What to do if your child is unwell

Childhood illness is an inevitable part of school life. It can be difficult to know how long to keep your child off for while they recover.

Children who suffer sickness or diarrhoea must be kept off school for 48 hours from the last incidence in order to avoid spreading any infection. This helps us to monitor the spread of infectious illnesses; helping us to keep illness from the rest of the classes.  

It’s important to inform the school if your child is going to be absent. On the first day of your child’s illness, telephone the school or email the school to tell them that your child will be staying at home. The school may ask about the nature of the illness and how long you expect the absence to last.

If it becomes clear that your child will be away for longer than expected, phone the school as soon as possible to explain this.

Please let the school know by 8.30am if your child will not be in school and what is wrong with them.

01162393410 or admin@kmprimary.leics.sch.uk

For information about common childhood illnesses, please follow the link below to the NHS website for further guidelines.

Not every illness needs to keep your child from school. If you keep your child away from school, be sure to inform the school on the first day of their absence.

 

 

Common conditions

If your child is ill, it’s likely to be due to one of a few minor health conditions.

Whether you send your child to school will depend on how severe you think the illness is. This guidance can help you make that judgement.

Remember: if you’re concerned about your child’s health, consult a health professional.

• Cough and cold: A child with a minor cough or cold may attend school. If the cold is accompanied by a raised temperature, shivers or drowsiness, the child should stay off school, visit the GP and return to school after they start to feel better. If your child has a more severe and long-lasting cough, consult your GP. They can give guidance on whether the child should stay off school. 
• Raised temperature: If your child has a raised temperature, they shouldn’t attend school. Please keep them off until it goes away.
• Rash: Rashes can be the first sign of many infectious illnesses, such as chickenpox and measles. Children with these conditions shouldn’t attend school. If your child has a rash, check with your GP or practice nurse before sending them to school.
• Headache:  A child with a minor headache doesn’t usually need to be kept off school. If the headache is more severe or is accompanied by other symptoms, such as raised temperature or drowsiness, then keep the child off school and consult your GP.
• Vomiting and diarrhoea: Children with these conditions should be kept off school. They can return 48 hours after their symptoms disappear. Most cases of vomiting or diarrhoea get better without treatment, but if symptoms persist, consult your GP. 
• Sore throat: A child who complains of a slight sore throat and has no other symptoms is fit to go to school. A sore throat with a high temperature is an indication that the child should stay at home
• Conjuctivitis: Guidance from Public Health England (PHE) (the Health Protection Agency) states that it is not necessary to exclude a child from school or from childcare if they have infective conjunctivitis, unless there is an outbreak of several cases. 
• Tonsillitis:  Guidance from Public Health England (PHE) (the Health Protection Agency) states that it is not necessary to exclude a child from school or from childcare.  There are many causes, but most cases are due to viruses and do not need an antibiotic.
• Headlice: Guidance from Public Health England (PHE) (the Health Protection Agency) states that it is not necessary to exclude a child from school. However, treatment is recommended where live lice have been seen to prevent an outbreak in school.
• Impetigo: Your child cannot attend school until lesions are crusted and healed, or 48 hours after starting antibiotic treatment.  Antibiotic treatment speeds healing and reduces the infectious period.

 

 

Scarlet Fever

Scarlet Fever is a contagious bacterial infection that mostly affects young children. It is easily treated with antibiotics. The first signs of scarlet fever can be flu-like symptoms, including high temperature, a sore throat and swollen neck glands (a large lump on the side of your neck).

A rash appears 12 to 48 hours later. It looks like small, raised bumps and starts on the chest and tummy, then spreads. The rash makes your skin feel rough, like sandpaper. On white skin the rash looks pink or red. It may be harder to see on brown and black skin, but you can still feel it. A white coating also appears on the tongue. This peels, leaving the tongue red, swollen and covered in little bumps (called “strawberry tongue”). The rash does not appear on the face, but the cheeks can look red. The redness may be harder to see on brown and black skin.

Contact a GP if your child:

• Has Scarlet Fever symptoms
• Does not get better in a week (after seeing a GP)
• Has Scarlet Fever and Chickenpox at the same time
• Is ill again, weeks after Scarlet Fever got better – this can be a sign of a complication, such as Rheumatic Fever
• Is feeling unwell and has been in contact with someone who has Scarlet Fever

Scarlet Fever is very easily spread. Check with a GP before you go in. They may suggest a phone consultation.

 

What to do if you feel your child seems seriously unwell:

As a parent, if you feel that your child seems seriously unwell, you should trust your own judgement. Contact NHS 111 or your GP if your child is getting worse.

Children with Scarlet Fever should stay at home until at least 24 hours after the start of antibiotic treatment to avoid spreading the infection to others. They can return to school/nursery after 24h of antibiotic use, if they do not have a fever any more. If no antibiotics have been administered, the individual will be infectious for 2 to 3 weeks and should be excluded for this period.

 

Invasive group A Strep Infection

In very rare occasions, the bacteria can get into the bloodstream and cause an illness called invasive Group A Strep (iGAS). The initial signs of iGAS are the same as for other severe infectious diseases. As a parent, if you feel that a child seems seriously unwell, you should trust your own judgement. Here is some general advice for parents.

Contact NHS 111 or your GP if:

• Your child is getting worse
• Your child is feeding or eating much less than normal
• Your child has had a dry nappy for 12 hours or more or shows other signs of dehydration
• Your baby is under 3 months and has a temperature of 38°C, or is older than 3 months and has a temperature of 39°C or higher
• Your child is very tired or irritable

Call 999 or go to A&E if:

• Your child is having difficulty breathing – you may notice grunting noises or their tummy sucking under their ribs
• There are pauses when your child breathes your child’s skin, tongue or lips are blue
• Your child is floppy and will not wake up or stay awake

 

Medications in School

Parents are generally encouraged to schedule their child’s medication so that they do not need a dose during the school day.  However, if your child does need medication during school hours, please note we have to follow the guidelines below: 

• A form must be completed. Please speak to the office. Please do not give medication to your child to hand in.
• Only prescription medication can be administered in school.
• Medication must be issued by the doctor and be in its original container, labelled with your child’s name.