When a student becomes ill but does not require immediate medical help, a determination will be made about whether the student should be sent home (ie. should be temporarily excluded from school).  A designated staff member will determine whether the student’s illness meets one of the following criteria:

• Prevents the student from participating comfortably in activities as determined by staff members of the school.
• Results in a need for care that is greater than staff members can provide without compromising the health and safety of other students.
• Poses a risk of spreading disease to others based on the list of specific excludable conditions.
• Temperature 100.4 or higher
• Uncontrolled cough or difficulty breathing
• Vomiting and/or repeated diarrhea
• Severe headache, especially with fever
• Red eyes with discolored discharge, and/or pain, and/or itchiness
• Discolored nasal discharge, especially with fever
• Severe ear pain
• Rash accompanied by fever, drainage or blistering
• Sore throat accompanied by fever, rash or difficulty swallowing
• Psychological or physical issues affecting academic performance

If any one of these criteria are met, the student may be excluded, regardless of the type of illness, unless a pediatric health professional determines the student’s condition does not require exclusion.  Parents are always encouraged to consult their primary care provider to determine if their child’s condition warrants further evaluation and treatment.

If your child has a fever, vomiting and/or diarrhea, keep them at home for at least 24 hours after symptoms have resolved and the fever is gone.  The fever must be gone without the use of fever-reducing medicines, such as acetaminophen. This will help ensure that the illness/fever is truly gone and that your child is past the point of being contagious.

**We use current CDC and DPHHS/LCPH guidelines**

It is important that the school have the following information: 

• At least one local emergency contact person and their phone number(s)
• Any health issues your child has currently or has had in the past. Here is the link to the school district Health History Form:  https://helenaschools.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Health-History-Form.pdf
• Any current health condition that may spread to others

References

Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (Winter 2023).  Communicable Disease:  A Guide for Schools and Daycares in Montana.

Hashikawa, A.N., Shope, T.R., American Academy of Pediatrics. (2023). Managing Infectious Diseases in Child Care and Schools: A Quick Reference Guide. (6^th edition, page 50). American Academy of Pediatrics.

Selekman, J., Shannon, R.A., Yonkaitis, C.F. (2019). School Nursing A Comprehensive Text. (3^rd edition, page 337). F.A. Davis, Philadelphia.

Administrative Rules of Montana 37.111.825  HEALTH SUPERVISION AND MAINTENANCE

CDC resource pages:

https://www.cdc.gov/nonpharmaceutical-interventions/school/parents-childcare-k-12-students.html

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/symptoms/index.html

https://www.cdc.gov/nonpharmaceutical-interventions/school/parents-childcare-k-12-students.html 

 

Update 2/14/24