In 2011, the North Carolina General Assembly passed the Gfeller Waller Concussion Awareness Act (GWCA), that addresses concussion management for injuries experienced in the context of participation in public school sports. This law provided clear guidelines and procedures for managing the concussion symptoms of middle and high school students, including return-to-play guidelines, but did not address non-sports related injuries, injuries that occurred outside the school setting, injuries to younger children, or the needs of students as they returned to the learning environment.
Illness Guidelines
Concussions
Illnesses
If you think that your child might have a fever, please check his/her temperature before
sending him/her to school. Your child should not be sent to school or school-related events
until he/she has been fever-free for at least 24 hours without taking a fever-reducing
medication such as Tylenol or Ibuprofen.
Illness | Your child should NOT be at school or in contact with other children with the following: | If your child feels well enough, he/she may attend school: |
|---|---|---|
Runny Nose | Cloudy or yellow/green discharge with congestion, fever. | Clear drainage as with allergies. |
Cough | Frequent or uncontrollable, producing mucous or accompanied by a fever. | Infrequent, no mucous is being coughed up and/or child has not been on antibiotics for at least 24 hours before returning to school, no fever. |
Fever | If temperature is above 100.4 and is accompanied by a cough or other flu-like symptoms (see flu). | If temperature is below 100.4 for 24
hours without taking a fever-reducing medication and demonstrates no other symptoms. |
Diarrhea or Vomiting | One episode of vomiting. More than one occurrence of diarrhea | Single incident of diarrhea and no other symptoms such as fever or vomiting; must be 24 hours after the last episode of vomiting. |
Strep Throat/ Scarlet Fever | Sore throat, headache, nausea, fever (children do not always have fever or complain of a sore throat). A throat culture is the only way to confirm or rule out Strep. | After 24 hours on antibiotics and fever |
Rash/Skin
Infection | Development of a new rash or signs of skin infection not having been evaluated by a doctor. | Rash free, a written release from a
doctor, or after 24 hours on antibiotics
for a skin infection. Rash free, a written release from a
doctor, or after 24 hours on antibiotics
for a skin infection. |
Pink Eye/ Conjunctivitis | Eye is red with a complaint of burning or itching; crusty, white or yellow drainage from one or both eyes. | Bacterial conjunctivitis; after 24 hours
on antibiotics. Viral conjunctivitis; with a note from the doctor stating child is no longer contagious. |
Chicken Pox | Itching with pink/red spots with blister type center, fever. | Itching with pink/red spots with blister type center, fever. |
Flu | An elevated temperature of over 100.4 accompanying a sore throat, cough, runny nose, congestion, body aches, extreme tiredness, vomiting, or diarrhea. | If temperature is below 100.4 for 24
hours without taking a fever-reducing
medication, or release from physician if
diagnosed with any type of flu. |
Head Lice | When your child actively has lice or nits in hair. | Your child may return to school when
he/she has been cleared by a doctor,
health department, or school nurse.
Written documentation must be provided on his/her return to school. |
Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease | If their temperature is above 100.4 (see fever) and/ or if they are ill.
| If their temperature is below 100.4 for 24 hours without taking a fever-reducing medication (see fever) and other symptoms are improving. |