Communicable Diseases

COMMUNICABLE DISEASES

In order to prevent the spread of a communicable disease, it is advisable to keep a child home from school when he/she shows any of the symptoms listed:

  • Unusual skin eruptions 
  • Fever
  • Chills
  • Persistent cough
  • Symptoms of whooping cough 
  • Discharge or redness of eye(s) 
  • A student absent from school because of the condition listed below may not return to school before the specified time period has passed.


CHICKEN POX (VARICELLA) - - 5 days from the appearance of the first crop of vesicles, or when all the lesions have dried and crusted, whichever is sooner

DIPHTHERIA - - 2 weeks from the onset or until appropriate negative culture tests

**HEAD LICE - - If the school nurse detects head lice on a student, the parents/guardians

will be contacted immediately and the student will be excluded from school and riding the bus until they have

received proper treatment and are deemed non-contagious by the school nurse.

H. FLU (HAEMOPHILUS INFLUENZA) - - Until made noninfective by appropriate course of antibiotic and/or determined noninfective Medical provider

IMPETIGO - - 24 hours after the institution of appropriate treatment

LICE (BODY) - - After completion of appropriate treatment and judged non-infectious by physician or school nurse

MEASLES - - 4 days from the onset of rash

MENINGOCOCCAL MENINGITIS OR MENINGOCOCCEMIA - - Until made noninfectious by appropriate course of antibiotic and/or determined noninfectious by a medical provider

MUMPS - - 9 days from the onset or until subsidence of swelling

PINK EYE - - 24 hours after medication is started or until judged not infective (without a discharge)

RINGWORM (all types) - - Until judged non-infectious by physician or school nurse which is usually immediately after the first treatment, if body lesions are covered. Neither scalp nor body lesions that are dried need to be covered

RUBELLA/GERMAN MEASLES - - 4 days from the onset of rash

SCABIES - - After completion of appropriate treatment and judged non-infectious by physician or school nurse

SCARLET FEVER (RESPIRATORY STREP) - - At least 10 days from the onset if no physician is in attendance or 24 hours after medication is started

SHINGLES (HERPES ZOSTER) - - 5 days from the appearance of the first crop of vesicles, or when all the lesions have dried and crusted, whichever is sooner

STAPH INFECTIONS (including Mellicillin Resistant Staphlococcus Aureus MRSA) - - may attend school as long as lesion is covered with clean, dry bandage. Follow your healthcare provider ’s instructions on proper care of the wound. Pus from infected wounds can contain staph and MRSA, so keeping the infection covered will help prevent the spread to others. Bandages or tape can be discarded with the regular trash.

TRACHOMA - - 24 hours after institution of appropriate treatment

TUBERCULOSIS - - May return to school when deemed non-contagious by a physician

WHOOPING COUGH (PERTUSSIS) - - 3 weeks from the onset or 5 days from start of appropriate antimicrobial therapy.

**BASD: Head Lice Procedures:

A child with Head Lice (pediculosis capitis) or nits (eggs) will immediately be excluded from school. Head lice procedures can be found below or from the school nurse.

PROCEDURE:

  • Parents will be promptly contacted and requested to pick up the student at school. 
  • The child must have one adequate treatment with a pediculocide shampoo plus nit removal on the day they are sent home from school. 
  • The parent/guardian will be advised that they can either obtain a non-prescription, a prescription pediculocide shampoo, or other approved method(s) as directed by their physician. The nurse may require that parents present a box top from the pediculocide shampoo upon re-admittance. 
  • If the infested student has school-age siblings that attend Boyertown School District, the building school nurse will screen these children for head lice. If the sibling attends another school, the school nurse will be notified.
  • Following the day of the exclusion, the child may be readmitted to school if he/she is judged non-infested by the school nurse. A parent or parent designee must bring the child to the nurse’s office with a note describing treatment. The child is not to ride the school bus or attend class until cleared for readmission by the school nurse.
  • In seven days following the initial shampoo treatment, a second head lice (pediculicide) shampoo treatment is required to be applied by the parent/guardian. The school nurse will conduct a re-evaluation of the child. If lice or nits are found, the entire policy and procedure will be repeated and the child will remain out of school until judged non-infested by the school nurse. The final decision of re-admittance to school depends on the school nurse’s evaluation. 

 

Prevention and control of head lice begins in the home: parents should routinely check their children for head lice and not allow them to share hats, clothing, brushes, combs or sleeping bags with other children. Parents/guardians are to contact the school if their child is found to have head lice so the school nurse can discuss proper treatment to allow the student to return to school.