School Re-entry Guidelines
1. If the patient is running a fever of 101 or higher, please notify his/her parents and have the child picked up from school ASAP.
2. If the child is resting in the nursing area, please keep him/her isolated from any other ill students.
3. Notify parents immediately if your student is exposed to chicken pox or measles. An exposure is considered an hour or more in an enclosed space with someone who currently has active lesions or up to 2 days before breaking out. The patient’s parents will then contact our clinic to receive instructions for treatment.
4. If the child’s eyesight is adequate, please place them at a desk in the rear of the room to keep coughing/sneezing exposures to a minimum.
5. Please do not permit the children to share cups or utensils.
6. For PE activities, allow the student to self -limit. We will notify you if there are any restrictions.
7. Encourage good hand washing!
8. If your student has had hair loss due to therapy, please allow them to wear a head covering if desired.
9. Often children are given steroids as part of their therapy. If so, they may have weight gain, especially in the cheeks and abdomen. They may need to bring extra snacks to school while on steroids.
10. These children want to be treated like normal children. Remember, cancer is not contagious.
11. Patients can have no immunizations until they are off therapy for at least one year.
12. We recommend that children wear sunscreen or a hat and long sleeves while outdoors.
Contact Us
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Pediatric Education and Creative Arts Program at 713-745-5059 or school@mdanderson.org.