This week I would like to write a thank you letter to all the parents who have emailed us to say they are keeping their kids home because they are sick. In the Lower School we encourage the kids to learn the important concept of sharing…. unfortunately, this often leads to sharing germs also.
Our policy is that we ask you to keep your son or daughter home until they have been fever and/or vomit free for at least 24 hours. I know that it is hard for some students to stay home (and working parents, too) but it is an important part of keeping our healthy students healthy and helping our sick students feel better faster.
Here are some other things to teach your child in order to keep them healthy (Taken from the article “So Long Sniffles” by Cheryl Lock) :
1. Wash Hands Like a Pro. It’s not enough to just tell your child that she should wash her hands after using the bathroom, before and after eating and any time she comes in contact with someone who is sick. You should demonstrate the correct way to wash hands. Wet your hands under warm running water (warm is more effective than cold at removing dirt and germs) and use liquid or bar soap to lather up. Scrub for 15 to 20 seconds (tell young kids to hum “Happy Birthday” in their heads twice through). Also: Teach them to keep their hands away from their noses and mouths after touching anything that could be contaminated, until they can wash them properly.
2. Preach “The Three Nos.” Teach your child to avoid putting her hands near her eyes, nose and mouth, whether or not she thinks she’s touched anything suspect. This is especially important to prevent the spread of pinkeye, a common infection kids get … and spread.
3. Perfect the Elbow Sneeze. Show your child how to cover up a sneeze by sneezing into his elbow, so he won’t transmit any germs he may be carrying to his hands.
