When can a child with varicella return to school?

A child with varicella, commonly known as chickenpox, can return to school when the lesions have scabbed over. This is important because varicella is highly contagious, especially before the onset of the rash and during the blister phase. The scabbing period indicates that the child is no longer contagious and that the risk of spreading the virus to others is significantly reduced.

The other options do not align with the established guidelines for returning to school after varicella. Starting treatment does not reduce the contagious period, being symptom-free for a set number of days may not ensure that the child is no longer infectious, and obtaining medical clearance, while beneficial, is not the specific condition for returning to school after varicella. The key factor is the scabbing of lesions, which represents the end of contagiousness.