Chicken pox exclusion period

[louised]

Just found out that chicken pox is doing the rounds at the school I pick up from so I want to do a print out to give to parents so they know hown long they need to keep their children at home if they become infected. I do have a table somewhere but I won't be able to get hold of it until the children have gone home, can anyone point me in the right direction?

[sarah707]

5 days from onset -

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

[Heaven Scent]

I've always worked it by until all spots have scabbed over or 5 days from onset which ever is the longest - some children only get 1 or 2 spots so best to be on the safe side - I wouln't take a child back with weepy spots or new spots though. You never know when you may have a mum in the early stages of pregnancy or someone at any of the places where you take the children

[louised]

It's just come to me that one of the mums is pregnant, should she be keeping her little one at home just in case?

[angeldelight]

The incubation period of chicken pox is between 13 and 17 days after contact with the infected person.

Well thats what our school told us last week

But everywhere does seem to read different

Some advice on this website

http://www.homehealth-uk.com/medical/chickenpox.htm

If a pregnant woman who thinks she has not had chicken pox
before has contact with a case she should take medical advice as soon as possible.
Depending on the results of a blood test, it may be advisable to have an injection of protective antibody

Angel xx

[Heaven Scent]

The trouble with all these illnesses is that we are often more infectious before we know we have the illness but one way of passing chicken pox on is droplets from the spots (blisters) which is why they advise to wait until all have crusted over another way is droplets from the eyes and nose and these usually dry up before the spots especially if there are loads and loads of spots and that is why if there are only a few spots its best to say 5-7 days after the spots have appeared. Unfortunately like everything medical its not an exact science which is why there are so many differences of opinion.

[Twinkles]

I usually say once all the spots have crusted over. You still get filthy looks from people when you take them out though !

[beerheaven]

5 days from onset -

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

That's what I go by too.

[mum22]

I usually say once all the spots have crusted over. You still get filthy looks from people when you take them out though !

gosh yes, my ds had this last week. we stayed in till they were all dry 5 days - then we went out boy did we get looks especially in the playground.