When to keep your child home from school: School Exclusion List

If you think that your child has an illness that can be spread to others, please keep him or her home from school or childcare. Contact your health care provider or clinic. SC Regulation #61-20 requires that SC DHEC publish each year an official list of conditions requiring exclusion from school or childcare settings for each school year.  

The School and Childcare Exclusion brochure lists the illnesses for which a child must be kept out of school or childcare. It tells you if your child needs a doctor’s note or medical treatment to come back to school or childcare after certain illnesses. 

• Click here to view the School and Childcare Exclusion List

If you have any questions about the School and Childcare Exclusion List, please contact your child’s school, childcare, or your local health department.

Frequently Asked Questions:

When should sick children stay home from school or childcare?

If your child feels too sick to go to school or childcare or has one of the illnesses on this form, please keep your child home.

Does my child need to stay home when the child just has a cold? Most children with mild colds who have no fever and who feel well enough to go to school or childcare do not need to stay home. Most colds spread in the 1-3 days before children show symptoms such as a runny nose or minor cough.

Does my child need to be out of school or childcare if the child has pinkeye? It is helpful to think of pinkeye like the common cold. It can be spread to others, but it usually clears up without medicine. The best way to keep a child from spreading pinkeye is to encourage good handwashing. If your child has pinkeye and a fever or severe eye pain, take him or her to see a doctor.

How long will my child need to stay home if the child is sick? The inside of this brochure explains how long children should stay home after they become sick with certain illnesses.

When would my child have to stay out of school or childcare if the child was not sick? Sometimes children will also have to stay home from school or childcare if they are exposed to some diseases that are preventable by vaccines. Your school, childcare center or local health department will discuss the amount of time with you.

If my child was excluded, what does my child need to come back to school or childcare? The list inside the brochure shows whether a medical note or parent note is required for your child to return to school or childcare after being absent for an illness.

What illness might keep my child from participating in other activities? Children with illnesses spread by close contact, like lice, scabies, shingles, staph or strep skin infections may not be allowed to participate in some sports or physical education (PE) activities. Children with mononucleosis (Mono) or cytomegalovirus (CMV) may be told not to participate in PE or sports in order to avoid injuries. Children with diarrhea should not participate in water activities like swimming, splash pads, or water tables until two weeks after diarrhea stops.

For a full list of Frequently Asked Questions and what to consider when your child is sick, click here.