Dear Families
We have had one reported case of Impetigo (School Sores) in the ELC this week.
Impetigo is a skin infection, which commonly occurs in school-aged children. Impetigo appears as flat, yellow, crusty or moist patches or blisters on the skin, usually in exposed areas such as the face, arms and legs.
The sores are filled with bacteria, which spread by contact with the sores or infected fluid. People are infectious for as long as there is fluid weeping from the sores. They are no longer infectious 24 hours after starting antibiotic treatment, or when the sores have healed.
Children with Impetigo should be excluded until appropriate antibiotic treatment has commenced. If antibiotics are not used, keep the child at home until the sores are dry. Any sores on exposed skin should be covered with a water tight dressing.
Just a reminder too, to please arrange alternative care for your child if he/she is unwell. Children in group care can be exposed to lots of 'nasties' at times and sickness spreads rapidly. This has a flow on effect to the other children in the class, their teachers and families. Illness information and exclusion periods are displayed on the doors of the office and the classrooms. Please take a moment to read the information and adhere to the exclusion periods, if any.
Staff will notify you if your child becomes unwell whilst at the ELC and you will be asked to collect them from care as soon as practicable. A good 'rule of thumb' is to ask yourself if your child could fully participate in the indoor and outdoor program without requiring one:one care, if the answer is 'no' then its best to give them a day's rest at home to recover fully before they return to the ELC.
Also, we are only able to administer medication if it has been authorised by a health practitioner and the medication has a chemist label, this includes Panadol. Please hand all medication to your child's teacher and complete the appropriate medication log.
Thank you in advance for your help in keeping us healthy.
ELC Staff
