Common Childhood Common Childhood IllnessIllness

Chicken PoxChicken Pox A person with chickenpox is contagious 1-2 A person with chickenpox is contagious 1-2

days before the rash and until 6 days after days before the rash and until 6 days after the first blister appears. Children should the first blister appears. Children should stay away from school or childcare facilities stay away from school or childcare facilities throughout this contagious period. Adults throughout this contagious period. Adults with chickenpox who work amongst with chickenpox who work amongst children, should also remain at home. children, should also remain at home.

It can take from 10-21 days after contact It can take from 10-21 days after contact with an infected person for someone to with an infected person for someone to develop chickenpox. This is how long it develop chickenpox. This is how long it takes for the virus to replicate and come takes for the virus to replicate and come out in the characteristic rash in the new out in the characteristic rash in the new host.host.

Chicken PoxChicken Pox Chickenpox is highly contagious Chickenpox is highly contagious

and is easily spread from person to and is easily spread from person to person by breathing in airborne person by breathing in airborne respiratory droplets from an respiratory droplets from an infected person's coughing or infected person's coughing or sneezing or through direct contact sneezing or through direct contact with the fluid from the open sores. with the fluid from the open sores. A person who is not immune to the A person who is not immune to the virus has a 70-80% chance of being virus has a 70-80% chance of being infected with the virus if exposed infected with the virus if exposed in the early stages of the disease. in the early stages of the disease.

ShinglesShingles

Reactivation of Herpes ZosterReactivation of Herpes Zoster

Herpes SimplexHerpes Simplex

Cold soresCold sores

Molluscum ContagiosumMolluscum Contagiosum Viral infectionViral infection No reccomendation to be kept away No reccomendation to be kept away

from school, or from activities such from school, or from activities such as swimming.as swimming.

Fifth DiseaseFifth Disease Fifth disease is a common childhood infection Fifth disease is a common childhood infection

causing a slapped cheek appearance and a rash. causing a slapped cheek appearance and a rash. Fifth disease is caused by a virus. It most Fifth disease is caused by a virus. It most

commonly affects young children and often commonly affects young children and often occurs in several members of the family or occurs in several members of the family or school class. Thirty percent of infected school class. Thirty percent of infected individuals have no symptoms. individuals have no symptoms.

Infective from 14 days before and ceasing at the Infective from 14 days before and ceasing at the onset of the rash.onset of the rash.

No recommendation to keep away from school No recommendation to keep away from school once wellonce well

ImpetigoImpetigo

Impetigo is a Impetigo is a bacterialbacterial skin infection. skin infection. It is often called school sores It is often called school sores because it most often affects because it most often affects children. It is quite contagiouschildren. It is quite contagious

During the infectious stage, i.e. while During the infectious stage, i.e. while the impetigo is oozing or crusted: the impetigo is oozing or crusted: Cover the affected areas. Cover the affected areas. Avoid close contact with others. Avoid close contact with others. Affected children must stay away from Affected children must stay away from

school until crusts have dried out. school until crusts have dried out. Use separate towels and flannels. Use separate towels and flannels. Change and launder clothes and linen Change and launder clothes and linen

daily. daily.

Viral WartsViral Warts

No recommendation to keep away No recommendation to keep away from school or activities.from school or activities.

Warts are tumours or growths of the skin Warts are tumours or growths of the skin caused by infection with Human caused by infection with Human Papillomavirus (HPV). More than 70 HPV Papillomavirus (HPV). More than 70 HPV subtypes are known. subtypes are known.

Warts are particularly common in childhood Warts are particularly common in childhood and are spread by direct contact or and are spread by direct contact or autoinocculation. This means if a wart is autoinocculation. This means if a wart is scratched, the viral particles may be spread scratched, the viral particles may be spread to another area of skin. It may take as long to another area of skin. It may take as long as twelve months for the wart to first as twelve months for the wart to first appear.appear.

