Untreated, ear infections can lead to more serious complications, including mastoiditis (a rare inflammation of a bone adjacent to the ear), hearing loss, perforation of the eardrum, meningitis, facial nerve paralysis, and possibly -- in adults -- Meniere's disease.
DHEC publishes the School and Childcare Exclusion List each year. The Exclusion List explains how long an ill child, student, school employee, or childcare employee should stay out of school or childcare, and what is needed before the child/student or employee is permitted to return.
According to the State Board Rule on Student Enrollment and Withdrawal (160-5-1-.28), a student who is not in attendance on the first day of school but was expected based on prior year enrollment shall be withdrawn as a no-show student and shall not be included in any enrollment or attendance counts.