What is chickenpox?
Chickenpox is a common childhood illness. Fever and cold symptoms are often the first signs of illness and are followed by the appearance of the typical rash. The rash starts as small pink bumps, often around the neck, ears, back and stomach. These develop a little water blister, which in turn becomes yellow and oozy and ultimately crusty as it dries. The rash spreads outwards to involve the whole body finally involving the lower arms and legs. People may have only a few spots or may be virtually covered with them. In children it is usually a relatively mild illness however occasionally complications develop.
Why should I be concerned about chickenpox?
Chickenpox can be a devastating infection in people with a seriously weakened immune system (e.g. patients with leukemia or after organ transplantation). In adults, chickenpox is a much more significant illness than in children and there is a greater risk of complications developing. Chickenpox in pregnancy may cause severe illness and, in the early stages of pregnancy, may result in abnormalities in the baby.
What should I do now?
If your child is normally healthy, chickenpox is likely to be a relatively mild illness and no specific precautions are necessary. Symptoms usually develop 10 to 21 days after exposure. The infected person can spread infection for up to three days before the rash appears and until the last pox is crusted and dry. If your child has a weakened immune system, please contact your child’s doctor and let them know that your child may have been exposed.
Can my child stay in school?
Many children with chickenpox are too sick to attend school and are more comfortable at home. Children can spread the infection to others as long as there are any spots, which are not crusted and dried. Children with chickenpox should stay home from school until scabs are dry; this is usually five to seven days after the appearance of the rash. Children with spots that are crusted and dried can safely attend school.
Chickenpox is a common childhood illness. Fever and cold symptoms are often the first signs of illness and are followed by the appearance of the typical rash. The rash starts as small pink bumps, often around the neck, ears, back and stomach. These develop a little water blister, which in turn becomes yellow and oozy and ultimately crusty as it dries. The rash spreads outwards to involve the whole body finally involving the lower arms and legs. People may have only a few spots or may be virtually covered with them. In children it is usually a relatively mild illness however occasionally complications develop.
Why should I be concerned about chickenpox?
Chickenpox can be a devastating infection in people with a seriously weakened immune system (e.g. patients with leukemia or after organ transplantation). In adults, chickenpox is a much more significant illness than in children and there is a greater risk of complications developing. Chickenpox in pregnancy may cause severe illness and, in the early stages of pregnancy, may result in abnormalities in the baby.
What should I do now?
If your child is normally healthy, chickenpox is likely to be a relatively mild illness and no specific precautions are necessary. Symptoms usually develop 10 to 21 days after exposure. The infected person can spread infection for up to three days before the rash appears and until the last pox is crusted and dry. If your child has a weakened immune system, please contact your child’s doctor and let them know that your child may have been exposed.
Can my child stay in school?
Many children with chickenpox are too sick to attend school and are more comfortable at home. Children can spread the infection to others as long as there are any spots, which are not crusted and dried. Children with chickenpox should stay home from school until scabs are dry; this is usually five to seven days after the appearance of the rash. Children with spots that are crusted and dried can safely attend school.
Contagious Diseases and Conditions
To protect other students from contagious illnesses, students infected with certain diseases are not allowed to come to school while contagious. If a parent suspects that his or her child has a contagious disease, the parent should contact the school nurse so that other students who might have been exposed to the disease can be alerted.
When can your child return to school?
Chickenpox: When all lesions have crusted over and it has been at least 24 hours since the last new lesion appeared
Common Cold: When fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-suppressing medication
Conjunctivitis, Bacterial or Viral (Pink Eye): A doctor's note is required unless symptoms have resolved. (see below for more info on pink eye)
Fever: When fever-free (< 100.0 F) for 24 hours without the use of fever-suppressing medication
Fifth Disease (Erythema Infectiosum): When fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-suppressing medication. (see below for more info on fifth disease)
Flu (Influenza): When fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-suppressing medication
Gastroenteritis (Stomach bug): When diarrhea-free and fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-suppressing or anti-diarrheal medication.
Strep Throat: When on antibiotics and fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-suppressing medication
Vomiting: When able to tolerate food and liquids without any recurrence of vomiting.
Click on the link below for Diseases Requiring Exclusion from School.
http://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=T&app=9&p_dir=P&p_rloc=130215&p_tloc=&p_ploc=1&pg=9&p_tac=&ti=25&pt=1&ch=97&rl=62
Pink Eye info:
Pink eye (conjunctivitis) can be bacterial or viral in nature. It is transmitted by direct contact with secretions from the eye, and may be spread when infectious secretions are deposited on an inanimate object, touched by another hand, and then retouched to the eye. (For example, if a student with pink eye rubs his eye, has secretions on his hand, and opens the door, the next person who opens the door and then rubs his eye may contract pink eye.) Good hand washing and keeping hands away from the face can significantly reduce the spread of this infection.
Symptoms can include one or more of the following:
*red eyes *discharge from the eyes
*swollen eyes *early morning crusting around the infected eye
*excess tears
If your child is experiencing any of these symptoms, please do not send him/her to school. A trip or phone call to the doctor will help to establish proper diagnosis. Once diagnosed, bacterial conjunctivitis responds quickly to antibiotics. It is very important to finish all of the antibiotic as prescribed to treat the current infection, and to prevent a recurrence. Students may return to school after they have been on antibiotics for 24 hours (with bacterial conjunctivitis). Viral conjunctivitis will not respond to antibiotics, and must run it's course. It usually lasts 4-15 days. A doctor will determine when your child can return to school if it's viral conjunctivitis. Please bring a doctor's note to school confirming the diagnosis.
