Conjunctivitis

[Fabby]

How long is the incubation period for conjunctivitis

[rickysmiths]

Goodness knows! Why do you ask?

[FussyElmo]

Is there one?

[Fabby]

Don't they have to be excluded for so long because if it being contagious?

[Fabby]

I have got it in writing in my files upstairs but I just can't get to it at the moment so thought I'd ask on here

[FussyElmo]

There is actually no exclusion period for it anymore. In fact they are recommending not even giving treatment for it as it will clear up in most cases naturally.

Good hygiene, washing hands and not sharing towels etc which we all do anyhow will stop in spreading :thumbsup:

[Fabby]

Oh right, I thought they needed be on anti biotics for 24 hours

[rickysmiths]

Oh right, I thought they needed be on anti biotics for 24 hours

Many doctors don't prescribe anti biotic cream or drops any more because as Fussy has said it has been shown to clear up on its own in about three days anyway.

I have never excluded as long as the child is happy and the HPA Guidelines say no exclusion. I have never had a problem having a child with it again as Fussy says, good hygiene and hand washing works very well.

[Fabby]

Blimey! Something so contagious and it's advised not to exclude, madness!

[FussyElmo]

Blimey! Something so contagious and it's advised not to exclude, madness!

I get it is contagious but i too have never had it pass from one child to another :thumbsup:

[silvermist]

One of my los had it 2 weeks ago and Mum kept him off even though I told her there was no exclusion needed. Ive never caught it from a child but have seen children get it in both eyes because of rubbing one eye then the other. x

[Fabby]

Am I allowed to exclude still?

[FussyElmo]

Am I allowed to exclude still?

Have you got it in your sickness policy that you will? If yes then you can but how long are you planning to exclude for?

[Tazmin68]

Technically the answer is no. Unless you have your own policy about excluding for it.

[marnieb]

Afiraid I agree with the others - you can only insist that he is receiving treatment ( eyedrops) to minimise the risk of it spreading, but even my boys school doesnt exclude for it, so how can we????

[FussyElmo]

Afiraid I agree with the others - you can only insist that he is receiving treatment ( eyedrops) to minimise the risk of it spreading, but even my boys school doesnt exclude for it, so how can we????

However if the doctor refuses to give the eye drops as its not needed what happens then?

[RuthJ]

I wouldn't exclude either.

[marnieb]

However if the doctor refuses to give the eye drops as its not needed what happens then?

I have never had a dr refuse eyedrops, once it is explained the child is in childcare with lots of other children they have always happily prescribed them.

[FussyElmo]

I have never had a dr refuse eyedrops, once it is explained the child is in childcare with lots of other children they have always happily prescribed them.

Ours do they reasoning is they wouldnt prescribe for a child in school so why for a chicldcare setting. But our doctors are mean on prescribing anything :D You know your child is ill if they give you a prescription :laughing::laughing:

[SammyL]

I'm going to exclude.

One child arrived with gunky eyes in Thurs, mum said doc said nothing wrong - my son then catches it & now I have it.

It's so difficult to stop children rubbing their eyes & getting them not to touch things, especially as my eldest minder is 30m & youngest 10m!!

The pharmacist just gave me optrex drops to put in his eyes for 48hrs

X

[pinky33]

We exclude overnight if drops are being used, but no drops = no childcare.

The guidelines might say one thing but they are a guide, your the boss!!!!!

[vickylou]

I also exclude, a few years ago a baby came with it, even with all the hygiene regimes by the end if the day I had it!! I rand the doctors for drops, could hardly see, because my vision was so bad they sent me to casualty!! I was in excruciating pain, and for any parent who says its just conjunctivitis evidently has never had it!!

[rickysmiths]

The thing is that a lot of doctors now don't prescribe for it because it has been shown that in most cases it clears up on its own after 2-3 days. I must say I have never excluded for it unless the child is so ill they can't take place in normal activities. Maybe I have been lucky over the 19 years I have been childminding but I have never caught it and nor have any children in my care at the time. HPA recommend no exclusion. I would feel if I chose to exclude because of it I wouldn't charge for the time.

[tashaleee]

I have a policy and I do exclude for ALL under 5s until its gone with no exceptions - all my parents are told this before they sign up with me and Ive never had a problem (and yes I charge full fee for this as a 'sickness') - at the end of the day its your business so your choice - as long as you have a policy and parents are aware then I dont see an issue :thumbsup:

[Carol M]

It can be spread by coughs and sneezes as it's in the droplets. Washing hands and good hygiene is great for older children, that's why schools don't exclude but the younger ones can't manage their own hygiene e.g catching coughs and sneezes in a tissue.
I exclude till eyes no longer red and no more discharge, written into my sick child policy with exclusion periods.
Carol

[marie55]

This is the HPA exclusion list from 2010, it's being revised August this year xx

http://www.hpa.org.uk/webc/HPAwebFile/HPAweb_C/1194947358374

[mushpea]

Well this is interesting, last week I didn't exclude as we aren't allowed and child was happy so I carried on and went to the local childminding group non of them were happy that we were there and although I wasn't asked to leave I could tell they didn't think I should be there

[Fabby]

As it happens my lo ended up catching this and then because he was fighting off this infection, he ended up with another infection in his upper respitory tract which then resulted in tonsillitis! This ended up me having to take the week off work with him cus he was so poorly

[Tealady]

Well this is interesting, last week I didn't exclude as we aren't allowed and child was happy so I carried on and went to the local childminding group non of them were happy that we were there and although I wasn't asked to leave I could tell they didn't think I should be there

HPA don't recommend exclusion but we can if we choose to and if we do it should be in our policies.

I choose to exclude.