Nursery Sickness Procedures Policy

Nursery Infectious childhood illnesses

Illness Incubation Symptoms Care period / nursery exclusion period Conjunctivitis None Red, itchy, watery eyes, Consult doctor, eye drops irritation of the eye area, might be given. sticky, yellowy/white Consult PHE if clusters or discharge and swollen outbreaks occur eye lids Chickenpox 5-6 days from the Spots on chest and back, Consult your doctor, onset of rash and red at first, becoming discourage scratching and once sabs are blisters, then forming a ease the itching by keeping covered with crust dry scab. The spots can your child cool and apply and are starting to come in successive lotion such as calamine. dry up. crops and can be very Venerable children and itch. females that is pregnant. Croup 48 hours Begins with a cold, stuffy, Consult doctor. runny nose, and a mild Keep child calm, give plenty fever. A ‘barking’ cough of fluids. Warm, moist air will emerge along with a can help the breathing sit hoarse voice. Child may your child in a steamy have difficulty breathing bathroom or place a damp and it might be painful. towel near a radiator for Symptoms worsen at moisture night. Diphtheria* Exclusion Difficulty in breathing. Consult PHE (Public Health essential. White membrane forms England) family members Consult your local in the throat must be excluded and HPT(Health cleared by the PHE Protection Team) High temp above 38 department. Preventable by vaccination. PHE will help you organise contact tracing if necessary Diarrhoea/ 48 hours from Loose, frequent, watery Give plenty of fluid to avoid vomiting last episode of stools. dehydration. Consult a diarrhoea/vomiting doctor if your child is a baby or if the symptoms persist. Ear infections 2-7 days Pain, discharge from ear, Consult your doctor as (extended if ear and high temperature. antibiotics and pain relief still weeping) may be prescribed. Gastro-enteritis 2-14 days Severe and persistent Consult your doctor, give vomiting and diarrhoea plenty of fluids and high t emperature German Four days from Preventable by Measles(Rubella)* onset of rash immunisation(MMRx2) Hand, foot & None Early symptoms – fever, Contact local HPT if a mouth loss of appetite, and sore large number of children Can be highly throat. After 12-26hrs are infected. Exclusion may contagious yellowy ulcers develop be considered in some on the roof of the mouth, circumstances tongue and cheeks. After a day sores on palm of hand, soles of feet and between toes/fingers. These are itchy and uncomfortable

Head lice None Presence of head lice, itching Treat at home by using a wet of the scalp. comb with conditioner or Detecting them: - check the medicated lotions (ask for base of the hair for eggs and advice when using on young around the ears. babies). Special nit comb available from pharmacies. Treatment is recommended only when live lice are seen. Impetigo Until scabs Antibiotic treatment speeds are crusted up healing. over or 48 hours after starting antibiotics Measles* 4 days from Raised temperature, sore Consult your doctor. onset of rash eyes, spots in the mouth, red blotchy rash that quickly spreads over the body Meningitis Until High temperature, headache, Consult your doctor. Meningococcal/* recovered vomiting, rash, pain and Meningitis C is preventable stiffness of the neck, and by vaccination. Local PHE Septicaemia* sensitivity to light will advise on action to be taken. Meningitus* due Until Hib and pneumococcal to bacteria recovered meningitis are preventable by vaccination. Local PHE will advise on action to be taken. Meningitus viral * None Milder illness no reason to exclude/siblings or other close contacts. Mumps* Exclude child Pain, tenderness and Consult your doctor. for 5 days swelling around the jaw and Preventable by vaccination from onset of ear, usually on one side of (MMRx2 doses) swelling the face and then the other. Headache, feeling sick, dry mouth, mild abdominal pain, feeling tired, loss of appetite Rotavirus 3-8 days Vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach Consult your doctor, frequent cramps, it may cause a fever sips of water; give foods high and convulsions. in carbohydrates and soups. If breast or bottle feeding continue to feed as normal.

Scarlet fever 2-6 days Red tongue, sore throat, rash Consult doctor, antibiotics on face and body may be given Sickness 2-7 days Difficulty in keeping down Give small amount of fluid – solids or liquids even if still vomiting as this will stop your child becoming dehydrated. Consult doctor if the sickness is very severe. Thrush Exclusion not White patches in the mouth, Seek medical advice and usually usually on the tongue and treatment. If a child has mild required inside the cheeks. oral thrush and medical however is A baby may have a sore advice and treatment has dependent on bottom too. Not usually been sought, the child will be each child’s contagious. But a child with allowed to attend nursery, symptoms a weakened immune system but the situation will be may get thrush by sharing monitored. toys or pacifiers with a child Sterilise the equipment who has the infection which the child has been in (babies). contact with. Whooping cough 5 days from Long bouts of coughing and Consult doctor. starting choking, difficulty in breathing Support during coughing antibiotic during the coughing, bouts and give reassurance. treatment or whooping noise as the child 21 days if no draws in a breath. Vomiting antibiotic during coughing bouts. treatment. Cold sores none Blisters develop around and usually clear up without (Herps simplex) inside the mouth. treatment within 7 to 10 days Ringworm Exclusion not Ringworm is a common Treatment is required usually fungal infection that can required cause a red or silvery ring- like rash on the skin. Ringworm commonly affects arms and legs, but it can appear almost anywhere on the body. Despite its name, ringworm doesn't have anything to do with worms Slapped cheek Exclude only After a few days, a You don't usually need to (fifth disease or if rash is distinctive bright red rash see your GP if you think parvovirus B19) weeping and on both cheeks (the so- you or your child has cannot be called "slapped cheeks") slapped cheek syndrome, covered normally appears, although as the condition normally adults may not get this. gets better on its own. Pregnant women need to be informed. Roseola none Fever over 37.5C, sore Consult doctor if worried but (infantum) throat, runny nose, cough, can be treated at home with mild diarrhoea, loss of rest if they seem unwell, appetite, swollen eye lids, paracetamol can be given for RASH- usually appears once the high fever. the fever has gone down, Contact doctor if rash does pinkish red spots –THEY not disappear within 3 days SHOULD DISSAPEAR WITH A GLASS ROLLED OVER, not itchy. Tonsillitis None Sore throat, ear ache, High See doctor temperature, coughing, May need antibiotics headache. Should pass within 3-4 days

*Please note that if antibiotics are prescribed for any of the above our nursery policy requires children to have 48hours off nursery, please see nursey medicine policy.

* Please note the information in the table above could vary due to each individual child. If you are ever concerned about you child’s health, phone your family Doctor, or the NHS Direct as these will be able to advise you further.

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TEL: - 0845 4647 Web: - www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk