• Is My Child Sick? Should I Send My Child to School?

    If you keep your child home from school for any reason, please contact the school office and report your child's absence.

    One of the problems most often confronting parents of school-aged children occurs when a child complains of not feeling well on a school day.

    A decision must be made as to whether the child stays home or goes to school. What do you do? How do you make the right decision? You do not want to keep a child home if he/she is not sick; but you also do not want to send a sick child to school.

    Become familiar with the symptoms as outlined here.

    COVID-19

    People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:

    • Fever or chills
    • Cough
    • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
    • Fatigue
    • Muscle or body aches
    • Headache
    • New loss of taste or smell
    • Sore throat
    • Congestion or runny nose
    • Nausea or vomiting
    • Diarrhea

    See Amphi's COVID-19  section to determine whether you should send your child to school.

    FLU - (INFLUENZA)
    Influenza, commonly known as "the flu," is a highly contagious viral infection of the respiratory tract. If you suspect your child has the flu, keep your child home and call your doctor. The flu affects all age groups, though kids tend to get it more often than adults. The flu is often confused with the common cold, but flu symptoms usually are more severe than the typical sneezing and stuffiness of a cold. Symptoms can include fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, dizziness, loss of appetite, tiredness, cough, sore throat, runny nose, nausea or vomiting, weakness, ear pain, and diarrhea.

    FEVER
    A fever is a warning that all is not right with the body. The best way to check for a fever is with a thermometer. A child with a temperature of l00° or higher should be kept at home. When no thermometer is available, check the child's forehead with the back of your hand. If it is hot, keep your child home until the temperature can be checked with a thermometer. Do not allow your child to return to school until he/she has been fever- free for 24 hours without medication.

    RASH
    A rash may be the first sign of one of childhood's many illnesses, such as measles or chicken pox. A rash or "spots" may cover the entire body or may appear in only one area. Do not send your child to school with a rash until your doctor has said it is safe to do so.

    STOMACHACHE, VOMITING, AND DIARRHEA
    Consult your doctor if your child has a stomachache that is persistent or severe enough to limit his/her activity. If vomiting occurs, keep your child home until he/she can keep down his/her food. A child with diarrhea should be kept home until they have been symptom-free for 24 hours. Call your doctor if prompt improvement does not occur.

    TOOTHACHE
    Contact your dentist.

    EARACHE
    Consult your doctor without delay.

    HEADACHE
    A child whose only complaint is a headache usually does not need to be kept home.

    COLD, SORE THROAT, AND COUGH
    The common cold presents the most frequent problem to parents. A child with a cold and a deep or barking cough belongs at home in bed, even if he/she does NOT have a fever. If your child has a complaint of a sore throat and has no other symptoms, he/she may go to school. If white spots can be seen in the back of the throat or if a fever is present, keep your child home and call your doctor.

    PINK EYE -(CONJUNCTIVITIS)
    Conjunctivitis or Pink Eye is highly contagious and uncomfortable, so be aware of complaints of burning, itching, or eyes producing whitish discharge. This requires treatments with prescription eye drops. Keep your child home for 24 hours after appropriate treatment has been initiated and signs and symptoms are greatly reduced.