Health Policies
Let’s please work together to keep our NDS children healthy and safe.
At Northshire Day School, we are not equipped to offer childcare for sick children and have a responsibility to limit the
spread of contagious illnesses. We kindly ask that all families follow the school health policies as outlined below.
Exclusion for Illness:
Children will be excluded from care until they have had improved or no symptoms for at least 24 hours without fever reducing medication. These symptoms include:
- Fever of 100.4° or greater
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea (more than two times. Child will be sent home after the third loose stool.)
- Significant coughing
Your child may return to school when they have improved and/or no symptoms for at least 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications.
COVID-19 SYMPTOM LIST
- Fever
- Nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea
- Coughing and/or shortness of breath
- Muscle aches
- Headache
- Sore throat
- Loss of taste or smell
- Fatigue
- Discolored nasal discharge and/or runny nose
CHILD UNDER AGE 2 WITH NEW SYMPTOMS
- It is recommended the child have a COVID-19 PCR Test.
- If they have a negative PCR test or do not test, they may return when their symptoms have improved.
- If your child had COVID-19 in the past 90 days, PCR testing is not recommended.
CHILD OVER AGE 2 WITH NEW SYMPTOMS
- It is recommended the child have two antigen tests.
- If they have a negative antigen test or do not test, they may return when their symptoms have improved.
Test at School
CHILD OVER AGE 2 WITH SYMPTOMS DURING THE PROGRAM DAY:
If a child age 2 or older has symptoms, but does not meet exclusion criteria as found in child care licensing regulations (example: runny nose), you may opt to have NDS perform an antigen test onsite. This requires written consent from the child’s family.
- If the antigen test is positive, the child is required to be sent home. While the child is waiting to be picked up, they will be separated in a comfortable area away from other children and will wear a mask to the best of their ability.
- If the antigen test is negative, they may remain in child care as long as they continue to not meet exclusion criteria.
- A second antigen test will be sent home with the child so the test can be repeated before returning to child care the following day. Please note that testing is not required to return to child care.
If a child age 2 or older mild symptoms before arriving, and their family has access to a LAMP test, they are allowed to attend that day as long as the child has a negative LAMP test result.
RETURN TO CARE AFTER A COVID-19 INFECTION:
Children may return to child care after isolating for five days if their symptoms have improved and they have been fever free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication.
ADDITIONAL ILLNESSES AND EXCLUSIONS
A child diagnosed as having any of the following conditions may return to care as indicated.
- Pinworm and ringworm infection: Children may return 24 hours after treatment is initiated
- Conjunctivitis: A prescription medicine must be applied for at least 24 hours before returning to school or a doctor’s note saying the child is not contagious.
- Impetigo – Children may return 48 hours after medication is begun and totally scabbed over
- Measles – Children may return 5 days after rash appears and a note from a physician
- Mumps – Children may return 9 days after swelling starts and a note from the physician
- Head lice – Children may return after prescription shampoo treatment and all eggs are removed and a follow up treatment in one week.
- Scabies: Children may return after two Kwell treatments on successive days.
- Bacterial Meningitis – with a physician’s note.
- Chicken Pox – with a physician’s note.
- Shigella – with a physician’s note.
- Salmonella – with a physician’s note.
- Giardia – with a physician’s note.
- Polio – with a physician’s note.
- Diphtheria – with a physician’s note.
- Hepatitis A – with a physician’s note.
- Rubella (German Measles) – with a physician’s note.
- Pertussis (Whooping Cough) – with a physician’s note.
- Influenza – with a physician’s note.
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) – with a physician’s note.
- Scarlet Fever – with a physician’s note.
- Pneumonia – with a physician’s note.
A child shall be excluded if he or she is unable to take part comfortably in regular activities or needs care that significantly interferes with a provider’s ability to provide appropriate care for other children.
This health guidance is based on evolving health and safety information and is subject to change without prior notice.