scarlet fever

[vickylou]

Hi has anyone had any dealings with scarlet fever. Just heard lo who went to walk in centre after leaving this afternoon has been diagnosed with it. She has to be excluded for first 24 hrs of antibiotics, 10 day course!!! But mum excluding till next week. Have had another lo here 22 months who has had spots in a cluster on her face since last Monday , thought a be impetigo still not been checked out. But now wondering if she has scarlet fever too!! Was wondering as it's a notifiable illness do I have to contact hpa or will doctor do that. Also does it spread into a outbreak?? Have text all parents who are not here rest of week and have printed off info for all parents. Apart from disinfecting is there anything else I need to do! In 12 Years of childminding and 20 years of being a mum thus is the first time I've come across this!!

[candy cat]

Well years ago my mum was very ill with it, but not sure about it now.....guess excluded until next week and is being treated I think I would be happy with that :0)

Making me review my policies though as all these illnesses are making a come back and most say no exclusion which is hard isn't it....slapped cheek, hand foot and mouth etc

[hectors house]

Had a child with it about 7 years ago, if I remember rightly she did stay away for the whole time she was ill - and you don't need to notify HPA but you do need to notify Ofsted, just say that a child in your care has been diagnosed with Scarlet fever, you are following the exclusions as recommended by Health Authority and child's doctor and have given other parents information about the illness including what to look out for. They will just write back and say Thank you for notifying us!

[maisiemog]

My DD had it two years ago and she was very poorly so you would know if a child had it. She had a really swollen red face, high temperature and very sore throat. After a couple of days on antibiotics you couldn't tell she had been ill.

It is a notifiable disease so if a child does have it you need to tell ofsted.

[vickylou]

Thanks for that. Wasn't 100% sure I'd I had to contact Ofsted. Will email them later. In the middle of deep cleaning everything at the moment. Other lo finally been to docs and she has impetigo so deep clean hopefully will finally get rid of all these bugs!!!

[rickysmiths]

Well it just goes to show you have to keep checking! The list I printed out last does not have Scarlet fever on it but the current list does!

Well on reading through in depth it is on my list just in a different place!

HPA - List of notifiable diseases (http://www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/InfectiousDiseases/InfectionsAZ/NotificationsOfInfectiousDiseases/ListOfNotifiableDiseases/)

I have a copy of this in my Parent Information folder along with a copy of the Guidance on infection control in schools and other childcare settings so I can refer to them easily and so parents see them when they come to visit me. I have the web address included in my Sickness Policy.

We don't report a notifiable disease to Public Health England the GP does that, we are not qualified to diagnose. However if you suspect then you should call the parents and get the child collected immediately and have them go to the doctor. I would ask for a letter from the doctor confirming it is not Scarlet Fever.

If it is confirmed as Scarlet Fever then I would tell Ofsted and tell them the precautions you have taken, like telling all the parents it is in your setting, giving them information about the disease and the importance of visiting the doctor at once if they or you suspect a child has it and reminding them of the exclusion period.

You should also exclude for suspected impetigo as that is highly infectious and needs treating with anti biotics and a child should not return until they have been on them for at least 24 hours and is feeling better.

[vickylou]

Thanks rickysmiths but I was lucky didn't have to send home as definitely didn't suspect scarlet fever. But on collection suggested mum took her to the docs as thought she may be starting with impetigo. We were both shocked when scarlet fever confirmed. Exclusion only 24 hrs after starting antibiotics but mum kept her away today and not back till Tuesday. Child with suspected impetigo been treated and back tomorrow. House been deep cleaned and everything boiled that can be!! Lol so was thinking everything should be ok. Then schoolie tonight started showing signs of conjunctivitis! !! Aarrgghh she had it 2 weeks ago and mum kept her away to stop it spreading! But school is accepting them so it's just going backwards and forwards!!! She got 3 in her class with it!! No hope!! Anyway again antibacterialised everything again! !!

Anyway all parents been given handouts from hpa. Spoke to mum of child today and gp notified hpa, it hasn't been confirmed by swab but they 99% certain she got it. And may call her in next week for swab, I assume to check if antibiotics are working. So I'm off to email Ofsted now, just praying this doesnt flag up my very overdue inspection!! Not at the moment, been a stressful couple of months and Ofsted inspection would be the icing on the cake that I don't need! !

Will be so glad when this week is over!!

[vickylou]

Interestingly scarlet fever and impetigo are both caused by the same bacteria! So very coincidental I have two children suffering with them, jury's out on who had it first though!! I also thought impetigo had a short incubation period and was shocked to find its anything between 4-10 days!!! Amazing what you learn when you have to Lol

[vickylou]

Also reason i didn't exclude child with possible impetigo earlier is it didn't look like impetigo, it didn't weep it, didn't crust, it didn't blister! ! So we originally thought it was an allergy. It was a very strange one. But next time I will be excluding till checked out to be on safe side.

[The Juggler]

my dd had it (aged 2 1/2) 2 weeks into me startign minding with a 8 month old baby! I thought it was pretty much wiped out!

Doctor told me I didn't need to keep other children away as although it was highly contagious and there could be nasty complications, none of these complications were possible if children were put on antibiotics straight away. I told the mum and she decided to send the baby. I was very naive in those days only a few weeks into minding and if I'd known how ill dd would get over the next 4/5 days I woulld NOT have worked and had the baby - for both sake of the baby and being able to look after dd better than I wish I could have.

DD got worse and had fevers, vomitting and itching of the 'scarlet' patches which appeared as well as a very sore throat for the rest of the week.:panic::panic:

[lisbet]

my dd had it (aged 2 1/2) 2 weeks into me startign minding with a 8 month old baby! I thought it was pretty much wiped out!

Doctor told me I didn't need to keep other children away as although it was highly contagious and there could be nasty complications, none of these complications were possible if children were put on antibiotics straight away. I told the mum and she decided to send the baby. I was very naive in those days only a few weeks into minding and if I'd known how ill dd would get over the next 4/5 days I woulld NOT have worked and had the baby - for both sake of the baby and being able to look after dd better than I wish I could have.

DD got worse and had fevers, vomitting and itching of the 'scarlet' patches which appeared as well as a very sore throat for the rest of the week.:panic::panic:

My sympathies to your DD - and to you dealing with all that right at the beginning of CM'ing! My DS had scarlet fever when he was 5. He was really miserable with it, bless him, and didn't get any antibiotics because the nurse/ GP didn't recognise it to begin with. It was only when his hands and feet started to peel later that I asked them if it might be scarlet fever that he'd had and they said "Ooh, yes, actually he has had all the symptoms, hasn't he - we'll call the HPA.":rolleyes:

OP: I hope your house is germ-free soon! x