Parent Handbook: Health Guidelines

At some time during the school year, your child is going to become ill. This happens to all children and these guidelines are to help you understand how to deal with illness when your child is enrolled in our program.

For most mild illnesses, your child will be allowed to attend school. However, when there is a fever, diarrhea, or any of the other symptoms outlined below, we ask that you keep your child home. These symptoms include:

Fever over 101 degrees
Severe coughing or trouble breathing
Conjunctivitis (pinkeye)
Unusual spots or rashes
Infected skin patches
Diarrhea or vomiting
Headache
Stiff neck
Sore throat or trouble swallowing
Loss of appetite
Unusual behavior

If your child develops any of these symptoms, we will call you and ask you to take your child out of school. If your child is out of school for three days, you will need to provide a note from their doctor, stating that your child is well enough to return to school.

We strongly suggest that you consider plans for sick care of your child now, before they become ill. For many of you this will simply be the decision to take the day off and spend it with your child. For others it may involve some arrangements with family members or responsible friends to care for your child. We suggest that this kind of care take place in your home.

It is very important to inform the school as soon as possible when your child is ill, or even if they are not feeling well. This helps us plan for the health and safety of the other children in the school. If your child was ill the night before but is well enough to attend in the morning, tell the staff about how your child was feeling.

We expect that you will contact your child's physician when your child is sick enough to stay out of school. If the doctor makes any specific diagnosis or prescribes a medication, please inform us of this information.

Remember:

Keep all your emergency telephone contact numbers at the school up to date. This lets us reach you in case of an emergency.
Seek medical attention for your child when necessary. Don't use old medications even if the symptoms are the same.
Have an alternative plan for care if your child is too ill to attend school.

Most important of all, regular check-ups and up-to-date immunizations help prevent illnesses. Inform us of health problems your child is having as soon as possible, so we can help you understand and deal with your child's illness.

Sincerely,

Lourdes Torres-Shepard, Executive Director of Brooklyn Free Space

This page was last modified June, 2007.
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