No matter how many preventative measures you take, sometimes children just get sick. With cold and flu viruses running rampant among children, preventing the spread of germs is critical to keeping everyone healthy. We recommend that children do not return to school until 24 hours after their symptoms improve. Keeping children home while they are sick will not only aid in their recovery, but can prevent them from spreading the virus to other children.

It can be a challenge to determine when your children are healthy enough to return to school. Here are a few tips for making the decision process easier.

Fever: If you child is running a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher, keep them home. Fever can be one of the first signs that your body is fighting an infection. If your child is running a fever they are more likely to spread the virus. A good rule of thumb is to wait 24 hours until their fever has broken to send them back to school.

Vomiting and Diarrhea: If your child is experiencing vomiting or diarrhea, they should not be at school. Keep them at home until they have been symptom free for at least 24 hours.

Fatigue: If your child seems unusually tired, it could be a sign of illness. Allow your child to rest and re-hydrate before they return to school.

Sore Throat and Cough: Coughing is one of the primary ways to spread infection. A sore throat and cough are both reasons for keeping your children home from school. Do not send them back to school until the cough is nearly gone.

Pain: Pain such as headaches, bellyaches and earaches are all signals that your child is sick and possibly contagious. Children should stay home until the pain is gone.

A child’s appearance and attitude can both be instrumental in determining whether they are ready to return to school. If they do not seem to be their normal selves another day of rest and medicine at home may be necessary to help get them well again. Our Chattanooga pediatric urgent care clinic can help you determine when to send your children back to school.