From the Nurse
Hello and welcome to the 2023-2024 school year!
To prevent the spread of illness in our school, I would like to take some time to review the health policies regarding communicable diseases/illnesses.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health recommends the following guidelines to keep children home from school:
- Fever: Temperature of 100.0 or greater - Your child must stay home for 24 hours after the fever has dropped and no fever reducing medication has been given in a 24-hour span of time.
- Diarrhea: Your child must stay home until there is no more diarrhea for 24 hours.
- Vomiting: Your child must stay home until vomiting has stopped for at least 24 hours.
- Cold symptoms: Frequent cough, runny nose, sneezing (not necessarily associated with a fever)-Please test for COVID 19. If negative, please use your best judgment when sending your child to school. If positive, please call the health office.
- Remind your child to cough or sneeze into elbow and not into hands. Encourage frequent hand washing.
- Contagious illnesses: (Strep throat, conjunctivitis), Your child needs to have taken at least 24 hours of prescribed medication before coming back to school.
- Rashes: Rashes need to be evaluated by a doctor to determine cause and treatment.
- Head Lice: A child found to have live lice at school will be sent home. The child should be properly treated and may return to school on the day after treatment. Before being allowed back in the classroom, a parent or other adult, must accompany the student to school so the school nurse can check the student.
A few other notes:
- Please provide documentation when your child has been evaluated for an illness and for any treatments that may be needed at school with a proper doctors’ order form and parent permission slip.
- Most illnesses need 24 hours rest after the fever has dropped to allow the body to recover from illness and infection. I am asking for your help in trying to reduce the amount of illness in our school.
- Please pack a change of clothes daily for accidental spills and/or bathroom accidents.
- In winter months, make sure that your child is dressed in a warm coat, because they will still go out for recess during the winter, weather permitting. It would also be helpful to keep a hat and mittens in their backpack.
- Continue to call in your child’s absences with associated symptoms and any treatments ordered by a doctor.
Thank you for helping keep our children happy and healthy!
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call me at 508-222-2621 or edluhy@attleboroschools.com.