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Original poster

How many days off for hand foot and mouth ?

30 replies

anenomeV19 · 04/12/2019 19:48

Just wondering how long usually children need to be kept off as have had different advice from everywhere ?!

OP posts:
NoParticularPattern · 04/12/2019 19:50

I think official advice (nhs) is that they don’t NEED to have any days off if they are generally well, but that you should inform school as they may well have a policy about it. It’s one of those that they’re infectious before they break out in it so very likely they’ve spread it round anyway which is why they say not to unless unwell.

Quartz2208 · 04/12/2019 19:52

until they are well enough - there is no quarantine period on it

Cuddlysnowleopard · 04/12/2019 19:52

We didn't have to keep ds off at all, but he wasn't comfortable eating for a few days, so I kept him off nursery.

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Families
dementedpixie · 04/12/2019 19:53

NHS says no exclusion period. If they're feeling ok they're ok to attend

managedmis · 04/12/2019 19:53

Depends how bad he is?! Have you got it too, op?

Original poster
anenomeV19 · 04/12/2019 19:54

One dr told us to stay in for 5 days or until the spots stopped appearing and someone else said above that no need to stay away.
Dc is off as is feeling really unwell with it But I was unsure what to do once symptoms are improved

OP posts:
Original poster
anenomeV19 · 04/12/2019 19:55

Feeling really bad-v bad sore throat with it so not ok for school
No I haven’t got it, well not yet hopefully I don’t but can’t see how I’ll avoid it !

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 04/12/2019 19:55

5-7 days is normally the approx time off for chicken pox

Original poster
anenomeV19 · 04/12/2019 19:56

I’m surprised how like c pox it actually is . Really nasty blisters and not confined to hands feet and face

OP posts:
Frlrlrubert · 04/12/2019 19:57

DD was only one when she had it and nursery said to just bring her back when she was well enough- she was pretty poorly with it for at least a week though.

dementedpixie · 04/12/2019 19:57

www.nhs.uk/conditions/hand-foot-mouth-disease/ says:

Staying off school or nursery

Keep your child off school or nursery while they're feeling unwell.

But as soon as they're feeling better, they can go back to school or nursery. There's no need to wait until all the blisters have healed.

Keeping your child off for longer is unlikely to stop the illness spreading.

MySonThePotato · 04/12/2019 19:58

No mandatory exclusion period, according to NHS England guidance. If your child feels poorly obviously they may need to be off anyway.

IndecentFeminist · 04/12/2019 19:59

Our nursery said no time off needed if they feel ok. Apparently they are mainly infectious before the spots come out anyway.

Original poster
anenomeV19 · 04/12/2019 19:59

thankyou !
Just wanted to double check as told different things by diff drs and googling it I wasn’t clear in when they are infectious. Hopefully he’s feeling better soon and can go back even if a bit spotty still

OP posts:
Glenthebattleostrich · 04/12/2019 19:59

My policy is the same as chicken pox, exclude until spots have crusted. It's bloody nasty and I have a duty to the other families I work with.

user1019273703 · 04/12/2019 20:02

Ive had it and now my little one. Kept her off as she has been so unwell. It made me really poorly so I stayed off until I felt well

Lauren83 · 04/12/2019 20:02

My nursery said NHS guidelines he can go in and GP said the same however nursery politely asked would I keep him off so I did

GreenBasket · 04/12/2019 20:03

It's not as serious as chicken pox.
There's no official exclusion period, depends on your nursery/school.
They're contagious two weeks before you even know they have it in most cases so ignore any blarting about how you're the devil for sending them in when they're (sort of) ill. The world keeps turning.

MotherOfLittlePeople · 04/12/2019 20:03

GPs advice to us a few months ago was that time off isn't needed as long as they are ok in themselves but I kept mine off for 7 days.

managedmis · 04/12/2019 20:03

It's awful, apparently a vaccination is in the works and it bloody should be. DD was sick for two weeks with HFM

Bobbybobbins · 04/12/2019 20:04

Our DS was one when he had it and had a temp of 40- he was quite poorly.

dementedpixie · 04/12/2019 20:05

I dont think they are contagious for 2 weeks before. The link says it's a few days before and 5 days after that they are most contagious. It's not dangerous like chicken pox can be for pregnant women

TooleyVanDooley · 04/12/2019 20:14

My policy is the same as chicken pox, exclude until spots have crusted.

This doesn’t actually make any sense. The fluid inside chicken pox spots is infectious, the fluid in hand, foot & mouth spots isn’t. So spot crusting has no bearing on whether or not the child is infectious.

Original poster
anenomeV19 · 04/12/2019 20:33

You see this is another thing - we were told it can be dangerous for pregnant women by the dr

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 04/12/2019 20:46

Sounds like the gp was getting the conditions mixed up

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