Contagious? As the school year gets underway and kids come down with symptoms of illness, it’s important to know if they might be contagious before sending them to school. Even without a fever, a contagious child should be kept home.
Regular school attendance is an important factor in children’s success at school, especially when students are becoming fluent readers – a critical ability that affects their performance and self-confidence in all subjects and life skills. But sick children are poor learners, and sending them to school when they’re contagious starts an illness domino effect that sweeps through the family then moves on to close friends, the class and the school.
Because of this, we urge you to assess your children’s symptoms, take their temperatures and when in doubt or in need of help, head to Coastal Urgent Care. Helping kids stay — and get — healthy is our top priority!
In general, your child might be contagious if:
Kids who feel too poorly or tired to have a productive day of learning should be kept home. In general, a day of rest and recovery will benefit someone who is on the edge of illness and help prevent a longer illness or relapse.
If you think your child has the flu, check this blog for help. Keep in mind that while flu is most contagious during the first three to four days, it can continue to spread after that. It’s easy to know if you’re dealing with flu B or the generally more serious flu A thanks to a simple swab that also checks for COVID. This test is available at all Coastal Urgent Care clinics and you usually get the results the same day.
Though less miserable than the flu, colds can be contagious for a much longer time. The best rule of thumb is that when the symptoms are the worst — usually the first three days — you’re the most contagious. (Colds, which don’t come with a fever, are one example of an illness that doesn’t include fever but is still a good reason to stay home.) For help sorting cold, flu and COVID symptoms, visit this helpful post by the NIH.
The most recent COVID-19 strains are contagious for up to 10 days. But it is increasingly hard to distinguish COVID symptoms from the flu or even a cold. The only way to know for sure is to be tested. The good news is that the same test you’d receive for the flu also checks for COVID. One swab and we’ll know your options for treatment, how long you’ll be contagious and what we can do to help you be more comfortable.
Kids, especially young kids, are very prone to rashes, which can quickly spread among friends, classmates and siblings. Impetigo, ringworm and hand-foot-and-mouth disease are some of the most common rashes that are limited to the skin. But rashes can also be serious contagious illnesses like chickenpox, staph infections and MRSA.
Because of the likelihood of spreading infection and to minimize the discomfort related to rashes, it’s a good idea to head to urgent care with a rash. This is especially the case for rashes that come with a fever. And rashes that prompt scratching can lead to secondary bacterial infections and scarring, so it’s best to get care promptly. A visit to urgent care can identify whether a rash is viral, bacterial or fungal, if it’s contagious, and if medication is appropriate.
Some schools, sports teams and work places require a “sick note,” or “doctor’s note,” to excuse your absence. Please be sure to let us know during your appointment if you need this.
If you’re new to using urgent care, don’t hesitate to ask us questions. The bottom line is that if you can’t wait for an appointment, but symptoms are not life-threatening, visiting Coastal Urgent Care is a convenient way to receive high-quality health care. No appointment is needed. Just click to find the nearest clinic and then walk in. We take many types of insurance – they are listed on our website – and you can also choose to self-pay.
We have locations across Louisiana. Hours and locations are all right here: CoastalUC.com.
Reviewed by: Katie Sanne, FNP-C
If you are in a situation that might be life-threatening, go straight to the emergency room or call 911. Situations like this include shortness of breath or breathing problems; seizures or ‘blackouts’; sudden vision problems; confusion or dizziness; heavy bleeding; possible breaks that appear to be deformed or blue, or that include bleeding; serious burns; the inability to speak or move; head and neck injuries.
