staff.
🚫Keep Home - Clear Signs
Keep your child home if they have any of these symptoms:
🌡️Fever
- •Temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher
- •Must be fever-free for 24 hours without medication
- •Fever with other symptoms (cough, sore throat, etc.)
🤢Vomiting or Diarrhea
- •Vomiting within the last 24 hours
- •Diarrhea (3+ loose stools in 24 hours)
- •Must be symptom-free for 24 hours before returning
👁️Contagious Conditions
- •Pink eye (conjunctivitis) with discharge
- •Strep throat (until 24 hours on antibiotics)
- •Chickenpox (until all blisters are crusted over)
- •Other illnesses (measles, mumps, rubella, whooping cough, hepatitis A): follow doctor/school return guidance
😴Severe Symptoms
- •Severe cough or difficulty breathing
- •Severe headache or body aches
- •Extreme fatigue or lethargy
- •Rash with fever
🤔Maybe Send - Gray Areas
These situations require careful consideration. Consider your child's comfort and the risk to others:
Consider Sending If:
- •Mild cold symptoms (runny nose, mild cough)
- •No fever and child feels well enough
- •Allergies (not contagious)
- •Mild headache that improves with rest
- •Child wants to go and can participate
Consider Keeping Home If:
- •Child seems miserable or very tired
- •Frequent coughing that disrupts class
- •Child needs frequent bathroom breaks
- •Symptoms are getting worse
- •You're unsure about contagiousness
Understanding School Policies
Check School Rules
Each school has specific policies about when children should stay home. Review your school's handbook or contact the office for guidance.
Timing Matters
Most schools require children to be symptom-free for 24 hours before returning. This helps prevent spreading illness to others.
Communicate
Let the school know when your child will be absent and why. This helps them track patterns and provide support.
Report Illnesses
Report contagious illnesses to the school so they can notify exposed families and follow their public health protocols. This helps protect classmates and staff.
💡Decision-Making Framework
Ask yourself these questions when deciding whether to send your child to school:
Health Questions:
- •Does my child have a fever?
- •Are they vomiting or having diarrhea?
- •Do they have a contagious condition?
- •Are their symptoms severe?
Comfort Questions:
- •Can they participate in school activities?
- •Will they be comfortable all day?
- •Do they want to go to school?
- •Will they disrupt the class?
⚠️When to Call the Doctor
Contact your pediatrician if your child has:
- Fever over 104°F (40°C)
- Fever lasting more than 3 days
- Severe headache or neck stiffness
- Difficulty breathing
- Signs of dehydration
- Rash with fever
- Persistent vomiting or diarrhea
- Any concerning symptoms
❓Frequently Asked Questions
My child has a runny nose but no fever. Should I send them to school?
If your child has only mild cold symptoms (runny nose, mild cough) with no fever and feels well enough to participate in school activities, it's usually okay to send them. However, if they seem miserable, are coughing frequently, or you're concerned about spreading illness, it's better to keep them home. Trust your instincts and consider your child's comfort.
How long should I keep my child home after being sick?
Most schools require children to be symptom-free for 24 hours before returning. This means no fever without medication, no vomiting or diarrhea, and feeling well enough to participate. For specific conditions like strep throat, follow your doctor's guidance (usually 24 hours after starting antibiotics). When in doubt, check with your school's policy.
What if my child misses too much school due to illness?
If your child is frequently absent due to illness, it's important to work with the school and your pediatrician. The school may have resources to help, such as homebound instruction or make-up work. Your pediatrician can help determine if there's an underlying health issue causing frequent illnesses. Keep good records of absences and reasons to help identify patterns.
Do lice, scabies, or ringworm require kids to stay home?
Generally no. If these are found at school, kids can usually stay until the end of the day and return after the first treatment is started. Follow your school's policy and your doctor's instructions.