The season for colds and flu is upon us. Please take a moment to review our Health/Illness policies below!
Ill children need to stay at home to prevent exposure to other children and adults at school and to let children rest. Micah Children’s Academy illness policy is based on the Model Health Care Policies developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. If the symptoms below are noted, we will call you to come and get your child. Children will be excluded from attending preschool for the following reasons (this list covers the most common illnesses, but is not inclusive of all reasons for exclusion):
- Illness that prevents the child from participating comfortably in preschool activities, including lethargy, behavioral changes, irritability and/or difficulty breathing.
- Illness that results in a greater need for care than our staff can provide.
- Respiratory Illnesses & Colds: If mucus is profuse and cannot be controlled by normal wiping, the child will be excluded at MCA’s discretion. A child will also be excluded if the runny nose is associated with a fever, an infected throat, persistent cough or general irritability.
- Fever of 100.4 (axillary)
- Persistent Cough, with or without fever.
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea (more than two loose stools).
- Mouth Sores not associated with drooling.
- Rash, unless a physician has determined it is not a communicable disease.
- Purulent Conjunctivitis (defined as pink or red conjunctiva with white or yellow eye discharge) until the child has been on antibiotics for 24 hours.
- Impetigo until 24 hours after treatment.
- Strep Throat until 24 hours after treatment.
- Head Lice until after treatment and all nits are removed. Must have receipt of treatment in order to return.
- Chickenpox, until all lesions have dried and crusted (usually 6 days).
- Pertussis (whooping cough) until 5 days of appropriate antibiotics.
- Hepatitis A virus until one week after onset of illness, after immune globulin has been administered.
In order to assure your child’s comfort and reduce risk of contagion, we ask that sick children be picked up as soon as possible. Children must remain home for 24 hours without the above symptoms before returning to school. In the case of a suspected or confirmed contagious disease, rash or continuing symptoms, a doctor’s note is required before your child is permitted to return to school. We will ALWAYS err on the side of children and call you when anything unusual is detected.
Excluded children may return when:
- They are free of fever, vomiting and diarrhea for a full 24 hours.
- They have been treated with an antibiotic for a full 24 hours.
- They are able to participate comfortably in all usual preschool activities, including outdoor time.
- The child is free of open, oozing skin conditions and drooling unless:
- A health-care provider signs a note stating that the child’s condition is not contagious,
- The involved areas can be covered by a bandage without seepage or drainage through the bandage.
The final decision about whether a child must stay home or whether he/she can return to school is made by the Director.