As requested we have put some information about some of the common problems/ailments that children may suffer from at one time or another. There is information about symptoms, causes and treatments for Headlice, Threadworm and Hand, Foot and Mouth from the NHS website in the subpages found at the bottom of this page.
Rashes and skin infections
Children
with rashes should be considered infectious and assessed by their doctor.
Infection or complaint
|
Recommended period to be kept away from school, nursery
or childminders
|
Comments
|
Athlete’s
foot
|
None
|
Athlete’s
foot is not a serious condition. Treatment is recommended
|
Chickenpox
|
Until all
vesicles have crusted over
|
See:
Vulnerable Children and Female Staff – Pregnancy
|
Cold
sores, (Herpes simplex)
|
None
|
Avoid
kissing and contact with the sores. Cold sores are generally mild and
self-limiting
|
German
measles (rubella)*
|
Four days
from onset of rash (as per “Green Book”)
|
Preventable
by immunisation (MMR x2 doses). See: Female Staff – Pregnancy
|
Hand, foot
and mouth
|
None
|
Contact
your local HPT if a large number of children are affected. Exclusion may be
considered in some circumstances
|
Impetigo
|
Until
lesions are crusted and healed, or 48 hours after starting antibiotic
treatment
|
Antibiotic
treatment speeds healing and reduces the infectious period
|
Measles*
|
Four days
from onset of rash
|
Preventable
by vaccination (MMR x2). See: Vulnerable Children and Female Staff –
Pregnancy
|
Molluscum
contagiosum
|
None
|
A
self-limiting condition
|
Ringworm
|
Exclusion
not usually required
|
Treatment
is required
|
Roseola
(infantum)
|
None
|
None
|
Scabies
|
Child can
return after first treatment
|
Household
and close contacts require treatment
|
Scarlet
fever*
|
Child can
return 24 hours after starting appropriate antibiotic treatment
|
Antibiotic
treatment is recommended for the affected child
|
Slapped
cheek/fifth disease. Parvovirus B19
|
None (once
rash has developed)
|
See:
Vulnerable Children and Female Staff – Pregnancy
|
Shingles
|
Exclude
only if rash is weeping and cannot be covered
|
Can cause
chickenpox in those who are not immune, ie have not had chickenpox. It is
spread by very close contact and touch. If further information is required,
contact your local PHE centre. See: Vulnerable Children and Female Staff –
Pregnancy
|
Warts and
verrucae
|
None
|
Verrucae
should be covered in swimming pools, gymnasiums and changing rooms
|
* denotes a notifiable disease. It is
a statutory requirement that doctors report a notifiable disease to the proper
officer of the local authority (usually a consultant in communicable disease
control). In addition, organisations may be required via locally agreed
arrangements to inform their local PHE centre.
Diarrhoea and vomiting illness
Infection or complaint
|
Recommended period to be kept away from school,
nursery or childminders
|
Comments
|
Diarrhoea and/or vomiting
|
48 hours from last episode of
diarrhoea or vomiting
|
|
E. coli O157 VTEC Typhoid* [and paratyphoid*] (enteric
fever) Shigella (dysentery)
|
Should be excluded for 48
hours from the last episode of diarrhoea. Further exclusion may be required
for some children until they are no longer excreting
|
Further exclusion is required
for children aged five years or younger and those who have difficulty in
adhering to hygiene practices.
Children in these categories
should be excluded until there is evidence of microbiological clearance. This
guidance may also apply to some contacts who may also require microbiological
clearance. Please consult your local PHE centre for further advice
|
Cryptosporidiosis
|
Exclude for 48 hours from the
last episode of diarrhoea
|
Exclusion from swimming is
advisable for two weeks after the diarrhoea has settled
|
* denotes a notifiable disease. It is
a statutory requirement that doctors report a notifiable disease to the proper
officer of the local authority (usually a consultant in communicable disease
control). In addition, organisations may be required via locally agreed
arrangements to inform their local PHE centre.
Respiratory infections
Infection or complaint
|
Recommended period to be kept away from school,
nursery or child minders
|
Comments
|
Conjunctivitis
|
None
|
If an outbreak/cluster
occurs, consult your local PHE centre
|
Diphtheria *
|
Exclusion is essential.
