Ada S. McKinley, Ersula Howard Child Care Center

Infants and toddlers at Ada S. McKinley, Ersula Howard Child Care Center share toys, tables, and naptime space, and they are still learning to cover coughs. That combination means illness moves through a room in days rather than weeks, and the first sign is often a change in appetite or sleep rather than a fever.

• Hand, foot, and mouth disease and stomach bugs spread through shared toys and diapering areas
• RSV and croup hit hardest under age two, and breathing changes matter more than temperature
• Pinkeye and impetigo travel on hands, towels, and nap mats
• A child can be contagious a day or two before any symptom shows up

Every school sets its own sick policy, so check yours first. These are the rules of thumb most schools and daycares follow:

• Fever-free for a full 24 hours without fever medicine before returning
• No vomiting or diarrhea for 24 hours, and eating normally again
• On antibiotics for at least 12 to 24 hours for strep throat or impetigo
• Eye discharge cleared, or cleared by your pediatrician, for pinkeye
• Well enough to take part in a normal school day, not just well enough to sit through it

Ada S. McKinley, Ersula Howard Child Care Center is one of many preschools in Chicago tracked on Ickly. October activity around Chicago tends to follow the seasonal pattern above, and illness rarely stops at one campus: siblings, sports, and playdates carry it between nearby schools across ZIP 60649 within a week or two. Checking neighboring schools alongside this one gives you a fuller picture than any single page can.