Although it is practically impossible to totally avoid the spread of germs in a classroom full of young children, keeping your child home when they are sick can help minimize the spread of harmful germs and diseases.

But when it seems like kids are always feeling “sick,” it becomes more difficult to decide whether or not to send them to school with a slight stomach ache or stuffy nose. 

The Carolina Pediatrics team recommends keeping your child home from school in the following situations…

1) They have a fever.

Fevers are a sign of infection and typically indicate that a child is contagious. Children should ALWAYS stay home from school if they have a fever – a temperature of 100.4° Fahrenheit or greater.

And remember, while certain medications can help lower their fever, a decrease in temperature does not necessarily mean your child is no longer contagious. In fact, many schools require students to be fever-free for a full 24 hours before returning to the classroom.

NOTE: If your child clearly appears sick and has a slightly lower temperature of 99.9 or 100 degrees, it still may be a good idea to keep your child home, as an illness may be developing.

2) They are showing other concerning symptoms.

In addition to fever, symptoms that may mean a day home from school include (but are not limited to)…

• nausea and vomiting,
• diarrhea,
• lack of appetite,
• persistent coughing,
• shortness of breath,
• loss of taste or smell,
• fatigue and lethargy,
• severe headache or earache,
• severe sore throat,
• significant amount of discolored nasal discharge, 
• or a concerning rash (especially when combined with other symptoms).

3) They have a contagious disease.

A contagious disease is an illness that can spread through close contact with a person or contaminated object. In addition to the symptoms listed above, your child should stay home if they show symptoms associated with the following contagious diseases.

Common contagious childhood diseases include (but are not limited to)…

• chickenpox (varicella), 
• COVID-19, 
• influenza, 
• stomach bugs,
• common colds, 
• strep throat, 
• pinkeye (conjunctivitis),
• whooping cough, 
• fifth disease,
• and hand, foot, and mouth disease.

If your child has one of these contagious diseases, make sure you check with your Pediatrician before sending your child back to school.

When to schedule a visit with your pediatrician

In many cases, a bit of rest, fluids, and certain medications are all your child will need in order to recover at home. However, you should set up an appointment with your pediatrician if your child experiences any of the following symptoms…

• vomiting or diarrhea that has lasted more than a few hours,
• development of a fever,
• a cold or cough that remains after six or seven days,
• ear pain with a fever,
• drainage from the ear,
• sharp, persistent abdominal pains,
• severe sore throat, 
• blood in urine or stool, 
• or any other unusual and concerning symptoms.

When can my child return to school

The return to the classroom depends on the disease or symptoms at hand.

• After having COVID-19, your child must recover and test negative for the virus.
• After having the flu, your child should no longer have a fever and feel well enough to participate in school activities and work.
• After having a fever, your child should be fever-free for 24 hours.
• After experiencing diarrhea, your child should have not had diarrhea for 24 hours.
• After vomiting, your child should be able to eat without vomiting.

Your school or child care provider may have certain rules about students returning to school after being sick. Make sure you check into those guidelines, as well.

CAROLINA PEDIATRICS | WILMINGTON & HAMPSTEAD, NC

Still unsure whether you should send your child to school? Call us today at 910-763-2476 (Wilmington, NC office) or 910-777-2013 (Hampstead, NC office).

Or schedule an appointment with your Pediatrician through our Patient Portal for a diagnosis and treatment plan.