When to stay home from school

Deciding when to keep a child home from school can be difficult. However, there are some common illnesses and symptoms that mean your child is too sick for school.

Following these guidelines can help your child rest and get better sooner and prevents your child from infecting other students.

Fever

Parents should keep children at home if they have a fever, which generally means a temperature of 100.4 F or higher. A child should be fever-free for 24 hours without taking fever-reducing medicine before returning to school.

Stomach virus

A stomach virus may cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Children should be free of all these symptoms for 24 hours before returning to school.

Respiratory viruses, including flu and COVID

Keep your child home until their symptoms are better and they have been fever-free for 24 hours without taking fever-reducing medications.

Pink eye (conjunctivitis)

Pink eye can be bacterial or viral. Children who have red eyes, eye discharge that is not clear or whose eyes can’t be easily opened should stay home from school. In addition, children who are using medicine for a bacterial eye infection should be home at least 24 hours before returning. Whether it is viral or bacterial, children should stay home until the whites of their eyes are only slightly pink and there is only clear discharge from their eyes.

Steady or hacking cough

Children who have minor coughs are usually OK to go to school. But a child who has a moderate to severe frequent cough, or who is experiencing coughing fits, should stay home. Teach children to practice good coughing hygiene, such as coughing into a tissue or the bend of their elbow and tell them to wash their hands frequently.

Strep throat

Strep throat is contagious. Once your child has been diagnosed with strep throat, your child should be treated with antibiotics for 24 hours before returning to school.

Head lice

Schools recommend that children receive immediate home treatment for lice. Your child should not return to school until nits are no longer in their hair.