ILLNESS, INCUBATION AND EXCLUSION POLICY

Written By / Date / Review Date / Reviewed By / Amendments
Odette Morgan / 19/01/2011 / May 2011 / CCC / June 2011

Reference is made to the Illness, Incubation and Exclusion Period Policy in the New Handbook that will become available to all new parents. The Policy is available at each Children’s Centre Hub (and in the policy folder at all outreach play sessions) for all parents/carers to read. Parents are informed in the brochure that if their child has any infectious disease whilst in contact with others at a Children’s Centre session, staff must be told immediately so other parents can be advised.

All parents in the Group are informed immediately if a case of German Measles is confirmed because of the high risk in the early stages of pregnancy.

If further advice or help is needed by parents or staff, the GP or Local Health Clinic should be contacted.

If you child is unwell, please keep them away from any Children’s Centre sessions to discourage spreading of illness and to limit any unnecessary discomfort for the child too.

The following are commonly used Early Years Guidelines to inform parents of incubation and exclusion periods for illnesses and the common infectious diseases.

DISEASE / USUAL
INCUBATION
(DAYS) / INTERVAL
BETWEEN ONSET OF ILLNESS AND APPEARANCE OF RASH (DAYS) / MINIMUM PERIOD OF EXCLUSION PROVIDED CHILD APPEARS WELL
PATIENTS / FAMILY
Sickness / - / Until 48 hours after cessation of sickness/vomiting.
Diarrhoea / - / Until 48 hours after cessation of diarrhoea.
Chicken Pox / 10-21 / 0-2 / 7 days from appearance of rash; all the spots to be scabbed over and dry. The child must be well enough for attendance at Pre-School. / There is no routine exclusion of contacts for any of these infectious diseases but individual children may be excluded on the advice of a Medical Practitioner.
Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease / 3-5 / 3-7 / Until clinical recovery and symptoms have ceased and child is feeling well.
Threadworm / Until adequate treatment instituted.
Verrucae / Exclusion from barefoot activities until certified free from infection.
Head Lice / Until treatment has been carried out successfully.
Slapped Cheek Syndrome / 4-22 / - / No need for exclusion as physical symptoms are not usually present during the contagious stages of the virus.
Conjunctivitis / - / - / Until clinical recovery.
Molluscum Contagiosum / 14-50 / No need for exclusion
Athlete’s Foot / Exclusion from barefoot activities until certified free from infection.
Ringworm of Scalp or Body / Until adequate treatment instituted provided lesions are covered.
Scabies / Until adequate treatment instituted.
Impetigo / Until lesions are crusted or healed.
Whooping Cough / 5-14 / - / Until clinical recovery.
Food Poisoning / 0-2 / - / Until declared fit.
Dysentery / 1-7 / - / Until 48 hours after cessation of diarrhoea. / There is no routine exclusion of contacts for any of these infectious diseases but individual children may be excluded on the advice of a Medical Practitioner.
German Measles / 14-21 / 0-2 / Until clinical recovery.
Jaundice / 14-42 / - / Until clinical recovery.
Meningitis
Bacterial
Viral / 2-10
0-21 / -
- / Until clinical recovery and bacteriological examination is clear.
Mumps / 12-28 / - / Until clinical recovery.
Measles / 7-21 / 3-5 / Until clinical recovery.
Scarlet Fever / 1-4 / 1-2 / Until clinical recovery.
Swine Flu / - / - / If you or your child have flu-like symptoms such as a sudden fever, cough, a headache, sore throat, tiredness, aching muscles, sneezing, runny nose or loss of appetite please do not attend the Children’s Centre and follow the current Government guidelines.
Please remember to notify us if you or your child is diagnosed with swine flu and they must stay at home until they have fully recovered and are free of symptoms.

Illness, Incubation and Exclusion Policy January 2012 Page 2