Health Services

Contact a School Nurse 

(405) 872-7671 (Please leave a short voicemail, including your contact information) nurse@nobleps.com

WHEN TO KEEP YOUR CHILD HOME FROM SCHOOL

Deciding when a child is too sick to attend school can be difficult. Please know that good health is more important than a perfect attendance record. For your child to be available for learning and to control communicable diseases in school, it is vital to keep your child home for the following reasons:

• Fever above 100.4 degrees—Your child should be fever-free and off all fever-reducing medication for 24 hours before they return to school. Students returning to school before they are well are more susceptible to illness and may expose others. Please do not give your child medication to treat a fever and send them to school.
• Sore Throat or Tonsillitis – A minor sore throat is usually not a problem, but a severe sore throat could be a symptom of a more serious illness. Keep your child home from school and contact your health care provider. If your child is diagnosed with Strep Throat, they may return to school 24 hours after antibiotic treatment begins.
• Spots/Rash – Do not send your child to school with a rash until your health care provider has said it is safe. Children with ringworm, scabies, or impetigo may return to school after 24 hours of appropriate treatment. The affected area should be covered if possible.
• Bad cough/Cold Symptoms—Children with bad coughs or colds need to stay home and possibly see their health care provider. When the cough improves and the child feels better, they may return to school. It can take over a week for a bad cough to completely disappear.
• Eye Inflammation or Discharge – if your child’s eye is red with a cloudy or yellow/green drainage, matted eyelids after sleep, eye pain and/or redness, you should keep your child home and contact your child’s health care provider. If your child is diagnosed with pink eye, they may return to school 24 hours after treatment has begun.
• Vomiting and/or Diarrhea – Your child should stay home until the illness is over and for 24 hours after the last episode (without medication).
• Ear Pain – Consult with your health care provider. Untreated ear infections can cause hearing loss.
• Head lice—Students must be treated with a special preparation for killing head lice (available over the counter), and progress must be made on removing all of the nits. The site nurse will clear students upon their return to school.
• Acute Pain – Students who have pain that requires narcotic medication for relief should not attend school.

Remember to call the school every day when your child is absent. Ensure the school has your current contact information in case your child becomes ill or injured at school. Have a plan for childcare issues for when your child is sick. If your child has a communicable disease, please notify the school. In some instances, it will be necessary for your physician to provide the school with a medical release before your child may return to school.

Medications should be given at home if possible. If medication is required during school hours, the Procedures for Medication Administration must be followed.

TIP FOR A HEALTHY YEAR

Avoid telling your child, “Go to School and try to make it. If you still feel bad later, call me.” 

A more positive statement would be, “You don’t have a fever and you have been OK for the past 24 hours. Eat breakfast, then go to school, and I’m sure you will feel fine.” This lets your child know you have paid attention to their complaints and leaves them with a positive message about feeling good.