Back-to-school season brings new routines, new friends—and plenty of opportunities for germs to spread. When your child wakes up feeling under the weather, it’s not always easy to decide whether they should go to school or stay home.
Dr. Brent Bjornsen of Arbor Pediatrics recently joined FOX 10 Talks to share practical back-to-school health advice for Arizona families.
His top reason for keeping a child home sick? A fever.
“Typically, we recommend the number one thing to keep a child out of school is a fever. We want to make sure that if a child is having a fever, we’re preventing them from being able to spread that to other children,” Dr. Bjornsen explained. “If they’re having other symptoms that might interfere with their day—trouble breathing, significant coughing, vomiting or diarrhea—those are typically the things that are going to prevent a child from being able to participate in school effectively.”
Signs Your Child Should Stay Home
Consider keeping your child home if they:
Have a fever
Are vomiting or experiencing significant diarrhea
Have worsening respiratory symptoms or a severe cough
Are having trouble breathing
Feel too tired or uncomfortable to participate in normal classroom activities
In general, children can return to school once they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without fever-reducing medication, their symptoms are improving and they feel well enough to participate. Be sure to follow your school’s illness policy, and contact your pediatrician if you have questions about your child’s symptoms or recovery.
Of course, not every sniffle means your child needs to miss school. The best question to ask is: Can my child comfortably participate in a full school day without needing more care than the school can reasonably provide?
For more tips to help your family start the school year healthy and prepared, watch Dr. Bjornsen’s full interview on FOX 10 Talks.
