When Is a Child Too Sick for School?

• Keep your child home if he has a heavy cough accompanied by a steady stream of mucus.

• Keep your child home if he has an unexplained rash, which may be the first symptom of measles or chickenpox.

• Keep your child home from school if stomach pain is accompanied by diarrhea or fever.

• A child who is vomiting should be kept home.

• A fever of 100 degrees or less is generally not cause for concern. If a fever above 100 is combined with a sore throat or a rash, the child should be kept home because this could indicate a more serious illness.

• Learn the rules of your child's school about when a sick child must stay at home.