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Returning to School After an Illness

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Contributor Dr. Elise Herman

As kids head back to school and are together in classrooms again, parents know their child may pick up some illnesses. There are times when it is appropriate to keep sick children home, both for their own recovery as well as protecting fellow students and school staff. Students should be showing signs of improvement before returning to the classroom. Below are helpful guidelines for different illnesses your child may encounter as we move into fall and winter.

Fever: In general, kids should stay home if they have a fever over 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit. They may return to school if it has been about 24 hours without a fever (and no fever-reducing medications like Tylenol or Ibuprofen given).

Colds, RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus), COVID, and Influenza: if cough and congestion are mild and there is no fever, kids may stay in school. If they have a fever, follow the above guidelines. If your child has a more persistent cough or is very fatigued, keep them home until they are improving. When they return to school, kids should wear a mask for up to 5 days after becoming sick to protect others.

Gastroenteritis (Vomiting and Diarrhea): Kids should stay home if stools are very watery and hard to control (this may depend on the age of your child). If it has been hours since the last vomiting episode and the child is now keeping down liquids and solids, they may return to school.

Strep Throat: Children diagnosed with strep throat may return to school if it has been 12-24 hours since starting antibiotics and they are feeling better. Make sure they are drinking and eating adequately, too.

Pinkeye (conjunctivitis): If eye discharge is thin and watery with pink eyes, this infection is most likely due to a virus and no treatment is needed. This should resolve on its own within 5-7 days and your child may stay in school (be sure to review good hygiene to prevent spread). If eye discharge is thick, green/ yellow and eyes are very red, call your child’s provider since antibiotic drops or ointment may be appropriate if the cause is bacterial. Kids can return to school about 24 hours after starting this treatment.

Chickenpox (varicella): Chickenpox is less common now with effective vaccination, but if it occurs, all sores should be dry and crusted before returning to school.

Impetigo: This common skin infection may be treated with topical antibiotic cream or oral antibiotics. Kids can be in school once treatment has been started.

Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease: This viral illness causes painful sores in the mouth and small blisters on the palms and soles. There often is fever and a body rash, too. Children should stay home till they are drinking and eating well and fever-free x 24 hours; the rash does not need to have resolved since that can take 1-2 weeks.

Lice, scabies, and ringworm (tinea): These infections are very common in school-age kids, and children may return to class after treatment is begun. Kids do not need to be ‘nit-free’ to be in school.

Make sure your child is up to date on vaccines to prevent common and potentially dangerous illnesses, including COVID-19 and influenza. Remind your child about handwashing and good hygiene– and be a good role model with this! Call your child’s healthcare provider if you have concerns about your child’s illness and return to school. Policies about returning to class may differ between school districts; many school districts post their policy online. Your child’s school nurse is an excellent source of information if you still have questions.

Resource

https://www.cdc.gov/orr/school-preparedness/infection-prevention/when-sick.html

more about The contributor

Dr. Elise Herman

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Dr. Herman is passionate about community health outreach, school programs, and child/family health and wellness. She has more than 31 years of experience as a pediatrician in Ellensburg, Washington, the last 3 with KVH Pediatrics. In 2022 Dr. Herman mostly retired from practice and continues to contribute blog posts and remain a visible advocate for kids in the community.

Parent Advice / Back to School

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Contributor Dr. Elise Herman

As summer winds down, parents and children are well aware of the approach of the new school year. Some kids are very excited about learning and seeing their teachers and friends again, while others have more reservations. COVID and recent school shootings complicate this often emotional transition. There are steps parents can take now to make this go more smoothly.

Sleep

If sleep schedules got lax over the summer, start now to get back on track. To make bedtime earlier, adjust the wake-up time, moving this up by 15 minutes a day. Kids ages 3-5 years need 10-13 hours total sleep daily, those ages 6-12 years should get 9-12 hours, and teens need 8-10 hours. Remember, no ’screens’ of any kind for at least one hour before bedtime. Reading to your child before bed (or kids reading on their own) aids in falling asleep and is an excellent habit to develop now.

Nutrition

Ensure your child gets up early enough to have a healthy (not sugary) breakfast, improving attention and mood. If your child is taking lunch to school, review what they would like to bring—plan on including fruits and veggies and avoiding processed foods. Water is much better than juice; if they drink milk, nix the chocolate milk, which has as much sugar as soda. Family dinners are a great way to connect during the school year and have been shown to improve nutrition and emotional health. Although it can be tricky to have family dinners with kids’ sports and activities, try to make this a priority.

School Prep

For younger kids, being able to go to school and play on the playground now is very reassuring. Some schools will allow a visit to the classroom and a brief meeting of the teacher as well. You and your child can look at their school online, where they can see photos of the building and the school staff. Review transportation plans and always spend 10 minutes of “getting ready” time on school mornings so your child can be on time with less stress.

School Supplies

Look at the list for your child’s school and classroom (schools often post this on their website) and buy supplies early. Have your child practice packing their backpack and designate a place at home where it goes at the end of the day. All papers and notebooks should come out of the backpack daily so homework gets done and other things don’t accumulate. Pack the backpack with completed homework and any needed items the night before to help mornings go smoothly.

School Safety

In view of recent events, your child may have questions or concerns about school safety. Reassure them that a school is a safe place and that you are comfortable having them there. Although there may be a spike in COVID this fall, we have good tools (vaccines, treatment, etc.) to help. As tragic as school shootings are, they are rare, and schools continue to work on security to help prevent such violence. We must display confidence in our child’s safety at school, even if we are concerned.

Back to school “nerves”: If your child feels a bit nervous about the return to school, let them know they are not alone. This is common, especially if they are going to a new school (as will be true of many kids in Ellensburg with the new attendance zones). Talk up the positives of learning new things, making new friends, and meeting their teacher. If you recall feeling the same way, share that with them and how your nervousness dissipated over time.

Going back to school in the fall is a big deal for you and your child; let them know you have confidence in their ability to rise to this challenge. Planning a fun post-school activity and a special family dinner after that first day will give them something to look forward to and be a terrific way to celebrate this transition.

Local School Districts

Below is a list of Kittitas County school districts and their Facebook pages. Schools often post supplies lists, drop-off/pick-up info, scheduling, and other important information for parents and students.

more about The contributor

Dr. Elise Herman

Blog Posts
Profile

Dr. Herman is passionate about community health outreach, school programs, and child/family health and wellness. She has more than 31 years of experience as a pediatrician in Ellensburg, Washington, the last 3 with KVH Pediatrics. In 2022 Dr. Herman mostly retired from practice and continues to contribute blog posts and remain a visible advocate for kids in the community.