Sick Day Guidelines

Unsure if your child should stay home? Refer to the Sick Day Guidelines and keep your student at home if they exhibit any of the following symptoms:

If your child becomes ill and doesn’t feel well enough to take part in school, as parents or guardians, you should keep your child home until the symptoms improve. This also can help to prevent the spread of the illness to others at school. These are some of the examples of when your child should be kept home:

  • Active diarrhea – three or more times in 24 hours

  • Active vomiting

  • Fever equal to 100.0 F or greater

  • Fever with headache, body aches, earache, sore throat

  • Pink eye symptoms (redness, itching, drainage, crusty, light sensitivity, etc.)

  • Undiagnosed or unknown rash (a rash that has not been seen or treated by a health care provider)

  • Rash/Sores with drainage that cannot be contained under a bandage (seek further medical attention by your healthcare provider)

  • If antibiotic treatment is needed, your child should remain home for the first full 24 hours of medication (e.g., if your child has three doses per day ordered, then three doses must be given before the child returns to school) If medication is needed during the school please see Medication Procedures section.

  • Has symptoms that keep your child from participating in school, such as:

    • Very tired

    • Persistent cough or frequent sneezing

    • Headache, body aches, or earache

    • Sore throat- a little sore throat is ok for school, but a bad sore throat could be strep throat, even if there is no fever. Other signs of strep throat in children are a headache and upset stomach. Call your child’s doctor if your child has these symptoms. A special test is needed to know if it is strep throat

  • Please screen for COVID symptoms before sending to school (see COVID guidelines)

  • 24 hour rule:

    • Fever: keep your child home until his or her FEVER has been gone WITHOUT medicine for 24 hours. Returning to school too soon may slow recovery and can make others sick.

    • Vomiting or Diarrhea: Keep your child home for 24 hours after the LAST time he or she vomited or had diarrhea.

    • Antibiotics: Keep your child home until 24 hours after the FIRST dose of antibiotic for anything like ear infection or strep throat.

    Please help others from becoming sick by keeping your child home when they are sick.

    For more information, or if you have questions, please contact the School Nurse.

DSHS Communicable Disease Chart