Always consult with your local HPT
|
Family contacts must be
excluded until cleared to return by your local PHE centre. Preventable by
vaccination. Your local PHE centre will organise any contact tracing
necessary
|
Glandular fever
|
None
|
|
Head lice
|
None
|
Treatment is recommended only
in cases where live lice have been seen
|
Hepatitis A*
|
Exclude until seven days
after onset of jaundice (or seven days after symptom onset if no jaundice)
|
In an outbreak of hepatitis
A, your local PHE centre will advise on control measures
|
AIDS
|
None
|
Hepatitis B and C and HIV are
bloodborne viruses that are not infectious through casual contact. For
cleaning of body fluid spills see: Good Hygiene Practice
|
Meningococcal meningitis*/
septicaemia*
|
Until recovered
|
Meningitis C is preventable
by vaccination
There is no reason to exclude
siblings or other close contacts of a case. In case of an outbreak, it may be
necessary to provide antibiotics with or without meningococcal vaccination to
close school contacts. Your local PHE centre will advise on any action is
needed
|
Meningitis* due to other
bacteria
|
Until recovered
|
Hib and pneumococcal
meningitis are preventable by vaccination. There is no reason to exclude
siblings or other close contacts of a case. Your local PHE centre will give
advice on any action needed
|
Meningitis viral*
|
None
|
Milder illness. There is no
reason to exclude siblings and other close contacts of a case. Contact
tracing is not required
|
MRSA
|
None
|
Good hygiene, in particular
handwashing and environmental cleaning, are important to minimise any danger
of spread. If further information is required, contact your local PHE centre
|
Mumps*
|
Exclude child for five days
after onset of swelling
|
Preventable by vaccination
(MMR x2 doses)
|
Threadworms
|
None
|
Treatment is recommended for
the child and household contacts
|
Tonsillitis
|
None
|
There are many causes, but
most cases are due to viruses and do not need an antibiotic
|
* denotes a notifiable disease. It is
a statutory requirement that doctors report a notifiable disease to the proper
officer of the local authority (usually a consultant in communicable disease
control). In addition, organisations may be required via locally agreed
arrangements to inform their local PHE centre.
Vulnerable children
Some medical conditions make
children vulnerable to infections that would rarely be serious in most
children, these include those being treated for leukaemia or other cancers, on
high doses of steroids and with conditions that seriously reduce immunity.
Schools and nurseries and childminders will normally have been made aware of
such children. These children are particularly vulnerable to chickenpox,
measles or parvovirus B19 and, if exposed to either of these, the parent/carer
should be informed promptly and further medical advice sought. It may be
advisable for these children to have additional immunisations, for example
pneumococcal and influenza.
Female staff – pregnancy
If a pregnant woman develops a
rash or is in direct contact with someone with a potentially infectious rash,
this should be investigated according to PHE guidelines by a doctor. The
greatest risk to pregnant women from such infections comes from their own
child/children, rather than the workplace. Some specific risks are:
·
chickenpox can
affect the pregnancy if a woman has not already had the infection. Report
exposure to midwife and GP at any stage of exposure. The GP and antenatal carer
will arrange a blood test to check for immunity. Shingles is caused by the same
virus as chickenpox, so anyone who has not had chickenpox is potentially
vulnerable to the infection if they have close contact with a case of shingles
·
German measles
(rubella). If a pregnant woman comes into contact with german measles she
should inform her GP and antenatal carer immediately to ensure investigation.
The infection may affect the developing baby if the woman is not immune and is
exposed in early pregnancy
·
slapped cheek
disease (parvovirus B19) can occasionally affect an unborn child. If exposed
early in pregnancy (before 20 weeks), inform whoever is giving antenatal care
as this must be investigated promptly
·
measles during
pregnancy can result in early delivery or even loss of the baby. If a pregnant
woman is exposed she should immediately inform whoever is giving antenatal care
to ensure investigation
This
advice also applies to pregnant students.
Immunisation schedule
For the most up-to-date immunisation
advice see the NHS Choices website at www.nhs.uk or the school health service
can advise on the latest national immunisation schedule.
Two months old
|
Diphtheria, tetanus,
pertussis, polio and Hib (DTaP/IPV/Hib)
Pneumococcal (PCV13)
Rotavirus vaccine
|
One injection
One injection
Given orally
|
Three months old
|
Diphtheria, tetanus,
pertussis, polio and Hib (DTaP/IPV/Hib)
Meningitis C (Men C)
Rotavirus vaccine
|
One injection
One injection
Given orally
|
Four months old
|
Diphtheria, tetanus,
pertussis, polio and Hib (DTaP/IPV/Hib)
Pneumococcal (PCV13)
|
One injection
One injection
|
Between 12-13 months old
|
Hib/meningitis C
Measles, mumps and rubella
(MMR) Pneumococcal (PCV13)
|
One injection
One injection
One injection
|
Two, three and four years old
|
Influenza (from September)
|
Nasal spray
or one injection
|
Three years and four months
old or soon after
|
Diphtheria, tetanus,
pertussis, polio (DTaP/IPV or dTaP/IPV)
Measles, mumps and rubella
(MMR)
|
One injection
One injection
|
Girls aged 12 to 13 years
|
Cervical cancer caused by
human papilloma virus types 16 and 18. HPV vaccine
|
Two injections given 6-24
months apart
|
Around 14 years old
|
Tetanus, diphtheria, and
polio (Td/IPV)
|
One injection
|
Meningococcal C (Men C)
|
One injection
|