Student illness/injury and medication guidelines
Managing student illness/injury during the school day
Students may be sent to the health office when they are injured, appear ill, or report symptoms that may require evaluation. Health office staff will assess the student’s complaint and determine the appropriate course of action. The assessment may include providing first aid, asking questions about the student’s symptoms, taking the student’s temperature, making observations, consulting with the classroom teacher, and/or contacting the school nurse.
Not every visit to the health office will result in a parent/guardian being contacted. After an appropriate period of observation and assessment, the health office staff may determine that the student should:
- Return to class after a brief period of rest or observation.
- Continue to be monitored in the health office.
- Have a parent/guardian contacted due to symptoms or an illness or injury of a serious nature, as determined by the school nurse and/or health office staff.
- Be sent home due to illness or injury.
Students Will Be Sent Home For:
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Fever: A temperature of 100.4°F or higher. Temperature readings do not require adjustment based on the location where the temperature is taken.
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Vomiting or diarrhea: Active vomiting or diarrhea related to illness.
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Other illness or injury: Any other condition or symptoms determined by the school nurse and/or health office staff to require the student to go home.
A student may also be sent home when their illness or symptoms would interfere with the ability of school or staff to appropriately teach and care for other students, or when the student is unable to comfortably participate in normal school activities.
When a student needs to go home, the parent/guardian will be contacted. The parent/guardian, or another adult designated with parent/guardian consent, should arrive at the school as soon as possible to pick up the student.
Returning to School
Students may return to school when:
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They have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.
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Vomiting has resolved overnight, and the student is able to tolerate food and liquids the following morning.
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The student is able to comfortably participate in normal school activities and does not require a level of care that would interfere with the school’s ability to care for other students.
When applicable, students may be required to meet additional return-to-school requirements based on IHHS Public Health Exclusion Criteria