FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. When Do I Keep My Child Home from School?
Below are guidelines you may wish to use when deciding if you should keep your child home from school.
If you are unsure whether you should keep your child home please call Mrs. Walters to discuss your individual concerns
Fever - A temperature of 100° or more. Due to new regulations, parentsmust keep children home during the course of a fever and for an additional 24 hours after the fever has passed without taking fever reducing medications.
Conjunctivitis or Pink Eye - This is highly contagious and uncomfortable. Symptoms might include eyes which are itchy, red, have a yellow/white discharge, or if your child wakes up in the morning and their lashes are stuck together. Contact your physician when symptoms are present. Your child will need to be symptom free or a doctor's note is required before returning to school.
Strep Throat - This is a highly contagious condition that is caused by a bacterial infection (streptococcal). Symptoms usually include a sore throat, fever and possibly a headache. Strep can only be diagnosed by a culture so you will need to contact your physician if symptoms are present. If your child is diagnosed with strep they will need to be on antibiotics for 24 hours and may then return to school with a doctor's certificate.
Lice - Symptoms include head itching, seeing small white dots that are difficult to remove from the hair shaft, or perhaps seeing the actual louse itself. If your child has lice, they are not to return to school until they have been treated. After treatment, a parent/guardian needs to drive them to school, bringing the empty bottle/box as proof of treatment, to be checked by the School Nurse to be sure they are lice free before returning to class. Students with chronic lice may be required to be nit free before returning.
Diarrhea and Vomiting - This is uncomfortable, and being near a bathroom becomes a top priority. If these symptoms persist you should contact your physician.
Ear Infection - This is an inflammation of the middle ear. Symptoms could include severe ear pain, fever, dizziness, or headache. Hearing loss can occur if untreated, you should contact your family physician if symptoms are present.
2. What Medications Are Allowed?
All medications require a Carroll County Public Schools Medication Form filled out and signed by your child’s physician, with the exception of Children’s Strength Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen. Remember, students are not allowed to carry medication to or from school, as this is a violation of Carroll County School's Drug and Alcohol policy. Exceptions include:
Chapstick / Lip Balm
Non-medicated cough drops
Waterless hand cleanser
Saline eye drops or nose spray
Hand creams / lotions
Sunscreen
Skin-so-soft
3. Does My Child Need Extra Clothing?
Please send a change of weather appropriate clothes for your child to keep in their locker. Children often have spills, bathroom accident, slip in the mud, etc. and need to change their clothing. We have a limited supply of clothing to loan in the nurse’s office, but if the clothes haven’t been returned by others, then your child having extra clothing with them will alleviate me having to call you to bring them clothes. If your child has borrowed clothes, please wash and send the clothes back to the nurse so they will be available for the next time they are needed.