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14 Hudson Valley Parent n November 2017 Is your child too sick for school? When to keep your sick kid home By LISA IANNUCCI Y our child wakes up and doesn't feel well. Their forehead feels hot and they have the sniffles. They are also complaining of a tummy ache and have had diarrhea. You're faced with the difficult decision - should you keep him home from school? "Yes! For the benefit of the child as well as their peers in school or in daycare," says Dr. Ann Nunez, co-chair of the Pediatric Department at CareMount Medical in Hopewell Junction. "Most daycare facilities and schools have policies regarding fever, but a child does not have to have a fever to be ill." Major symptoms Kristina Santos, family medicine nurse practitioner at Modena's Health Quest Medical Practice lists fever, vomiting, strep throat, rash with fever, diarrhea and nausea as true indicators of a child that needs to stay home. She also says, "Children must stay home if they have any vaccine-preventable diseases such as chicken pox (varicella), measles and rubella." Santos says that children with these contagious symptoms will compromise the health of every other child at the school. "As par- ents, we have to be responsible not just for the health of our children but also the health of others," she says. "We should ensure that we keep children at home so that they can recuperate quickly and properly." Leah Byrons has three sons - 10-year-old Liam, 8-year-old Case Leah Byrons knows that as a stay-at-home mom it's easier to keep her kids home. She understands why working parents may feel torn about sending a sick kid to school.