Does my child need to stay off school? Can I treat them with over-the-counter-medicines?

Many children are going back to school in the next few weeks. One of the most common questions parents ask is about infections. Parents often want to know when they need to keep children off school and when they can treat their children with over the counter medicines. This post gives you more information about common infections. Our information is based on the Public Health England Guidance on Infection control in schools and other childcare settings, updated earlier this year.

Chickenpox

Chickenpox has a sudden onset with fever, runny nose, cough and a generalised rash. The rash is more noticeable on the trunk than other parts of the body. It starts with blisters which then scab over. Several ‘crops’ of blisters occur. Chickenpox is highly infectious, so your child will need to stay off school until all of the rash as crusted over. In most cases you can treat your child with over-the-counter medicines. Come into one of our pharmacies for advice.

Conjunctivitis

Your child’s eye(s) will becomes red and swollen and there may be a sticky yellow or green discharge.  Their eyes will usually feel itchy and ‘gritty’. Conjunctivitis can be spread by contact with discharge from the eye which gets onto the hands or towel when the child rubs their eyes. However, you do not need to keep your child off school. In most cases you can buy medicines from the pharmacy – but we will need to see your child, so please bring them in with you.

Diarrhoea and vomiting (Gastroenteritis)

Diarrhoea has many causes but diarrhoea caused by an infection can be easily passed to others. Children with diarrhoea or vomiting should stay off school until 48 hours after their symptoms have stopped and they are well enough to return. You can buy over the counter rehydration sachets from our pharmacies and we do not need to see your child to sell you these.

Head lice

Head lice are a common problem. Eggs are grey or brown and about the size of a pinhead; are glued to the hair, close to the scalp and hatch in 7 to 10 days. Head lice are spread by direct head-to-head contact and therefore tend to be more common in children because of the way they play. They cannot jump, fly or swim. When newly infected your child will have no symptoms. Itching and scratching on the scalp occurs 2 to 3 weeks after infection. You only need to treat your child if live lice are seen. We stock a wide range of treatments at our pharmacies. You do not need to keep a child with headlice off school.

Threadworm

Threadworm infection is very common childhood infection. Adult worms live in the small intestine. You will notice that your child has an itchy bottom, particularly at night. Re-infection is common and infectious eggs are also spread to others directly on fingers or indirectly on bedding, clothing and environmental dust. We stock treatments at our pharmacies and there is no need to keep your child off school. Do tell the school if your child has thread-worm as eggs tend to live in sand and play dough.

Impetigo

Impetigo is an infectious bacterial skin disease. It is common in children, particularly during warm weather.
The infection can develop anywhere on the body but tends to occur on the face. A child with impetigo not go to school until the sores are crusted and healed or 48 hours after starting antibiotic treatment. You will need to see your GP if your child has impetigo.

Athlete’s foot, warts and verrucae

There is no need to keep a child with any of these conditions off school and you can buy medicines to treat these from any of our pharmacies.

If you are not sure if you need to keep your child off school, please contact one of our pharmacies for advice. You do not need an appointment. If you need to consult your doctor, we will let you know.