When to Keep Your Child Home
How we can limit the spread of H1N1 virus (swine flu)
The most important thing is to keep sick people away from healthy people. So if your child is sick, you must keep your child home. Staying home when sick stops the spread of the flu and helps the sick person get well.
Answer these questions every morning before sending your child to school or daycare:
- Does your child have a fever (100º F or 37. 7ºC)? If you don’t have a thermometer, feel your child’s skin with your hand. If it is much warmer than usual your child probably has a fever.
- Does your child have a sore throat, cough, runny nose, body aches, vomiting, or diarrhea?
If you answered “yes” to either one or both questions above, your child might have the flu. Keep your child home from school until the symptoms are gone for at least 24 hours without the use of fever lowering medications such as Tylenol or Ibuprofen,
When should my child go to the doctor?
Call your health care provider if your child is ill enough that you would normally see a health care provider. Use the same judgment you would use during a normal flu season. If you would not usually see a health care provider for the symptoms your child has now, you do not need to see a health care provider. The Re-3 School District does not require an excuse from your doctor in order for your child to return to classes following a flu-like illness.