Disease:
Chickenpox
Symptoms:
Fever and headache; rash within 24 hrs.
Itching for four days. Blisters appear in crops over 3 to 4
days, turning to crusty scabs. Symptoms appear 11 to 21 days
after exposure.
Transmission:
Spread through the air and by direct
contact with blister fluid, saliva, phlegm, or articles
freshly soiled by the sick child.
Infectious Period:
Up to five days before the onset of the
rash, and not more than five days after the spots
appear.
When infected child can return to school or daycare:
When all lesions are dry (at least five
days after the first crop of lesions appeared.)
When siblings can return to school or daycare:
Should only be attending school or
daycare if they have already had the chickenpox.
Disease:
Common Cold
Symptoms:
Runny nose, sore throat, cough, decreased
appetite.
Transmission:
Spread through the air and via
contaminated hands and objects.
Infectious Period:
From one day before to seven days after
onset of symptoms.
When infected child can return to school or daycare:
Child can attend school or daycare unless
too ill to take part in activities.
When siblings can return to school or daycare:
No need for siblings to stay
home.
Disease:
Conjunctivitis - (Pink Eye)
Symptoms:
Red swollen eye(s); then thick, yellow
discharge and crusting. Eyes itch and smart; no pain.
Symptoms appear 24 to 72 hours after exposure.
Transmission:
Spread by touching the eye or through
contact with articles soiled with discharge or
phlegm.
Infectious Period:
Contagious until treated.
When infected child can return to school or daycare:
When whites of eyes are clear and
crusting is gone.
When siblings can return to school or daycare:
No need for siblings to stay home unless
they are also infected.
Disease:
Ear Infections
Symptoms:
Earache; irritability, fever, and cold
symptoms.
Transmission:
Not infectious.
Infectious Period:
Not infectious.
When infected child can return to school or daycare:
No need for child to stay home unless
he/she is not feeling well enough to go.
When siblings can return to school or daycare:
No need for siblings to stay
home.
Disease:
Fever
Symptoms:
Temperature over 38.5 degrees C. A child
with a temperature of 40 degrees C and higher will look and
feel sick.
Transmission:
Not infectious.
Infectious Period:
Not infectious.
When infected child can return to school or daycare:
Keep child away from school or daycare
until he/she is feeling well enough to return.
Disease:
Gastroenteritis - (i.e. campylobacter, E.coli, Shigella, Yersinia, viral)
Symptoms:
Poor appetite, vomiting, stomach cramps,
watery or bloody diarrhea. Symptoms usually appear 24 to 72
hours after exposure.
Transmission:
Spread through contact with stool or
through contaminated food, milk, or water. Also spread by
people with poor hygiene habits.
Infectious Period:
Contagious while symptoms are present.
When infected child can return to school or daycare:
When diarrhea stops and stool tests are
negative.
When siblings can return to school or daycare:
No need for siblings to stay home unless
they are also infected.
Disease:
Impetigo
Symptoms:
Blisters, then honey-coloured crusts on
red base; often located around mouth, nose, and diaper area.
Symptoms take four to ten days to appear.
Transmission:
Spread through contact with sores.
Infection can be spread to other parts of the body by the
child's fingers.
Infectious Period:
Contagious until sores are
dry.
When infected child can return to school or daycare:
When sores are dry.
When siblings can return to school or daycare:
No need for siblings to stay home unless
they are also infected.
Disease:
Red Measles
Symptoms:
Fever, cough, red eyes, runny noes, red
spots in mouth, swollen neck glands. Blotchy red rash
spreads from face to neck to body over three days. Symptoms
appear seven to eighteen days after exposure, with rash
appearing on or about the fourteenth day.
Transmission:
Spread through direct or airborne contact
with saliva, phlegm, or articles soiled by the sick
child.
Infectious Period:
Contagious from four days before to four
days after rash appears.
When infected child can return to school or daycare:
Child can return to school or daycare
anytime after the fourth day after the rash starts, if
he/she feels well enough.
When siblings can return to school or daycare:
Siblings may continue to attend school or
daycare as long as they are immunized or immune. If they
have not been immunized, they may need a measles vaccine or
immune globulin.
Disease:
Pediculosis - (Head Lice)
Symptoms:
Itchy scalp. Live lice are tiny wingless
insects that crawl into the hair. Nits are tiny egg-shaped
deposits which are firmly attached to the hair. Symptoms
appear eight to ten days after exposure.
Transmission:
Spread by direct head-to-head contact or
by sharing clothing, hats, combs, and brushes.
Infectious Period:
Contagious until treated and nits are
gone.
When infected child can return to school or daycare:
After treatment.
When siblings can return to school or daycare:
Siblings may continue to go to school or
daycare as long as they are not infected.
Disease:
Pertussis - (Whopping Cough)
Symptoms:
Cold-like symptoms with irritating cough.
Coughing is prolonged and severe, and it may be
characterized by a high-pitched whoop or crowing. Symptoms appear seven to ten days after exposure.
Transmission:
Spread through direct or airborne contact
with saliva, phlegm, or articles soiled by the sick
child.
Infectious Period:
Contagious for up to three weeks after
start of cough or up to five days after antibiotics are
started.
When infected child can return to school or daycare:
After at least five days of antibiotic
treatment, assuming child feels well.
When siblings can return to school or daycare:
Siblings may continue to attend school or
daycare as long as they are immunized or immune. If they
have not been immunized, they may need a booster shot and
antibiotic.
Disease:
Rubella
Symptoms:
Mild fever, headache, cough, red eyes,
runny nose. Swollen glands at back of neck. May not feel
ill. Rash consists of mottled or raised spots spreading from
face to neck to body over 12 to 24 hours. Symptoms appear 14
to 23 days after exposure.
Transmission:
Spread through direct contact with
phlegm, saliva, or articles soiled by the sick child. People
without symptoms can spread the infection.
Infectious Period:
Contagious from seven days before to four
days after rash appears.
When infected child can return to school or daycare:
Child should stay home for seven days
after rash appears and should avoid contact with non-immune
pregnant women.
When siblings can return to school or daycare:
Siblings may continue to attend school or
daycare as long as they are uninfected and have been
immunized against the disease.
Disease:
Scarlet Fever
Symptoms:
Sore throat and fever; fine red rash
which feels like sandpaper and fades on pressure. Most often
appears on neck, chest, folds of armpits, elbow, groin, and
inner parts of thighs. Symptoms appear one to three days
after exposure.
Transmission:
Spread through direct contact with
phlegm, saliva, or articles soiled by the sick child.
Limited spread through the air. People without symptoms can
spread the infection.
Infectious Period:
Contagious for 10 to 21 days after
exposure, or 24 to 48 hours after antibiotics have been
started.
When infected child can return to school or daycare:
Child can return to school 48 hours after
the start of antibiotics if he/she is feeling
well.
When siblings can return to school or daycare:
Siblings may continue to attend school as
long as they are not infected.
Disease:
Strep Throat
Symptoms:
Fever; sore throat.
Transmission:
Spread person to person.
Infectious Period:
Contagious until 24 hours after the start
of treatment.
When infected child can return to school or daycare:
Child can return to school 24 hours after
the start of treatment.
When siblings can return to school or daycare:
Siblings may continue to attend school as
long as they are not infected.
if you have any questions or comments!