1. When should I keep my student home if I think they are ill?
2. What can I do about head lice and how often can I shampoo?
3. Can my student get ringworm from another student?
4. How can I contact the school nurse?
5. What is Fifth Disease?
6. When can my child return after the Chicken Pox?
7. How long should my child stay home for strep throat?
8. Can my child be in school with pink eye?
______________________________________________________________________
When should I keep my student home if I think they are ill?
Students should stay home if they have vomiting or diarrhea or a temperature of 99.5 or
higher. They should stay home for 24 hours after their last temperature of 99.5 or more.
______________________________________________________________________
What can I do about head lice and how often can I shampoo?
For District Policy on head lice, go to the head lice page. The most important things to
do when your child has head lice are: follow ALL label directions on the shampoo you
use (DO NOT use it more frequently than directed!). Make sure that ALL NITS are
removed from the hair shafts and clean/launder thoroughly. Check the head lice page
for more information/specifics.
_____________________________________________________________________
Can my student get ringworm from another student?
Ringworm is not a “worm” infection as the name suggests but a fungal infection. The
source of the fungus is usually soil, an animal (usually a cat, dog, or rodent), or a
person. However, this contact is usually from an athletic activity such as wrestling or
gymnastics in which one person’s skin is rubbed hard against another’s that has the
ringworm fungus. Any areas of ringworm must be covered by clothing or a bandage to
attend school per the Ohio Department of Health. A student must be excluded from
school with scalp or skin lesions until 24 hours of appropriate treatment. Preventive
measures are those common to good hygiene practices.
______________________________________________________________________
What is Fifth Disease?
Fifth Disease is a viral infection caused by human parvovirus B19. It is usually seen in
elementary school-aged children although anyone can get it. It is diagnosed on the
appearance of the characteristic rash - a red “slapped cheek” rash on the face initially.
Persons with Fifth Disease appear to be contagious about 5 days before the
appearance of their rash. By the time their rash is evident, the individual is beyond the
contagious period. The virus is spread by respiratory secretions such as via coughing or
sneezing. Individuals with Fifth Disease should not be excluded from schools unless
they have fever or feel unwell per the Ohio Department of Health. Good handwashing is
a practical and effective method to reduce the spread of the virus.
______________________________________________________________________
When can my child return after the Chicken Pox?
Chicken pox is a highly contagious disease that is caused by a virus. The rash that
appears with
chicken pox starts out with small red patches. These red patches become watery
blisters that develop into crusts. The rash may continue to spread over a 4-5 day period.
There is a 14-21 day incubation period with chicken pox. Your child should be kept in
the house until all blisters have crusted over. This takes about seven (7) days. Your
child may return to school and regular activity after all the lesions (sores) have crusted
over. Remember that if your child has a fever with the chicken pox that aspirin or aspirin
containing products should not be given to children.
______________________________________________________________________
How long should my child stay home for strep throat?
Generally, doctors recommend that your child be on antibiotics and free from an
elevated temperature for at least 24 hours before returning to school.
______________________________________________________________________
Can my child be in school with pink eye?
Conjunctivitis (pink-eye) symptoms include redness of eye, watery discharge with viral
and often thick, purulent (pus) with bacterial; matted eyelashes, burning, and itching.
The incubation period for viral is 12-72 hours and 24-72 hours for bacterial. The method
of transmission for both is direct contact with the discharge from eye membranes or
respiratory tract and indirect contact with objects or surfaces contaminated with the
discharge. The communicable period is until 24 hours of antibiotic treatment is
completed for bacterial conjunctivitis and until the discharge ceases for viral. Students
must be excluded from school if eye discharge is noted until cleared by a physician to
return to school per the Ohio Department of Health.
_____________________________________________________________________