Please notify the office if your child is diagnosed with "pink eye".
Fifth Disease:
Fifth Disease is a common childhood viral illness which is spread by coughing, sneezing or by direct contact with infected mucous. It sometimes begins with no symptoms at all, but usually starts with 3-4 days of low grade fever or symptoms of a mild cold. This is followed in 7-10 days by a bright red rash on the face which gives them a "slapped cheek" appearance. After another 1-3 days a blotchy and sometimes itchy rash appears on the arms and legs, spreading to the trunk. As it fades, the rash develops a "lace-like" appearance which can last up to 2 weeks. Once cleared, this rash may reappear for several weeks if the skin becomes flushed from sunlight, exercise or stress.
The disease is contagious from 2 weeks to 3 days BEFORE the appearance of the rash. Children are no longer contagious after the appearance of the rash, and do not need to be excluded from school unless they have a fever (100.0 or greater) or exhibit other signs of illness. Since most children have only mild symptoms easily attributed to allergies, little can be done to limit the spread of the disease. As with any illness, notify your pediatrician if you suspect your child has Fifth Disease.
Pregnant women who are exposed to or have symptoms of the virus should notify their doctor. Pregnant women who lack immunity are susceptible to infection and if infection occurs during pregnancy then transmission to the fetus is possible. Most adults have had Fifth Disease during childhood and are not at risk.
To protect other students from contagious illnesses, students infected with certain diseases are not allowed to come to school while contagious. If a parent suspects that his or her child has a contagious disease, the parent should contact the school nurse so that other students who might have been exposed to the disease can be alerted.
When can your child return to school?
Chickenpox: When all lesions have crusted over and it has been at least 24 hours since the last new lesion appeared
Common Cold: When fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-suppressing medication
Conjunctivitis, Bacterial or Viral (Pink Eye): A doctor's note is required unless symptoms have resolved. (see below for more info on pink eye)
Fever: When fever-free (< 100.0 F) for 24 hours without the use of fever-suppressing medication
Fifth Disease (Erythema Infectiosum): When fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-suppressing medication. (see below for more info on fifth disease)
Flu (Influenza): When fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-suppressing medication
Gastroenteritis (Stomach bug): When diarrhea-free and fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-suppressing or anti-diarrheal medication.
Strep Throat: When on antibiotics and fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-suppressing medication
Vomiting: When able to tolerate food and liquids without any recurrence of vomiting.
Click on the link below for Diseases Requiring Exclusion from School.
http://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=T&app=9&p_dir=P&p_rloc=130215&p_tloc=&p_ploc=1&pg=9&p_tac=&ti=25&pt=1&ch=97&rl=62
Pink Eye info:
Pink eye (conjunctivitis) can be bacterial or viral in nature. It is transmitted by direct contact with secretions from the eye, and may be spread when infectious secretions are deposited on an inanimate object, touched by another hand, and then retouched to the eye. (For example, if a student with pink eye rubs his eye, has secretions on his hand, and opens the door, the next person who opens the door and then rubs his eye may contract pink eye.) Good hand washing and keeping hands away from the face can significantly reduce the spread of this infection.
Symptoms can include one or more of the following:
*red eyes *discharge from the eyes
*swollen eyes *early morning crusting around the infected eye
*excess tears
If your child is experiencing any of these symptoms, please do not send him/her to school. A trip or phone call to the doctor will help to establish proper diagnosis. Once diagnosed, bacterial conjunctivitis responds quickly to antibiotics. It is very important to finish all of the antibiotic as prescribed to treat the current infection, and to prevent a recurrence. Students may return to school after they have been on antibiotics for 24 hours (with bacterial conjunctivitis). Viral conjunctivitis will not respond to antibiotics, and must run it's course. It usually lasts 4-15 days. A doctor will determine when your child can return to school if it's viral conjunctivitis. Please bring a doctor's note to school confirming the diagnosis.
Please notify the office if your child is diagnosed with "pink eye".
Fifth Disease:
Fifth Disease is a common childhood viral illness which is spread by coughing, sneezing or by direct contact with infected mucous. It sometimes begins with no symptoms at all, but usually starts with 3-4 days of low grade fever or symptoms of a mild cold. This is followed in 7-10 days by a bright red rash on the face which gives them a "slapped cheek" appearance. After another 1-3 days a blotchy and sometimes itchy rash appears on the arms and legs, spreading to the trunk. As it fades, the rash develops a "lace-like" appearance which can last up to 2 weeks. Once cleared, this rash may reappear for several weeks if the skin becomes flushed from sunlight, exercise or stress.
The disease is contagious from 2 weeks to 3 days BEFORE the appearance of the rash. Children are no longer contagious after the appearance of the rash, and do not need to be excluded from school unless they have a fever (100.0 or greater) or exhibit other signs of illness. Since most children have only mild symptoms easily attributed to allergies, little can be done to limit the spread of the disease. As with any illness, notify your pediatrician if you suspect your child has Fifth Disease.
Pregnant women who are exposed to or have symptoms of the virus should notify their doctor. Pregnant women who lack immunity are susceptible to infection and if infection occurs during pregnancy then transmission to the fetus is possible. Most adults have had Fifth Disease during childhood and are not at risk.