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Dassel-Cokato Schools

Dedicated to excellence in education

Our goal is to reduce absenteeism in our schools.

By keeping your children home when necessary, our schools are healthier overall. Common colds with coughs and runny/stuffy noses can linger for a week or two past the contagious period. Typically, children with these symptoms should be in school if no fever is present. Please call the School Nurse if you are not sure whether your child should attend school.

Your child must stay home if they have:
● Fever of 100 degrees or higher (38 degrees Celsius)
● Vomited
● Diarrhea
● Rash that is not yet diagnosed

Your child may return to school:
● 24 hours after last episode of vomiting or diarrhea
● 24 hours fever free, without fever reducing medicine
● Feels well enough to fully participate in school

Does your child require antibiotics?

If your child has been prescribed antibiotics to treat an illness, the child must be on medication for a minimum of 24 hours before returning to school. Certain illnesses (exa. Pertussis) require the child to finish the course of antibiotics before returning to school.

Is my child well enough to go to school?

Chickenpox (varicella)

SIGNS and SYMPTOMS - Chickenpox (varicella) Fever and skin rash are typically in clusters. Rash begins on the chest, back, underarms, neck, and face. Blisters turn to scabs. Notify the School Nurse, MDH reportable disease

CAN MY STUDENT GO TO SCHOOL? NO - Exclude from school until blisters are scabbed, usually about 6 days after the rash appears.

HOW IS IT SPREAD? Touching blisters, coughing and sneezing
Cold Sores (herpes simplex)
COVID-19
Fifth Disease

SIGNS and SYMPTOMS - Fifth Disease - Red cheeks, fine lacy rash spreads to arms, chest, buttocks, legs. Fever may be present.

CAN MY STUDENT GO TO SCHOOL? NO Exclude until fever-free for 24 hours. Rash fades after 3-7 days, may return to school with the rash and no fever.

HOW IS IT SPREAD? Direct contact with infected mouth or nose secretions, and contaminated surfaces.
Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease

SIGNS and SYMPTOMS - Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease - Blister rash in the mouth, on palms of hands, fingers, and soles of feet. May last 7 to 10 days. Fever may be present.

CAN MY STUDENT GO TO SCHOOL? NO Exclude until fever free for 24 hours. If no fever occurred, return to school.

HOW IS IT SPREAD? Direct contact with mouth and nose secretions or stool of infected persons.
Head Lice
If live lice are present:
Parents will be notified immediately and the student sent home. School Nurse will provide information and recommendations to the family for treating head lice. Parents of classroom contacts will be notified at the discretion of the School Nurse. The student may return to school when the first treatment is completed and no live lice are present.

If nits (eggs) are present:
Parents will be notified. The student may remain in school until the end of the day. The student may return to school when the first treatment is completed, efforts have been made to remove nits, and no live lice are present. Lice are spread from one person to another by very close, usually household, contact. They do not jump or fly. They can be spread by sharing personal items such as hats, scarves and brushes or combs.
Anyone can get head lice. Head lice are very small brownish-colored insects that live on the head. They lay eggs (called nits) close to the scalp. The eggs are tiny (size of the eye of a small needle) and gray or white in color.

Symptoms:

Itching of the head and neck. Look for: 1) crawling lice in the hair, usually there aren't very many; 2) eggs (nits) glued to the hair, often found behind the ears and at the back of the neck; and 3) scratch marks on the head or back of the neck at the hairline.

Spread:

Head-to-head contact and through sharing of personal items such as combs, brushes, hats, scarves, hair accessories and pillows. Lice do not jump or fly. Head lice do not live longer than 48 hours off the head. They only lay their eggs while on the head. Lice do not spread to or from pets.

Contagious Period:

Until treated with a lice killing product. It can take several weeks to completely remove lice from a household.
If you think your child has Head Lice:

Call your healthcare provider or pharmacy for recommendations on treatment products. Tell your school and childcare provider (if applicable)

Treat your child for head lice and check child's head and remove nits daily. If all nits are not removed, some may hatch and your child will get lice again.

Check everyone in the house for head lice. Treat only household members with head lice and treat them all at once.

The child will need to stay home from school until after the first treatment is completed and no live lice are seen.



Treatment

Follow the product directions carefully. With certain products, a second treatment is recommended 7-10 days after the first.

Removing the nits is a very important part of the treatment! Lice killing products are not typically effective in killing nits. Nits must be physically removed from the hair shaft. Nits are glued onto the hair shaft as they are laid. To remove the nits, use a special nit comb, your fingernails, or cut the hair very short.

