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Health Conditions

Communicable Conditions

Is my child well enough to come to school?

The child/youth should stay home if he/she:

  • has had a fever of 100 degrees or more, and should remain at home for 24 hours after the temperature returns to normal without medication to keep the temperature down.
  • has vomited or has had diarrhea, and should remain at home for 24 hours after it has stopped.
  • has a persistent cough.
  • has any rash with fever.
  • has open or draining skin sores.
  • has inflamed or draining eyes or ears.

Influenza Information

Head Lice Information

Influenza

There has been some media coverage about the occurrence of influenza in Minnesota and we have had some cases among our students in the past weeks. Influenza is a contagious respiratory disease and not the “stomach flu”. It is caused by a virus that attacks the nose, throat and lungs.

Influenza symptoms come quickly and include fever, dry cough, sore throat, headache, extreme tiredness, nasal congestion, and body aches. A person can be infectious 1 day prior to the symptoms starting and up to 5 days after they occur. The flu is different from a cold as a child with the flu will often feel too sick to play.

If your child has a respiratory infection keep them home from school. They should not return until their fever has been gone for 24 hours and they feel well enough to participate in school. If your child has the flu they need rest and extra fluids and possibly medication such as Tylenol to reduce their fever. Please contact your physician if you have concerns about your child.

Illness Prevention
Please encourage your child to wash their hands often and well. It is recommended to wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds to get rid of germs!!! Encourage your child to wash hands prior to eating or putting anything in their mouth.

Teach your child to cough or sneeze into their sleeve. Coughing into a tissue is good but they are not always available when we need them. Tissues need to be disposed of after every use.

Encourage your child not to share anything that goes into their mouth such as food, straws, cups, pencils, etc.

Encourage your child to eat nutritious foods and get plenty of sleep.

It is not too late to have your child vaccinated against the flu. Check with your physician about the possibility of having your children vaccinated.

We hope these tips will keep you and your family healthy. Please refer to the Minnesota Department of Health Influenza information sheet for more information.

Minnesota Department of Health Influenza Information

Head Lice Information

Head lice is a common childhood reality and a nuisance that has survived for thousands of years. Lice and their eggs (nits) live on humans- especially their scalps. Lice are the cause of a lot of anxiety, misinformation and embarrassment. The most common symptoms of having a lice infestation is itching: lice are not a health hazard or a sign of uncleanliness or responsible for the spread of any disease.

Lice are unable to fly or jump so usually require direct, head-to-head contact to spread from one person to another. Several studies have shown that lice are not highly transferable in the school setting. Encourage your child not to share hats or other head wear with others.

Treatment methods vary from over the counter and prescription rinses and shampoos to home remedies primarily intended to suffocate the lice. Pulling out the nits and live lice ( for roughly two weeks) should accompany the chemical treatment. Clothing, bedding, hair accessories, or items that have been in contact with the infested person should be cleaned/dried in a hot dryer to limit re-infestation.

If your child has head lice it is recommended they receive treatment prior to returning to school. Most of the shampoos do not kill all of the eggs so it is extremely important to remove any eggs still remaining. You may need to re-treat again with the chemical treatment 7-10 days after the initial treatment. Please see the fact sheets below that give clear directions on how to treat head lice.

Resource Information:

 
Fact Sheets: