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By now, all area schools are back in session, with the long Labor Day weekend providing an early break after a week or two of classes.
As parents and caregivers well know, when students begin sharing spaces with others in the close confines of school, they'll likely encounter a host of viruses and other bugs circulating indoors. Children average more than two to three colds each year, according to the American Lung Association.
To limit such exposures for others, it's important for families to know when a child should stay home from school and when it is safe to return, Aspirus Health advises.
While many mild illnesses can be managed with appropriate rest and fluids, some symptoms signal that a child should remain out of school to recover and reduce the risk of spreading illness to classmates and staff. Children should stay home if they have a fever, vomiting, diarrhea, nausea or are simply too sick to participate, said Ashley Schuelke, a nurse practitioner with Aspirus Family Medicine.
"Keeping a sick child home helps protect classmates and school staff while giving the child time to recover and return ready to learn," Schuelke said in a news release.
Not every symptom requires missing class, she added. Mild cold symptoms alone are not necessarily a reason for a child to stay home if they feel well enough to take part in school activities.
Children can typically return to school when they are feeling well enough to focus on learning and have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications, according to Aspirus.
Parents should seek medical help if symptoms worsen, if a child has difficulty breathing or if concerned about dehydration, Schuelke said.
"For the back-to-school season, parents should trust their instincts, monitor symptoms and, when in doubt, contact their health care provider," she said.
For more information about family medicine services, go online to Aspirus.org.