Archived Kindergarten handbook | Page 17

DISEASE
SYMPTOMS / SIGNS
INCUBATION
PERIOD
Lice( head) Itching of the scalp. Look for: crawling lice in the hair and scratch marks on scalp or back of neck at hairline.
Hand, foot, and mouth disease
Sores occur toward the front of the mouth, on the sides of the tongue, inside the cheeks, and on the gums; may last 7-10 days. In most cases, sores can be found on the palms of the hands, the fingers, and the soles of the feet. A low-grade fever may last 1 to 2 days.
Nits( eggs) hatch in 7 to 10 days
Usually 3 to 6 days
SCHOOL ACTION AND COMMENTS ON COMMUNICABILITY
At end of school day, exclude from school until first treatment is completed.
Exclude until temperature is normal for 24 hours and child is well enough to participate in normal daily activities. Sores may still be present.
SOURCE OF INFECTION AND MODE OF TRANSMISSION
Louse transmitted primarily by direct contact with infested persons. Lice can also be transmitted through combs, brushes, bedding, wearing apparel, headwear including hair ornaments, helmets, and sleeping bags.
Coxsackievirus spreads through contact with nose and throat discharge and stool of infected persons. Handwashing important.
Pink eye( Conjunctivitis)
Bacterial: pink or red conjunctiva with pus that causes matting of the eyelids, pain or redness of eyelids. Viral: pink conjunctiva with clear watery discharge and without pain or redness of eyelids.
1 to 12 days
Refer for medical diagnosis and treatment; if bacterial( with pus), exclude from school until 24 hours after treatment begins. Viral( without pus): no exclusion.
Most are viral in etiology, some bacterial. May be spread through hand-eye contact.
Reye’ s syndrome
Sudden onset of violent vomiting, mental confusion, extreme sleepiness, or fatigue, twitching or jerking movements, hostility, coma.
1 to 7 days following viral infection( cold, flu, chicken pox)
1) If one or more symptoms appear, call physician immediately. 2) Go to emergency room of hospital. 3) Do not give aspirin to a child with a viral illness. 4) Exclude from school until clinically well.
Usually follows viral infection. It is not contagious. Cause unknown. No prevention. Requires immediate attention at onset of symptoms. Most common in young children.
Ringworm
Body: Ringworm appears as flat, spreading ringshaped lesions. The edge of the lesion may be dry and scaly or moist and crusty. As the lesion spreads outward, the center often becomes clear. Scalp: Ringworm may be hard to detect in the early stages. It often begins as a small, scaly patch on the scalp. Mild redness and swelling may occur. Infected hairs become brittle and break off easily.
Body: 4 to 10 days, Scalp: 10 to 14 days
Exclude from school until 24 hours after treatment has been started. Lesions must be covered when participating in contact sports.
Fungus spread by contact with infected person, animal or contaminated articles.
Scabies
Rash and intense itching which may be more severe at night. Common locations to see the rash are folds of skin between fingers, around wrists, elbows, and armpits. Other areas where rash may appear are knees, waistline, thighs, male genitals, abdomen, chest, and lower portion of buttocks. Infants may be infected on head, neck, palms, and soles of feet.
2 weeks- 2 months:
Symptoms may appear in less than 1 week if the person has had scabies before.
Exclude from school until 24 hours after treatment begins.
Mite is transferred by direct contact with skin or through shared bedding, towels, and clothing of a person with scabies. Treat all members of household at the same time.
Streptococcal sore throat / scarlet fever
Sudden onset of fever, sore throat, swollen glands, headache, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting in severe cases. With scarlet fever a very fine raised rash is present. A fuzzy, white tongue may occur. The rash appears most often on the neck, chest, in folds of the armpit, elbow, groin, and the inner thigh. Later there may be peeling of the skin on the fingertips and toes.
Usually 1 to 3 days
Exclude until throat culture report is received. If positive for strep, exclude from school until 24 hours after antibiotic treatment is started and until clinically well. Communicable until 24 hours after treatment is started. Exclude from school until temperature has been normal for 24 hours.
Bacteria spreads directly from nose and throat discharges of infected persons.
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