South Side YMCA Pre-School

Infants and toddlers at South Side YMCA Pre-School 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

South Side YMCA Pre-School 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 60637 within a week or two. Checking neighboring schools alongside this one gives you a fuller picture than any single page can.