School starts in an hour, and your child says she doesn’t feel well. Should you send her to school or keep her home? “Ask yourself, ‘If my child were healthy, would I want her near someone with these symptoms?” advises Robert Hoekelman, M.D., contributing editor of The Merck Manual of Medical Information- Home Edition, who offers these guidelines to help you decide what to do. Of course, if symptoms last longer than 24 hours or worsen, call your pediatrician.

Fever

Keep Your Child Home If: She has a morning temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, or her temperature is below 100 but she is achy, pale or tired.

Stomach Ache

Keep Your Child Home If: She has had two or more episodes of vomiting or diarrhea, or has had one in the past 24 hours and feels tired or ill.

Sneezing or Runny Nose

Keep Your Child Home If: She is sneezing a lot, and her nose won’t stop running.

Sore Throat

Keep Your Child Home If: She has tender, swollen glands and a fever of 100 or higher.

Cough

Keep Your Child Home If: She coughs frequently, coughs up phlegm, or her cough sounds like a bark or is accompanied by a sore throat or wheezing.

Earache

Keep Your Child Home If: Her pain is constant or severe—a sign of otitis media.

Rash

Keep Your Child Home If: The rash blisters, develops pus, or is uncomfortable, which may signal chicken pox or impetigo.

From our experience we have learned that sick children seldom, if ever, gain anything by attending school. They are much better off at home where they are most likely to get the necessary care for recovery and early return to school. Keeping ill children at home also protects other children, their family, and the school staff from infection. A child must be kept home at least 24 hours after a fever and 24 hours after starting antibiotics, REMINDER: if your child needs to take medication at school, you need to send an authorization form signed by you an the health care provider with the medication.

Please contact your school when you child is home due to illness:

Cove School: 415-945-9046 coveabsentee@lcmschools.org or use the "Contact Us" button on the LCMSchools App!

Hall Middle School: 415-927-6956 hallabsentee@lcmschools.org or use the "Contact Us" button on the LCMSchools App!

Neil Cummins Elementary School: 415-927-6965 x1 ncabsentee@lcmschools.org or use the "Contact Us" button on the LCMSchools App!

Thank you for your part in keeping us all healthy!