Monday, September 30, 2002

When Should Your Child Stay Home?

The nurses at Keisha's preschool gave us this information at the Open House. Some of it is self-explanatory, but some of it might not be.

If your child has any of the following symptoms he/she should be kept at home and the teacher notified of the reason for the absence.
  • Fever
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea (one or more loose stools in a 24-hour period)
  • Unexplained rash
  • Red, watery or draining eyes
  • Open sores, especially around the nose or mouth
  • Bugs or eggs in the hair
  • Earache or ear drainage
  • Yellow or green drainage from the nose
  • More than an occasional cough
  • Wheezing/difficulty breathing
  • Unable to eat or drink a regular diet


If your child is not interested in playing and eating and wants to lie down, he/she should be watched and the child's temperature checked. Do not send the child to school if you give a fever-reducing medicine such as Tylenol.


Question for you, gentle reader: what is it about the symptoms above that makes them important enough to warrant keeping a child home from school?

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