Keeping your child at home
In an effort to keep down the incidence of disease and illness and for the comfort of the children, families are expected to keep their child home in the event of symptoms that include but are not limited to:
- Fever:
- Taken by mouth: 100.6°F (38.1 C) or higher
- Taken under the arm, on the forehead or rectally: or 99.6 F (37.6 C) or higher under the arm, on the forehead, or rectally 99.6 F (37.6 C) or higher.
- Note: If there is influenza-like activity or COVID-19 like activity in the school, or in the community, as determined by the local health department, criteria for fever would be reduced to 100.4 F (38 C) or higher; 99.4 F (37.4 C) or higher, respectively.
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Note: for children under 2, loose BM’s can be normal as their digestive systems develop and teething is present. Diarrhea for children this age will be defined as two loose, watery stools not able to be contained by the diaper.
- Undiagnosed Rash/Blisters
- Runny/Red eyes or excessive discharge
- Fatigue/Lack of participation
- Respiratory conditions such as persistent cough / wheezing / difficulty breathing - unless an asthma action plan is on file and proper medication has been provided following the prescription medication protocol.
- Thick, green or yellow nasal discharge lasting longer than a few days, or congestion preventing the child from participating in the daily routine
- The need for 1:1 care, consisting of: inconsolable crying for more than 15-20 minutes, or other abnormal behavior for the child, in addition to one or more symptoms of illness.
- Presence of live lice, nits (lice eggs), or other parasite
- If your child tests positive for COVID, he or she should stay home for five days from the start of symptoms and be free from the symptoms listed above before returning.
Should your child become ill or exhibit any of these symptoms while at the center, you will be contacted and expected to arrange for your child to be picked up within 1 hour. If staff are unable to reach you, others on the emergency card will be contacted. When possible, your child will be isolated from the other children in the classroom and cared for by a familiar caregiver. Your child will be kept away from others until they are picked up.
With proper documentation from a medical professional on file, staff will take into account certain medical conditions (GI tract issues, allergies, asthma) that indicate symptoms are not a result of a communicable disease.
Children may return to the center when:
- The child’s temperature has been below the fever indicators listed above for 24 hours without fever-reducing medications.
- The child’s rash or blisters have been diagnosed and are determined not to be contagious, have been treated for 24 hours with appropriate medication deemed necessary by a medical professional, or lesions are determined to no longer be contagious as determined by a medical professional.
- It has been 24 hours since the last episode of vomiting or diarrhea without medication.
- The nasal discharge is not thick, yellow, or green and is not preventing the child from participating in the daily routine.
- The child is able to participate in the daily routine as much as what is typical for the child.
- Eyes are no longer runny, red or discharging, or the condition has been treated with an antibiotic for 24 hours.
Note regarding antibiotics – in accordance with the medication policy, if your child is given antibiotics for any reason, they must complete the first 24 hours at home. Young children can have reactions to medication, especially if they have not had those medications before. In addition to preventing the spread of the illness causing the infection, keeping them home for 24 hours allows the child to be monitored at home for any potential reactions before returning to school.
Occasionally, a written note from the child’s physician or proof of test results will be required by the center for a child to be readmitted. Please call the center if you have any questions regarding your child’s symptoms or to let staff know if your child will not be in attendance on a scheduled day: (616) 234-4004