Nurse's Corner

• It is imperative that families notify the School if your child is absent for any reason. All unexcused absences will be followed up by a phone call from the School to ensure the reason for the absence is not related to illness.
• Please contact your child’s program support team member to report an absence rather than your child’s teacher. This way, any sensitive health-related information is kept confidential and shared only with the school nurse.   

If a student becomes ill while at school, the School Nurse will assess and care for the student in the school health office until the family is notified and the student is picked up. Parents are expected to notify the School if a student becomes ill with a communicable illness, like chickenpox or strep throat. Students returning to school after a communicable disease should present a note from the doctor certifying that the student can resume normal activities and is no longer contagious.

Please read the following guidelines when considering whether or not to send your child(ren) to school.

Consider keeping your child(ren) at home for a day of rest and observation if they have any of the following symptoms*:

• Very stuffy or runny nose and/or a persistent cough
• Mild sore throat (no fever and no known exposure to strep)
• Headache
• Mild stomach ache

(*If these symptoms prevent them from participating in class and school activities.)

Keep your child(ren) at home for treatment and observation if they have any of these symptoms, and seek further evaluation as needed by your physician as symptoms persist:

• Students experiencing symptoms similar to COVID-19 but related to another illness (flu, strep throat, etc.) should stay home until they are fever-free and symptom-free for at least 72 hours or cleared by a physician with a physician's note provided to the School Nurse. For a list of these common illnesses, please see the Dawson Student & Family Guide.

• Vomiting and/or diarrhea: Your child may return to school only after 24 hours have passed without any vomiting and/or diarrhea. 
• General malaise or feelings of fatigue, discomfort, weakness, or muscle aches
• Frequent, congested or croupy cough
• You think your child may be contagious to other children
• Your child is not feeling well enough to participate in class or school activities

Seasonal Influenza (Flu) - Although the symptoms above may be caused by bacterial/viral illnesses, they may also be from the flu. If you are concerned your child may have the flu, contact your physician, as they may recommend testing for proper treatment. Please keep your child home to rest and prevent the spread of any illnesses, and always follow your physician’s guidelines.

To help prevent the flu and other colds/illnesses, teach your child(ren) good hygiene habits:

• Wash hands frequently
• Do not touch eyes, nose, or mouth
• Cover mouth and nose with a tissue, or use the “elbow rule” when sneezing or coughing
• Make sure to get plenty of exercise and sleep and eat healthy foods
• The CDC recommends vaccinating children for seasonal influenza (flu)

• In the case of a positive test: Students are to quarantine for 5 days (day zero being the first day of symptoms and/or a positive COVID test) and can return to school wearing a mask on days 6-10 provided that the student has been fever-free for 24 hours and not experiencing symptoms. 
• In the case of positive household exposure: Students may attend school, and it is recommended that they wear a mask while at school and test on day 5. 
• In the case of symptoms: It is recommended that you keep your student home if they are feeling unwell and administer a COVID test if they are exhibiting two or more symptoms as outlined by the CDC.  
• Mask wearing: Regular mask wearing on campus is a personal choice. The School supports CDC guidelines that require anyone who tests positive for COVID to wear a mask at school on days 6-10. 
• If you have questions or are in need of additional information, please contact Nurse Colene Ardekani by email, or 702-949-3600, ext. 133.