When to Keep Your Child Home from School

If your child is not feeling well, your physician is the best person to consult about whether she can go to school. Common sense, con­cern for your child's well-being, and the possibility of infecting classmates should all contribute to the decision about whether your child should stay home.

As general guidelines, keep her home if:

1. she has a fever
2. she is not well enough to participate in class
3. you think she may be contagious to other children

If your child has been ill but is feeling better, yet has still awak­ened with a minor problem, such as a runny nose or slight head­ache, you can send her to school if none of the three circumstances listed above is present. Even so, make sure the school and your child have a phone number where you can be reached during the day if more serious symptoms develop and she needs to return home.