Should a child come to School / Nursery today

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What else do I need to know?

Medicines in school

Children can come to school even if they are taking medicines, as staff are able to give them prescribed medicine in school.
Please make sure the bottle has a pharmacy label detailing your child's name, dosage and how frequently they should have it.
Please discuss with the headteacher.

School nurse drop-in session

Your school nurse is available to meet with you in school. Please ask reception for the school nurse's contact details.

Further advice

You can also contact NHS 111.
Local pharmacy - see your local pharmacist for help and advice. In some areas there is a new minor ailment service available (check with your GP for details) called Pharmacy First. If your child has certain minor ailments or conditions you may be eligible for the 'Pharmacy First' service which enables those who get free prescriptions to go straight to their pharmacist for a consultation, instead of going to their GP for a prescription.
Caution needs to be taken with children who are more susceptible to severe infection due to an underlying long term medical condition or being immunocompromised. These children are more likely to require medical review when unwell and are less likely to be able to attend school/nursery.

Over the counter medications

If your child's school or nursery says that they are unable to give any medication without a prescription, this is incorrect. Over the counter medications, such as hay fever treatment or simple pain relief may be given as long as dosing instructions are clearly written on the medication. Your pharmacist will label your medication appropriately if you ask them to. Please do not make a GP appointment to obtain over the counter medications with a prescription, you will be advised to get this from the pharmacy directly.

Further Information

Information in this guide is taken from the Public Health England guidelines “Health protection in schools and other childcare facilities: A practical guide for staff on managing cases of infectious diseases in schools and other childcare settings.

For more information, click here.

When should you worry?

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Advice and Guidance

High temperature

Give paracetamol and plenty to drink.
Keep your child off school until their fever goes away
If the child's high temperature continues for five days or more, seek advice.

For more information go to High Temperature/Fever.

Headache, earache and stomach ache

Children with headache, earache or stomach ache can go to school - just let the staff know they have felt unwell.
Give paracetamol and plenty of fluids to drink.
If headache, earache or stomach ache persist... seek advice.

For more information go to Headache, Earache and/or Tummy Ache.

Coughs and colds

Children should be given paracetamol, plenty of fluids to drink and can be sent to school.
If your child is asthmatic, remember they may need their blue inhaler more often.

For more information go to Cough and Cold.

Flu

Children should go back to school when recovered - this is usually about five days.
Not sure? seek advice.

For more information go to High Temperature/Fever.

Find out more about the Flu Vaccine for Children.

Sore throat, tonsillitis and glandular fever

Children should be given paracetamol, plenty of fluids to drink and be sent to school.

For more information go to Sore Throat.

Diarrhoea and vomiting

Children can return to school 48 hours after the last episode of diarrhoea or vomiting.

For more information go to Diarrhoea and Vomiting.

Head lice

Children can go to school with head lice but they must be treated for the condition to prevent further spreading.
Parents should treat their children and other family members by wet combing with a nit comb and conditioner.

Scabies

Children can go back to school after the first treatment.
Others at home should be treated.

Threadworm

Children can go to school when they have started their treatment.
Everyone at home should be treated.

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Hand, foot and mouth, warts and verrucae, athletes foot and molluscum contagiosum

Children can go to school.
Verrucae should be covered in swimming pools and changing rooms.

For more information go to Hand, foot and mouth, Warts and Verrucae, Athletes Foot, Molluscum Contagiosum.

Conjunctivitis

Children can go to school.
They should be encouraged to wash their hands to prevent further spread of infection.

For more information go to Conjunctivitis.

Impetigo

Children can go back to school when their lesions are crusted or healed, or two days after starting antibiotics.

For more information go to Impetigo.

Measles, Chicken Pox and German Measles

Measles

Children should go back to school four days after the rash has started.

For more information go to Measles.

Chicken Pox

Cases of chicken pox are generally infectious from 2 days before the rash appears to 5 days after the onset of the rash.
Although the usual exclusion period is 5 days, all lesions should be crusted over before children return to nursery or school.

For more information go to Chickenpox.

German Measles

Children should go back to school four days after the rash has started. Please let the school know, as pregnant members of staff may be affected.

For more information go to German Measles (Rubella).

Note: Measles, Mumps and German Measles (Rubella) (MMR) is a notifiable disease.

Scarlet fever or strep throat

Children should go back to school 24 hours after starting appropriate antibiotic treatment.

For more information go to Scarlet Fever or Strep.

Mumps

Children should go back to school five days from the start of swollen glands.

For more information go to Mumps.

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