Scarlet Fever at Nursery

[Constantine1986]

I had a message on Friday from the nursery DD goes to to say there had been two confirmed cases of scarlet fever. DD is 9months and due to go to nursery tomorrow but I am reluctant to send her as I'm worried about her getting ill. Am I being over the top or am I right to keep her home?

It's not that bad or they would keep them off. It's contagious but not life threatening - I'd send in DD.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/scarlet-fever/

Well they’ll always be something going round at nursery, can you afford time off every time? The ill children won’t be there which is a sensible precaution. Keeping a well child home is probably OTT.

I would keep her off, but I'm one of life's worriers. It may not be considered as dangerous now, but it killed Beth in Little Women and seemed to make her throughly miserable. Yes, I know she's fictional. Even so, I wouldn't put my child at risk if at all possible.

Antibiotics are so effective against scarlet fever that they are good to go back to nursery after 24 hours.

DS has had it 5 (yes 5) times.

Yes but we have antibiotics now which they didn't have in little women days.

NHS advice says it all really. No need to keep her at home.

Doctors think that scarlet fever has mutated since Little Women time to be a less serious illness. When mine had it they didn't seem I'll other than a sore throat and rash.
That's not to say don't be sensible about it, but it isn't feared like it used to be. Antibiotics help too, although mine didn't have them.

I would send her in, the sick children would be at home. My son had scarlet fever last year he was fine about 24 hours after starting his antibiotics but he was really ill for a day or two.

You can't avoid childhood illnesses. Any kid can be incubating an illness at any time e.g. chicken pox, hand foot and mouth, sickness etc. Part of life unfortunately (I did have dd2 vaccinated for chicken pox though).

ReganSomerset

Beth was based on Louisa May Alcott's sister, who died as a result of permanent damage from scarlet fever at age 22.

I suspect that Beth (real and fictional versions) likely developed rheumatic fever. This is a consequence of untreated strep infections (scarlet fever is a strep infection). The bacteria can cause inflammation of the heart and can permanently damage heart valves. Left untreated, this can lead to heart failure.

The good news is that rheumatic fever is rare today due to the introduction of antibiotics. If your baby does contract scarlet fever, getting her put on antibiotics right away will substantially decrease her risk.

@agnurse

That was a really interesting read, thank you.

When my son had it he was hardly I’ll at all, he’s had much worse.
I didn’t even realise it was a serious illness until I phoned his Pre school to say he wouldn’t be in and why and they said it was a notifiable disease ( or something)
I think these days 7 days of antibiotics and that’s it in most cases

I would say it's way OTT to keep kids off nursery every time there's a case of a contagious illness.

It's a fact of life, people, especially kids, pick up minor illnesses.

She will have already been exposed to it over the last week or so before the poorly kids were diagnosed so it won't really make much difference in terms of risk anyway.

My ds had it and wasn't too ill, a temp, a strawberry Tongue and a rash, 7 days of antibiotics, but he was back to normal on day 3

Presumably the 2 children who have scarlet fever won't be there tomorrow, so your daughter is at less risk now than before they were diagnosed....

Scarlet fever can be dangerous and some complications (i.e. Rheumatic Fever) can cause lasting heart damage.

My younger brother has had Rheumatic Fever related illness since the age of 5 (now in his twenties). He had severe Scarlet Fever with delirium, high fever and red rash, then despite antibiotics developed Rheumatic Fever and had to use a wheelchair for over a year.

I do not think you're at all unreasonable to keep her off nursery.

I had scarlet fever as a child, as did my neighbour.
I don't remember being unwell with it - we played outside the whole time we were off.

My son also contracted scarlet fever when he was around three, he had a sore throat, strawberry rash and temperature.

If you feel more comfortable keep your dd off but the chances are, if she has been in nursery through the week she may have been in contact with it anyway.

Blimey, if I kept dd off for everything that spread round nursery I’d never go to work. They’ve had chickenpox, hand foot and mouth and scarlet fever nearly every week this year. It’s so normal at nursery, and your kid has got to build up an immune system somehow! Obviously if there’s underlying illnesses be cautious, but I would send her in if she’s in full health.