Childhood Infections

 

Disease/

Infection

Spread by …

Time between
exposure & sickness

Early Signs

How Long is the child infectious

Exclusion from Crèche

Chicken Pox

Coughing and sneezing. Also direct contact with weeping blisters

13-17 days

Fever and spots with a blister on top of each spot

Upto 5 days before the appearance of a rash and until the spots are crusted.(normally 5 days)

One week from date of rash appearance.

Conjunctivitis

Direct contact with discharge from the eyes or with items contaminated by the discharge

24-72 hours

Irritation and redness of eye with a discharge sometimes.

While there is a discharge from the eyes, the child is infectious

While there is a discharge from the eyes

Gastroenteritis

Food or water contaminated with faeces from infected person or animal direct spread from infected person

1-3 days

Vomiting, diarrhoea and fever

While vomiting and diarrhoea last and up to 7 days after illness starts

Until well with no diarrhoea for 48 hours

Impetigo (school Sores)

Direct contact with discharge from infected skin

Usually 4-10 days variable

Blisters on exposed parts of the body. Spreading at the edges that are raised, thick yellow crusts when they break

Until 24 hours after treatment with antibiotics has started or until sores have healed

24 hours after treatment or as advised by GP.

Influenza

Coughing and sneezing and direct contact with respiratory droplets

1-3 days

Sudden on set of fever with cough, sore throat muscular aches and headache

From 1-2 days before illness up to 7 days.

Restrict contact activities until well.

Measles

Coughing and sneezing. Also direct contact with the nose/throat secretions of infected person. White spots in the mouth 1-2 days, rash after 3-4 days on the face, neck and chest.

Usually 10 – 15 days to rash

Running nose and eyes, cough, fever and a rash.

From the first day of illness until 4 days after the rash begins.

At least 4 days from onset of rash

Meningitis

Close physical contact such as sharing food and drinks, kissing, sleeping in the same room.

2-10 days, usually 3-4 days

Generally unwell, fever, headache, vomiting, sometimes a rash.

Urgent treatment is required

24 hours after starting antibiotics

Until well enough to return.

Mumps

Contact with infected saliva et coughing, sneezing, kissing and sharing food or drink.

Usually 16- 18 days

Pain in jaw, then swelling in front of ear and a fever.

For one week before swelling appears until 9 days after.

Until 9 days after swelling develops or until the child is well.

Ringworm

Contact with infected person’s skin, clothes or personal items. Also through contaminated floor or showers.

10-14 days

Flat spreading ring shaped lesions

While lesions are present and while fungus persists on contaminated material

Restrict contact activities until lesion clear

Rotavirus

Transmitted primarily by fecal-oral contact, although airborne transmission has also been reported. Rotavirus is highly contagious and remains stable in the environment for long periods of time.

Highly contagious.

2 days

Symptoms of the disease include fever, vomiting and watery diarrhoea, several times per day, abdominal pain.

Symptoms persist for 3-9 days

48 hours after the last diarrhoea nappy.

Rubella

Coughing and sneezing. Also direct contact with the nose/throat secretions of an infected person

Usually 16-18 days

Fever, swollen neck glands and rash on the face, scalp and body. Rubella during early pregnancy is dangerous.

From 7 days before rash starts until at least 4 days after it has appeared.

7 days from appearance of rash.

Threadworm

 

The female worm lay eggs around the anus. Leads to itching and scratching of the area and then leads to eggs being transferred onto the fingers and passed by direct contact.

10-11 days

Threadworm begins with an itchy feeling around your anus (back passage), usually at night under warm sheets.

Until 24 hours after treatment and a second treatment required in 14 days.

24hours after treatment has commenced

Head lice

Head lice spread easily. You can get them when in close contact with a person who has lice, or by touching their clothing or bedding. Lice spread easily among school children.

7-10 days from hatching to reproducing

Itching of the scalp, Tiny white specks (eggs, or nits) on the bottom of each hair that are hard to get off

Contagious until treated has commenced.

Once treated has commenced.