Attendance: Can My Child Go to School?
Recommendations for children 5 to 18 years of age.
When students miss too many days of school, they fall behind and struggle to keep up with their classmates. Whatever the reason for the absence, the result for the student is the same — learning time is lost. Children and adolescents will get sick at times and may need to stay at home, but we want to work with you to help minimize the number of days your student misses school.
Missed Days Add Up Quickly!
- Just a few missed days a month adds up to several school weeks missed in a year.
- Both excused and unexcused absences can make it more difficult for your child to keep up with other students, especially in math and reading.
- Kindergarten and first grade are critical for your child. Missing school during these early years makes it more difficult for children to learn in later years and they often have trouble reading by the end of third grade.
Work with Your Child and Your School
- Ensure that your child comes to school every day unless an absence is necessary. This will help your child succeed.
- Make sure that the school staff is aware if your child has a chronic illness so that assistance can be provided if needed. Each school year, include information about any health conditions your child has on the Health Information Form.
- If your child has asthma, FCPS requires an Asthma Action Plan completed by their doctor. If your child needs to carry an inhaler at school, permission should be noted on the Asthma Action Plan. Ensure that all supplies (inhaler, spacer, etc.) needed to manage your child’s asthma are at the school.
- If your child has diabetes, FCPS requires a Diabetes Medical Management Plan be completed by his or her doctor. Ensure that all supplies (insulin, blood sugar meter, test strips) needed to manage your child’s diabetes are at the school.
- Keep an open line of communication with your school public health nurse, school staff, and teachers. The more the school knows about your child’s health needs, the better prepared everyone will be to work together to support your child.
Helpful Ideas:
- Make medical and dental appointments in the late afternoon or first thing in the morning so your child misses as little school as possible.
- If your child must miss school, make sure you get his or her homework assignments and ensure that the work is completed and turned in.
- Call the school as soon as you know your child will be absent and tell school staff why your child will be out and for how long. Let the school know if you need additional support in helping your child back into the school routine: Return To Learn
Can My Child Go to School?
The recommendations below are for children 5 to 18 years of age. Recommendations may be different for infants and younger children. Recommendations may change if your child’s school has an outbreak.
| Symptoms and Illnesses | Can My Child Go to School? |
|---|---|
| Parent is Sick, Stressed, Hospitalized | YES If you are sick, your child still needs to attend school. Your illness does not excuse your child from attending. Plan for these days. Ask a neighbor, relative or spouse to take your child to and from school. |
Chronic Illnesses (Asthma, Diabetes, Sickle Cell, Epilepsy etc.) Chronic illness is a long-lasting condition that can be controlled but not cured | YES As long as your child’s symptoms are controlled, your child should attend school. School personnel are trained to assist children with chronic illnesses and related health care requirements. |
Child Doesn’t Want to go to School Frequent crying, fear, anger, not wanting to socialize, behavior change, stomachache, nausea (These can be signs of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, or fear) | YES You should keep your child in school but try to determine what is causing the changes. Talk to school personnel and consult a health care provider. Your child may be experiencing bullying or trauma, may be behind in schoolwork or not getting along with others. Persistent Indicators of distress may require support from school person- nel or health care professionals. |
Cold Symptoms Stuffy nose/runny nose, sneezing, mild cough, mild sore throat, earache | YES If your child can participate in school activities school should be attended. |
Head Lice Intense itching of the head; may feel like something is moving | YES Your child can be in school if an initial treatment of shampooing of hair with a product for lice has been completed. |
| Menstrual Issues | YES In most cases, menstrual issues (periods) can be managed at school. If severe pain is interfering with your child attending school, consult with a health care provider. |
| Strains, Sprains and Pains | YES If there is no known injury and your child can function (walk, talk, eat), school should be attended. If pain is severe or doesn’t stop, consult a health care provider. |
Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye) The white of the eye is pink and there is a thick yellow/green discharge. | NO If there is yellow/green discharge from the white of the eye, your child must be evaluated by a healthcare provider before returning to school. If diagnosed with bacterial conjunctivitis, the child should remain home while symptomatic or until 24 hours of antibiotic treatment has been completed. |
Coughing Severe, uncontrolled, rapid coughing, wheezing, or difficulty breathing | NO Keep your child home and contact a health care provider. If symptoms are due to asthma, provide treatment according to your child’s Asthma Action Plan. When symptoms are controlled, send your child to school. |
Diarrhea Frequent, loose or watery stool may mean illness but can also be caused by food and medication | NO Keep your child at home until their diarrhea has improved, they are not having accidents, and they are having no more than 2 bowel movements above what is normal for your child in a 24-hour period. If there is blood in your child’s stool, see a healthcare provider before returning to school. If your child also has a fever, keep them home until they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without medicine. |
Fever Fever usually means illness, especially if your child has a fever of 100.4 or higher as well as other symptoms like behavior change, rash, sore throat, vomiting etc. | NO If your child has a fever of 100.4 or higher, keep them at home until his or her fever is below 100.4 for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication. If the fever does not go away after 2-3 days or is 102.0 or higher, consult with a health care provider. |
| Rash With Fever | NO Keep your child home if they have a rash with a fever. If a rash spreads quickly, is not healing, or has open weeping wounds, you should keep your child at home and have your child seen by a health care provider. |
Strep Throat Sore throat, fever, stomachache, and red, swollen tonsils | NO Keep your child at home for the first 12 hours after an antibiotic is begun. Your child may return to school when they have completed at least 12hours of antibiotic use, is fever free and symptoms are improving |
Vomiting Child has vomited 2 or more times in a 24-hour period. If vomiting is associated with diarrhea or fever, please reference the recommendations for those symptoms (diarrhea, fever). | NO Keep your child at home until their vomiting has stopped overnight and your child can keep food and liquids down in the morning. |
This information is based upon recommended guidelines from reliable sources to include the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), American Academy of Pediatrics, and Public Health Association. Materials developed by the Alameda County Public Health Department.
Additional Resources:
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- The American Academy of Pediatrics
- The Fairfax County Go to Guide
Can My Child Go to School?: A Health Flyer for Parents
Printable version of this webpage.
