We had a busy week in our School Nurse's Office this week and I thought it would be a good time to share notes around health guidance and school attendance.
Health Guidance for Going to School:
Showing up to school every day is critical for children’s well-being, engagement and learning. Make sure to send children to school if they are:
• Generally healthy and well.
• Participating in usual day-to-day activities.
• Children can even go to school if they:
• Have a mild cold, which may include a runny nose and/or cough.
• Have eye drainage without fever, eye pain or eyelid redness.
• Have a mild stomachache.
• Have a mild rash with no other symptoms.
• Have head lice. Though they are annoying and should be treated, lice are not a reason to exclude a child from school.
• Haven’t had a fever overnight and they have not taken fever-reducing medicine during that time. Avoid keeping children at home unless they are too sick to participate.
Children may also avoid school due to anxiety (symptoms may include decreased appetite, feeling tired, stomachache, headache etc). If you are worried that your child may be suffering from anxiety, talk with your teacher, the school nurse, our counseling intern or other school staff to discuss the challenge and identify what can help your child stay in school.
