| Communicable/Infectious Disease |
Signs/Symptoms |
Contagious Period |
Should My Child Go to School
(Strong Recommendations)
|
How Disease Spreads |
| Ringworm |
|
Appears as flat, spreading ring-shaped lesions. The edge of the lesion may be dry and scaly or moist and crusty. As the lesion spreads outward, the center often becomes clear. Ringworm on the scalp may be hard to detect.
|
|
Once ringworm is visible. When the rash starts shrinking and treatment has begun, it could become less contagious
|
No. Keep your child home until treatment has started. Rash should be covered with clothing or a band-aid while in school.
|
- By touching the infected skin of a person or pet
- By touching contaminated objects: hats, brushes, clothing, shower stalls, swimming pool decks, locker room benches or floors
|
| Scabies |
Rash with intense itching that may be more severe at night. Look for a rash of pink bumps or tiny blisters commonly seen between fingers, around wrists, elbows and armpits.
|
Before the rash starts and until 24 hours after treatment begins
|
No. Keep your child home until 24 hours after treatment begins.
|
- By having direct contact with the skin of a person with scabies
- By sharing bedding, towels or clothing used by a person with scabies
|
| Strep Throat and Scarlet Fever |
May have sudden onset of fever, sore throat, swollen glands, headache, nausea, stomachache or vomiting.
Scarlet Fever: A very fine raised rash is present on the neck, chest, elbow, groin, thighs and armpits.
|
Until 12 hours after antibiotic treatment begins
|
No. Keep your child home until 12 hours after treatment begins, child is fever free for 24 hours without medication and is well enough to participate in normal activities.
|
- By coughing or sneezing
- By touching contaminated hands, objects or surfaces
|
Whooping Cough
(Pertussis) |
Begins with runny nose, sneezing, mild cough and low-grade fever. After 1-2 weeks, a persistent cough develops which may occur in explosive bursts, especially at night.
|
From the time of the first cold-like symptoms until 21 days after coughing begins or after taking five days of antibiotics
|
No. Keep your child home until five days after antibiotic treatment begins. *Notify heath office of diagnosis.
|
- By coughing or sneezing
- By touching contaminated hands, objects or surfaces
|
Pink Eye
(Conjunctivitis) |
Bacterial: The white part of the eye is pink or red with pus or sticky drainage. The eyes are painful or itchy.
Viral: The white part of the eye is pink with clear, watery discharge. The eyes may or may not be painful or itchy.
|
While symptoms are present
|
Yes, if your child is fever free for 24 hours without medication and is well enough to participate in normal daily activities.
|
- By touching secretions from the eyes, nose or mouth
- By touching hands, objects or surfaces contaminated with secretions
|
Chickenpox
(Varicella) |
Fever and skin rash that comes in clusters. Rash begins on the chest, back, under arms, neck and face, changing to blisters and then scabs.
|
From 1-2 days before the rash begins until all blisters have become scabs
|
No. Keep your child home from school until blisters have dried into scabs and there have been no new lesions for 24 hours, usually about six days after rash first appears. *Notify the school health office of diagnosis.
|
- By touching the blister fluid or secretions from the nose or mouth of a person with chickenpox
- By coughing or sneezing
|
Cold Sores/Fever Blisters
(Herpes Simplex) |
|
Sores appear on the lips, face and sometimes in the mouth. Sores usually crust and heal within a few days.
|
|
First infection: up to two weeks, or longer
Recurring infection: 3-5 days
|
Yes. Your child does not need to stay home from school.
|
- By having direct contact with saliva, commonly by kissing
- By touching the fluid from the blisters or sores
|
Common Cold
(Viral Respiratory Infections) |
Runny nose, sneezing, chills, tiredness, fever, muscle aches, sore throat and cough that may last 2-7 days.
|
From the day before symptoms appear to 5-7 days later
|
|
Yes, unless fever is present. Must be fever free for 24 hours without medication and is well enough to participate in normal daily activities.
|
|
- By coughing and sneezing
- By touching hands, objects or surfaces contaminated with secretions
|
COVID-19
(Coronavirus) |
Fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, body aches, headaches, vomiting, diarrhea or a new loss of taste or smell.
|
With symptoms: from two days before to ten days after symptoms began
No symptoms: from two days before to ten days after lab test was taken
|
No. Keep your child home until all three of the following are true:
- Until 24 hours after fever is gone without the use of fever reducing medicine.
- Symptoms are improving.
|
- By close contact with someone who is infected
- By breathing, coughing and sneezing
- By touching contaminated objects or surfaces
Cases with no symptoms can still spread disease to others
|
| Fifth Disease |
Rarely any symptoms other than a rash that begins on the cheeks and later can be seen on the arms and/or chest.
|
Until rash appears
|
Yes, if your child is fever free for 24 hours without medication.
|
- By coughing or sneezing
- By touching hands, objects or surfaces contaminated with secretions
|
| Hand, Foot, Mouth Disease |
Sores occur in the mouth and may last 7-10 days. In most cases, sores are on the palms of the hands, fingers and soles of the feet. A low-grade fever may be present for 1-2 days.
|
During the first week of illness
|
No. Keep your child home until they are fever free for 24 hours (without medication) and blisters have dried into scabs.
|
- By coughing and sneezing
- By touching hands, objects or surfaces contaminated with stool
- By touching fluid from the blisters
|
| Head Lice |
Itching of the scalp. Look for live lice in the hair. Nits (eggs) are often found behind the back of the neck.
|
Until treated with a louse killing product. Recommended treatment includes using store-bought or prescription lice killing product
|
Yes. It is strongly recommended that your child be treated for head lice. Avoid head-to-head contact with other children.
|
- By head-to-head contact
- By sharing personal items that have had contact with the head (combs, brushes, hats, etc.)
|
| Impetigo |
Blister-like sores that form an oozing, sticky, yellow crust. Itching is often present
|
Until sores are healed or have been treated for at least 24 hours
|
No. Keep your child home from school until 24 hours after antibiotic treatment begins.
|
- By touching the fluid from the sores
- By touching contaminated objects
|
| Influenza-like Illness |
Sudden onset of fever, headache, muscle pain, body aches, cough and/or sore throat.
|
During the first 24 hours before and up to seven days after the illness begins
|
No. Keep your child home until they are fever free for 24 hours (without medication) and is well enough to participate in normal daily activities.
|
- By coughing or sneezing
- By touching contaminated hands, objects or surfaces
|
|
Mono
(Infectious Mononucleosis)
|
Fever, sore throat, tiredness and swollen glands. A rash may be present.
|
For several weeks or longer
|
Yes, if your child is fever free for 24 hours (without medication) and is well enough to participate in normal daily activities.
|
- By kissing or sharing items contaminated with saliva
|
