WINTER IS COMING-AND SO ARE WINTER COLDS AND OTHER ILLNESSES THAT ATTACK YOUNG CHILDREN. YOU DON’T WANT YOUR CHILD TO MISS SCHOOL; BUT NEITHER DO YOU WANT TO SEND A CHILD TO SCHOOL SICK AND ENDANGER HIM OR HER AND OTHER CHILDREN AS WELL. WHEN SHOULD YOUR CHILD STAY HOME FROM SCHOOL? HERE ARE A FEW GUIDELINES YOU MIGHT WISH TO FOLLOW:

*A RUNNY NOSE, OR "LEAKY FAUCET," IS THE WAY MANY CHILDREN RESPOND TO POLLEN, DUST, CHALK, OR SIMPLY A CHANGE OF SEASON. IF IT ISN’T A COMMON COLD, THEN IT’S ALLERGY AND ALLERGIES ARE NOT CONTAGIOUS. DON’T KEEP THE CHILD AT HOME.

*A BAD COUGH, OR COLD SYMPTOMS CAN INDICATE A SEVERE COLD, BRONCHITIS, FLU, OR EVEN PNEUMONIA. SOME CHILDREN SUFFER ONE COLD AFTER ANOTHER ALL WINTER LONG AND A RUN-OF-THE-MILL COLD SHOULD NOT BE A REASON TO MISS SCHOOL. BUT IF YOUR CHILD IS NOT "ACTING RIGHT", HAS DIFFICULTY BREATHING, OR IS BECOMING DEHYDRATED, IT COULD BE SERIOUS. CHECK WITH YOUR PEDIATRICIAN RIGHT AWAY.

*DIARRHEA AND VOMITING MAKE CHILDREN VERY UNCOMFORTABLE, AND BEING NEAR A BATHROOM BECOMES A TOP PRIORITY. IF YOUR CHILD HAS REPEATED EPISODES OF DIARRHEA AND VOMITING, ACCOMPANIED BY A FEVER, A RASH, OR GENERAL WEAKNESS, CONSULT A DOCTOR AND KEEP YOUR CHILD OUT OF SCHOOL UNTIL THE ILLNESS PASSES. HOWEVER, A SINGLE EPISODE OF DIARRHEA OR EVEN VOMITING UNACCOMPANIED BY ANY OTHER SYMPTOMS, MAY NOT BE A REASON ENOUGH FOR A CHILD TO MISS SCHOOL. BUT…PLEASE MAKE SURE WE KNOW HOW TO REACH YOU OR ANOTHER RESPONSIBLE ADULT DURING THE DAY, IN CASE DIARRHEA AND/OR VOMITING RECURS AND YOUR CHILD NEEDS EMERGENCY ATTENTION. (THIS IS AN IMPORTANT RULE TO FOLLOW WHENEVER YOU SEND YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL WITH ANY OF THE SYMPTOMS MENTIONED HERE.)

*FEVER IS AN IMPORTANT SYMPTOM: WHEN IT OCCURS ALONG WITH A SORE THROAT, AN EARACHE, NAUSEA, LISTLESSNESS, OR A RASH YOUR CHILD MAY BE CARRYING SOMETHING VERY CONTAGIOUS. MOST PEDIATRICIANS ADVISE PARENTS TO KEEP CHILDREN HOME DURING THE COURSE OF A FEVER AND FOR AN ADDITIONAL 24 HOURS AFTER THE FEVER HAS PASSED.

*STREP THROAT AND SCARLET FEVER ARE TWO HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS CONDITIONS CAUSED BY A STRETOCOCCAL (BACTERIAL) INFECTION. THEY USUALLY ARRIVE WITH A SORE THROAT AND HIGH FEVER. SOME 12 to 48 HOURS AFTER THE ONSET OF SCARLET FEVER, A RASH WILL ALSO APPEAR. A CHILD WITH EITHER STREP THROAT OR SCARLET FEVER SHOULD BE KEPT AT HOME AND TREATED WITH ANTIBIOTICS AS PRESCRIBED BY A PHYSICIAN. AFTER 24 HOURS ON AN ANTIBIOTIC, A CHILD IS USUALLY NO LONGER CONTAGIOUS AND MAY –WITH DOCTORS PERMISSION –RETURN TO SCHOOL.

*CHICKEN POX, A VIRAL DISEASE, IS NOT LIFE-THREATENING TO CHILDREN, BUT IS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE AND EXTREMELY CONTAGIOUS. IF YOUR CHILD HAS A FEVER, IS ITCHING, AND BEGINS TO SPROUT PINK OR RED SPOTS (WITH "WATER" CENTERS ) ON THE BACK, CHEST, AND OR FACE, THE CHANCES ARE GOOD IT’S CHICKEN POX. PLEASE TELL US IF IT IS: IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE SCHOOL KNOW THIS INFORMATION. KEEP YOUR CHILD HOME FOR AT LEAST A WEEK FROM THE TIME YOU FIRST NOTICED THE SYMPTOMS AND AT LEAST TWO DAYS AFTER THE LAST SPOT HAS APPEARED, WHICHEVER PERIOD IS LONGER.

*CONJUNCTIVITIS OR PINK EYE IS HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS AND UNCOMFORTABLE, SO TAKE HEED WHEN YOUR CHILD COMPLAINS OF AN EYE OR EYES BURNING, ITCHING, AND PRODUCING A WHITISH DISCHARGE. MINOR CASES (CAUSED BY A VIRUS) AND SEVERE CASES (CAUSED BY BACTERIA) REQUIRE TREATMENT WITH PRESCRIPTION EYE DROPS. BEST TO KEEP YOUR CHILD HOME UNTIL YOUR DOCTOR SAYS IT’S ALL RIGHT TO RETURN.

*EAR INFECTIONS ARE ALSO CONTAGIOUS AND, UNLESS PROPERLY TREATED, CAN CAUSE PERMANENT HEARING DAMAGE. HERE AGAIN YOU SHOULD FOLLOW THE 24-HOUR RULE FOR FEVER AND ANTIBIOTIC THERAPY.