Illness Guidelines

When to Keep Your Child Home

Sometimes it can be difficult to decide whether to send children to school when they wake up with symptoms of any illness or complaints that they do not feel well. No set of recommendations can cover all situations. Please consult with a pediatrician, the health department, or individual school district policies when in doubt.

In order to protect your child and his classmates, your child should stay home when they have symptoms that prevent them from comfortably in school activities.

Your child must stay home when they have any of the following symptoms

  • Fever

  • Vomiting or diarrhea (liquid/watery stool). Do NOT bring your child to school if she/he has had diarrhea and/or vomiting in the previous 24 hours. Children will be sent home if these symptoms begin at school.

  • Nasal discharge, especially green or yellow mucus and especially if accompanied by facial pain or headache.

  • Ear Infection and/or constant/severe ear pain.

  • Eye drainage and/or eye pain

  • Severe headache, especially if accompanied by fever.

  • Sore throat along with fever and feeling ill, or after known exposure to a confirmed case of Strep throat infection.

  • Cold and Flu symptoms such as persistent coughing, sneezing, runny nose, headaches, watery eyes, and sore throats.

  • Conjunctivitis or eye infections

  • Unexplained Skin Conditions/Rash with fever or behavior change, until a health provider determines that these symptoms do not indicate a communicable disease.

  • Crawling lice.

  • Other contagious illnesses

Please NOTIFY THE OFFICE IMMEDIATELY if your child is exposed to or contracts a communicable disease such as chicken pox, mumps or measles. These conditions can be life threatening to students who are undergoing therapies that suppress their immune systems.

Reminder: if your child needs to take medication at school, you are required to send a medication authorization form signed by you and your health provider with the medication.

Thank you for your support!

Content Sources: The information contained within this guide is based on the latest recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the San Mateo County Office of Education, Kids Health, the California Childcare Health Program, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.