Gastrointestinal (GI) illness season in Massachusetts usually starts in late fall and runs through the spring. GI illness is a general term that refers to diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, or abdominal cramps, usually caused by an infection. GI illness outbreaks are commonly caused by norovirus, a very contagious virus that causes a sudden onset of vomiting and diarrhea. Norovirus infections usually last 1-3 days but people can spread the virus for days after they feel better.
To keep GI illnesses from spreading in the community, use the checklist below to determine whether your child should attend school.
During GI Illness in a child: Should I keep my child home?
In the past week:
1. Has your child received a diagnosis of norovirus by their healthcare provider based on symptoms or laboratory testing?
If your child has received a diagnosis of a different GI pathogen, the school should be notified. Different exclusion recommendations may be advised.
2. Has your child experienced a sudden onset of vomiting and/or diarrhea with no other apparent cause?
Diarrhea is defined as three or more loose stools in a 24-hour period. Non-infectious causes may include a reaction to medicine, pre-existing health conditions, food intolerance, or food allergy.
If you answered YES to either question, keep your child at home until the criteria below are met.
After GI Illness: Can my child return to school?
1. Has your child gone 24 hours with improvement in diarrhea, as evidenced by:
- - Stool frequency of no more than two above what is normal for the child?
- - Diapered children have stools contained in the diaper, and toilet-trained children have not had toileting accidents?
2. Has your child gone 24 hours since their last vomiting episode?
3. Is your child well enough to pariticpate in child care or school?
If you answered NO to any questions above, keep your child at home until all three criteria are met to prevent spreading illness to others.
If you ansered YES to all the questions above, your child can return to school or day care. During an outbreak, your local board of health may provide additional recommendations.
*Students with GI illness who have food handling duties at school (e.g., participation in a culinary course or program) cannot perform food handling duties until 72 hours past the resolution of their symptoms.