Working Together to Stay Healthy at School
November 2016
 For Immediate Release
Is Your Child Symptom Free?

sick child

Keeping our children  and staff healthy is very important to us! Flu season typically begins in October but peaks for us in December through February. With this in mind, we want to make sure there is no confusion as to knowing when a child should stay home from school and also when they can return to school.
 
Before returning to school after an absence due to illness, the child needs to have been free of symptoms and/or fever for at least 24 hours. Some illnesses and/or lingering symptoms may require a release note from your physician.  Students who return to school too soon, put themselves and others at risk. While school attendance is important, good health is an even greater priority.

 
YOUR CHILD WILL NOT BE ADMITTED TO CLASS IF ANY OF THE FOLLOWING SYMPTOMS OF ILLNESS ARE PRESENT
Cold and/or Flu
 Fever and/or Sore Throat
Runny Nose With Thick and/or Colored Secretions
 Watery and/or Inflamed Eyes
Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)
 Ear Ache
Constant Cough
 Diarrhea and/or Nausea
Marked Drowsiness and/or Dizziness
 Draining Sores, Burns, and/or Abscess
Rash 
 Head Lice or Nits

As your child arrives at school each day, a brief "health check" may be given at the door if your Teacher has concerns about your child's health. Your child will be sent home if he/she appears to be ill. We will make every effort to reach the child's parents. For this reason, it is very important you keep your phone number information up to date in ParentsWeb.

Furthermore, if your child has been diagnosed with a contagious communicable disease (see list below), it is very important to  notify the School Office ASAP. If the child was contagious at school, we will email a confidential notification to parents with the date of the possible exposure and the condition, along with a list of general symptoms. In this way, children with similar symptoms will be diagnosed more quickly as parents will have a list of general symptoms to look for.

If we have a confirmed case of an outbreak of an  immunized disease , a school wide email will be sent out and posted on school boards and premises. Children who have possibly been exposed and have not been immunized, will be required to stay home for an incubation period of up to 21 days. This is per the Department of Health when there is an outbreak of an immunized disease. Tuition will continue to be due and payable.

The following is a breakdown of many of the common communicable diseases children may come in contact with, and general guidelines regarding these diseases:

DISEASE
INCUBATION
PERIOD
CONTAGIOUS 
PERIOD
EXCLUSION
FROM SCHOOL
SYMPTOMS
Chickenpox
2-3 Weeks/
Commonly 13-17 days.

As long as 5 days, usually 1-2 days prior to eruption of first vesicles & not more than 5 days after eruption of first vesicles.
5-7 days after first  vesicles appear & until vesicles become dry & scabbed over.

Slight fever, crops of red, raised type eruptions that change to vesicles & then form scabs.   

Measles
(Rubeola)

10-14 Days
About 1 week before & 4
days after onset of rash.

4 days after onset of
rash.

3-4 days of cough,
varying degrees of fever, red-raised rash that becomes blotchy, Conjunctivitis &
sensitivity to
light

Measles
(Rubella/German)

14-23 Days
During the acute stage of
illness. Virus may remain
in stool for 2-3 weeks.

7 days after onset of
rash.

Fine pink rash, enlarged glands
behind ears & back
of neck, & slight
fever.

Hand/Foot/Mouth Disease
(Coxsackie Virus)

3-5 Days
 Greatest before onset of rash & probably not communicable after onset of rash.
During the acute stage of illness. If child has
lesions not accompanied with symptoms of acute
illness, there are no
restrictions.

Fever, malaise, sore mouth or throat, not eating well. Lesions in mouth, on palms, fingers, and/or soles of feet.
Fifth Disease
 4-20 Days
 4-48 hrs. after appropriate treatment starts.
 During Acute Illness
 Redness of cheeks (as in slapped face), lacy-like rash on trunk & extremities, which fades but may recur with exposure to sun/heat.
Impetigo
 1-3 Days with Streptococcal, 4-10 Days with Staphylococcal
 48 Hours after treatment starts.
 48 Hours after treatment starts.
 Begins with blister-like eruptions-Becomes pustular in appearance Y spreads. Most commonly on face.
Ringworm
Scalp 10-14 Days/
Body 4-10 Days

During course of active infection.
 After treatment starts. Active lesions s/b covered with clothing, if possible.
 Lesions tend to be circular with central healing. On scalp, there tends to be hair loss.
Strep Throat/
Scarlet Fever

1-3 Days
 From onset of illness until 24-48 hours after treatment begins.
 48 hours after antibiotic treatment started & until fever gone.
 Fever, sore throat, and/or swollen/sore neck glands. Sandpaper-type rash with Scarlet Fever.

The above information also appears in our school specific parent handbooks which are always available through our school website and in ParentsWeb. Please refer to it often when you are unclear about a school policy or procedure.We also encourage you to periodically visit the following website for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:   www.cdc.gov.
 
Reporting a Student's Absence from School

absence reporting

If your child is absent from school, don't forget to report it.


Thank you,     
Grace Christian Schools' Office Staff
949-951-8683