T

his season marks the time of year that kids are most likely to pick up an infectious illness from school. From the common cold to conjunctivitis, here’s the lowdown on the most common school illnesses, and how to keep your kids healthy.

Common cold

The common cold is undoubtedly one of the most widespread and contagious of infections, simply due to the manner in which it spreads. All it takes is for a child to sneeze or cough, and tiny little respiratory droplets go airborne, and everyone is susceptible.

Colds are viruses that affect the nose, throat and sinuses. Common symptoms include a temperature, nasal congestion or pain, sneezing, coughing, a hoarse voice and a runny nose. Colds tend to last longer in the under-fves, with their symptoms typically lasting from ten to 14 days. Along with frequent hand-washing, taking a reusable water bottle to school instead of using the water fountain can reduce kids’ risk for colds and other infections, since the parts of the fountain that students touch can become contaminated with germs. Make sure to wash the water bottle thoroughly every day. If your kids do catch a cold, teach them to sneeze or cough into a tissue (or the inside of their elbow, if they don’t have a tissue) instead of their hands, so they don’t spread the virus to everything they touch.

Stomach bug

Viral stomach bugs are highly common in children and can

be spread quickly. Symptoms include diarrhoea, vomiting, high temperature and stomach pains. Although stomach bugs are generally not serious, affected children can often become dehydrated, so they should be given plenty of fuids. Viral stomach bugs spread between classmates via hand-to-mouth transmission. Teaching and encouraging your kids to wash their hands regularly, especially after using the toilet, is essential to minimise the spread of infection.

Children should be kept away from school and other children while they have symptoms and for at least 48 hours after the fnal episode of diarrhoea or vomiting. Generally a visit to the GP is not required, but if the child becomes foppy or groggy they may be dehydrated and need to see a medical professional.

Chickenpox

Chickenpox is caused by a virus called varicella-zoster and is spread quickly and easily through coughs and sneezes. It is most common in children under the age of ten and is usually caught in winter or spring.

The virus causes a rash of red, itchy spots that turn into fuid-flled blisters, which then develop into scabs that eventually drop off. Scratching should be discouraged to minimise potential scarring. Applying calamine lotion will help soothe discomfort and minimise itchiness, while paracetamol will help ease the associated viral symptoms such as fever and malaise. Children are infectious from a few days prior to the onset of the rash and for fve days after

Kids and teachers aren’t the only ones heading back into the classroom. Dr Mishi Khanna, BDS , tells you what you need to know about common bugs your kids are likely to encounter.

bugs

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