The National Health Service (NHS) has issued a timely warning to parents across the United Kingdom as children return to the classroom this week. In a post on the social media platform X, the health service urged families to think carefully about their child's health before sending them to school.
Navigating the Back-to-School Health Maze
Posing the question, "Is my child too ill for school?", the NHS acknowledged that deciding whether to keep a child at home can be a "tricky" dilemma for any parent. To provide clarity, the health authority has published a comprehensive list of 18 common conditions and illnesses, offering clear advice on when a child should stay home to recover and when it is safe for them to attend.
The guidance is designed to help prevent the spread of infections in educational settings while ensuring children do not miss school unnecessarily. The advice covers a wide spectrum, from everyday coughs to more serious notifiable diseases.
Key Illnesses and When to Stay Home
Here is the essential NHS advice for parents, detailing the most common scenarios:
High Temperature: A child with a high temperature should be kept off school until it goes away.
Chickenpox: Children must remain at home until all the spots have crusted over, which usually takes about five days from the first appearance of the rash.
Vomiting and Diarrhoea: Pupils should stay away from school until they have not been sick or had diarrhoea for at least 48 hours (two days).
Impetigo: Keep your child off school until all sores have crusted over and healed, or for 48 hours after they start antibiotic treatment.
Scarlet Fever: A child can return to school 24 hours after starting a course of antibiotics prescribed by a GP.
Measles: The NHS stresses that children with measles must see a GP. They should be kept off school for at least 4 days from when the rash first appears and must avoid contact with vulnerable individuals.
Illnesses That Don't Require Time Off
The NHS also clarifies several conditions where attendance is usually fine, provided the child feels well enough:
Coughs and Colds: It is acceptable to send a child to school with mild symptoms like a runny nose or slight cough, as long as they do not have a fever.
Head Lice and Nits: There is no need for exclusion. Treatment can be obtained without seeing a GP, but parents should inform the teacher.
Cold Sores: Attendance is fine, but children should be encouraged not to touch the blister or share items like cups and towels.
Conjunctivitis: No need to stay away unless the child is feeling very unwell.
Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease: If the child seems well, they can attend. Encourage good hygiene like regular hand washing.
COVID-19: The NHS states that children with mild symptoms, such as a runny nose, sore throat, or slight cough, can go to school if they feel well enough. They should try to stay at home if they have a high temperature or do not feel well enough to participate in normal activities.
Supporting Children's Health in Education
In related guidance, experts at GOV.UK highlight the importance of education in preventing infections. They recommend teaching children and young people about hygiene, germs, vaccination, and antibiotics.
To support this, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has developed a range of free, interactive lesson plans for ages 3 to 16, available at e-Bug.eu. These resources are designed to promote healthy behaviours and support educators in reducing infection spread within schools.
This comprehensive advice from the NHS provides a vital toolkit for parents navigating the winter term, aiming to balance their child's education with the health of the wider school community.
