Reports, guides, handbooks Kindergarten handbook | Seite 17

DISEASE
SYMPTOMS/SIGNS
INCUBATION
PERIOD
SCHOOL ACTION AND
COMMENTS ON
COMMUNICABILITY
SOURCE OF INFECTION AND MODE
OF TRANSMISSION
Lice (head) Itching of the scalp. Look for:
crawling lice in the hair and scratch
marks on scalp or back of neck at
hairline. Nits (eggs) hatch
in 7 to 10 days At end of school day, exclude
from school until first treat-
ment is completed. 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.
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. Usually 3 to 6
days Exclude until temperature is
normal for 24 hours and child
is well enough to participate
in normal daily activities.
Sores may still be present. Coxsackievirus spreads through contact
with nose and throat discharge and
stool of infected persons. Handwashing
important.
Pink eye
(Conjuncti-
vitis) 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 (with-
out 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 sleepi-
ness, or fatigue, twitching or jerking
movements, hostility, coma. 1 to 7 days follow-
ing viral infection
(cold, flu, chicken
pox) 1) If one or more symptoms
appear, call physician immedi-
ately. 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 preven-
tion. 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: Ring-
worm 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 participat-
ing 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, ab-
domen, chest, and lower portion of
buttocks. Infants may be infected on
head, neck, palms, and soles of feet. 2 weeks -
2 months: 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 house-
hold at the same time.
Sudden onset of fever, sore throat,
swollen glands, headache, abdomi-
nal 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 treat-
ment is started. Exclude from
school until temperature has
been normal for 24 hours. Bacteria spreads directly from nose and
throat discharges of infected persons.
Strepto-
coccal sore
throat/
scarlet
fever
Symptoms may
appear in less
than 1 week if the
person has had
scabies before.
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