In children, even without treatment, 50% of In children, even without treatment, 50% of warts disappear within 6 months; 90% are warts disappear within 6 months; 90% are gone in 2 years. They are more persistent in gone in 2 years. They are more persistent in adults but they clear up eventually. adults but they clear up eventually.

Many people don't bother to treat them Many people don't bother to treat them because treatment can be more because treatment can be more uncomfortable and troublesome than the uncomfortable and troublesome than the warts - they are hardly ever a serious warts - they are hardly ever a serious problem. However, warts may be painful problem. However, warts may be painful and they often look ugly and cause and they often look ugly and cause embarrassment.embarrassment.

TreatmentTreatment OcclusionOcclusion Chemical treatment.Chemical treatment. CryotherapyCryotherapy

Hand Foot and Mouth Hand Foot and Mouth Disease Disease

Hand foot and mouth disease is a Hand foot and mouth disease is a common mild and short-lasting common mild and short-lasting condition most often affecting young condition most often affecting young children during the summer months.children during the summer months.

Hand-foot-and-mouth is due to a Hand-foot-and-mouth is due to a viral infection, usually Coxsackie viral infection, usually Coxsackie virus. It is very infectious, so several virus. It is very infectious, so several members of the family or a school members of the family or a school class may be affected. class may be affected.

After an incubation period of 3 to After an incubation period of 3 to 5 days, the infection results in flat 5 days, the infection results in flat small blisters on the hands and small blisters on the hands and feet, and oral ulcers. These are feet, and oral ulcers. These are sometimes painful, so the child sometimes painful, so the child eats little and frets. There may be eats little and frets. There may be a mild fever. a mild fever.

No recommended period to be off No recommended period to be off school once well school once well

SunburnSunburn

Prevention rather than cure!Prevention rather than cure! Simple mosturisers or aftersun Simple mosturisers or aftersun

lotions and pain relief.lotions and pain relief. See GP or casualty if severe.See GP or casualty if severe.

ConjunctivitisConjunctivitis

BacterialBacterial ViralViral AllergicAllergic

For Infective conjnctivitisFor Infective conjnctivitis No recommended period to keep child No recommended period to keep child

off school once welloff school once well

ScabiesScabies

Exclude from school until treatedExclude from school until treated

TineaTinea

Fungal infection.Fungal infection. Presents differently in different Presents differently in different

areas of the body.areas of the body. Athletes footAthletes foot RingwormRingworm Scalp ringwormScalp ringworm

Scalp ringworm is most commonest Scalp ringworm is most commonest between 3 and 7 years of age. It is between 3 and 7 years of age. It is slightly more common in boys than slightly more common in boys than girls. girls.

SomeSome infections are more common in infections are more common in crowded living conditions. The fungus crowded living conditions. The fungus can contaminate hairbrushes, clothing, can contaminate hairbrushes, clothing, towels and the backs of seats. The towels and the backs of seats. The spores are long lived and can infect spores are long lived and can infect another individual months later. another individual months later.

Zoophilic infections are due to direct Zoophilic infections are due to direct contact with an infected animal and contact with an infected animal and are not generally passed from one are not generally passed from one person to another. person to another.

ThreadwormsThreadworms

Thread wormsThread worms

Main symptom is itch.Main symptom is itch. Treat all members of the household, even if Treat all members of the household, even if

no symptoms. (1/3 of infections no symptoms. (1/3 of infections asymptomatic)asymptomatic)

Hygiene measures required even after Hygiene measures required even after treatment to prevent reinfection. treatment to prevent reinfection. Handwashing, short nails, discourage thumb Handwashing, short nails, discourage thumb sucking, cleaning bedlinen and bathrooms.sucking, cleaning bedlinen and bathrooms.

Humans are the only host for threadwormsHumans are the only host for threadworms

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/gastroenteritis/Pages/gastroenteritis/Pages/Introduction.aspx?url=Pages/Introduction.aspx?url=Pages/Overview.aspxOverview.aspx