Continue checking the head and combing hair daily for 2 weeks.

Vacuum carpets, upholstered furniture, mattresses and seats in the car thoroughly.

Wash clothing, bedding and towels in hot water and dry in a hot dryer for at least 20 minutes before using again. Clothing, stuffed toys, linens or backpacks that cannot be washed or dried can be dry cleaned or sealed in a plastic bag for 2 weeks.

     How to Remove Nits

     Work in a well-lit room or under a bright lamp (using a magnifying glass may help you see the nits)

Divide the hair into 4 parts and divide each part into 1-inch sections.

Starting at the scalp, use a metal nit comb or your fingernails to comb each hair section individually.

Use the comb or your fingernail to slide eggs off the hair shaft or use scissors to cut hair shafts that have nits glued to them.

Remove all nits each time you comb the hair.

REMEMBER: It can take at least 2 weeks to get rid of lice.
Impetigo

SIGNS and SYMPTOMS - Impetigo - Blisters that produce a thick golden-yellow discharge that dries, crusts, and sticks to the skin. Common around nose, mouth, but can occur all over.

CAN MY STUDENT GO TO SCHOOL? NO - Exclude from school until 24 hours after antibiotic treatment begins, and fever free. Cover sores if possible.

HOW IS IT SPREAD? Direct contact with infected mouth or nose secretions.
Influenza - Flu

SIGNS and SYMPTOMS - Influenza - Flu - Sudden onset of fever, headache, muscle pain, body aches, cough, and sore throat. Notify the School Nurse, MDH reportable disease

CAN MY STUDENT GO TO SCHOOL? NO Exclude from school until fever free for 24 hours and well enough to participate in normal activities.

HOW IS IT SPREAD? Coughing, sneezing, and direct contact with mouth or nose secretions, and contaminated surfaces.
Measles

SIGNS and SYMPTOMS - Measles - High fever, watery eyes, runny nose, cough. Red blotchy rash appears from the third to seventh day of illness. Notify the School Nurse, MDH reportable disease

CAN MY STUDENT GO TO SCHOOL? NO - Follow direction from MDH Individuals who are a close contact and are not fully immunized for measles may be required to quarantine for 21 days.

HOW IS IT SPREAD? Coughing, sneezing, breathing contaminated air, touching contaminated surfaces.
Molluscum

SIGNS and SYMPTOMS - Molluscum Bumps on the face, body, arms, or legs; small, pale, shiny, and dome-shaped, may be flesh colored, white, or pink, sometimes a dimple on top.

CAN MY STUDENT GO TO SCHOOL? YES, Your child may go to school, but should cover bumps with clothing or bandage to avoid spreading it to others.

HOW IS IT SPREAD? Skin-to-skin contact.
Mononucleosis
Norovirus
Pertussis (Whooping Cough)

SIGNS and SYMPTOMS -Pertussis- Pertussis often starts with cold-like symptoms (e.g., runny nose, sneezing, mild cough) and can progress to severe coughing fits. Notify the School Nurse, MDH reportable disease

CAN MY STUDENT GO TO SCHOOL? NO - Follow directions from MDH. Exclusion from school is until they have finished 5 days of antibiotics, or 21 days from start of cough if not treated.

HOW IS IT SPREAD? Coughing, sneezing, breathing contaminated air, touching contaminated surfaces.
Pink Eye (conjunctivitis)

SIGNS and SYMPTOMS - Pink Eye (conjunctivitis) Viral: pink/red eye with clear, watery discharge. Bacterial: pink/red eye with pus or sticky drainage. Painful.

CAN MY STUDENT GO TO SCHOOL? Your child can be in school if there is no drainage from the eye. If the eye is painful, extremely itchy, is draining, or if the child’s vision is affected, your child should be seen by a medical doctor or eye doctor.

HOW IS IT SPREAD? Direct hand to eye contact, touching contaminated surfaces.
Ringworm

SIGNS and SYMPTOMS - Ringworm Flat, round, red-shaped lesions on the skin, often itchy, may cause swelling. Scalp - may cause hair to break Feet (“athlete's foot”) - Patchy scaling, cracks, or blisters.

CAN MY STUDENT GO TO SCHOOL? NO, Exclude until 24 hours after treatment begins. Cover the infected area with clothing or a bandage if possible.

HOW IS IT SPREAD? Direct contact with an infected person or contaminated objects/clothing.

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