Winter Illness Reminder from Nurse Delaney

Dear RCDS Parents,

With winter illnesses on the rise, I wanted to send a friendly reminder of the signs and symptoms to be aware of. I've also included some guidelines to help determine when it's best to keep your child at home, to help prevent the spread of germs and protect the health of our community.

Flu Symptoms: Flu symptoms usually come on suddenly. 

• Cough

• Fever or feeling feverish/chills (it is important to know that not everyone with the flu will have a fever)

• Sore throat

• Runny or stuffy nose

• Muscle or body aches

• Headaches

• Fatigue (tiredness)

• Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea

Strep Throat Symptoms:

• Pain with swallowing

• Sore throat

• Fever

• White or red spots on the back of a bright red throat

• Abdominal pain

• Headache

• Nausea and vomiting

Guidelines for Returning to School:

• Vomiting – Students should be symptom-free with no vomiting for at least 24 hours

• Strep Throat – Students may return to school 24 hours after the first dose of antibiotic therapy and are fever-free.

• Fever – Students may return to school when they are fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication.

• Cold – Students should stay home if they are too uncomfortable to focus on schoolwork, have a persistent or severe cough, or exhibit other symptoms like a fever.

• Conjunctivitis – Students diagnosed with conjunctivitis (pink eye) may return to school after being treated for 24 hours with antibiotic eye drops. 

When your child is home sick, please email me at cdelaney@rcds.org with details of their symptoms or diagnosis when reporting the absence. Feel free to reach out with any questions. Thank you for your cooperation and let’s work together to stay healthy! 

Warm Regards,
Colleen Delaney, RN
RCDS School Nurse