Conjunctivitis

[MintChocChip147]

Just wondering what your thoughts are on sending a child to a childminder when they have conjunctivitis?
I know there is officially no exclusion period but as it's highly contagious, I'm guessing other parents wouldn't be too happy if their child is spending the whole day with a child who has conjunctivitis?

I have written into my policies that I exclude for it. I have seen some really nasty cases, it spreads easily and we can't go anywhere when children have it.

It's just a basic courtesy to keep your child at home and not spread disease.

Yes I'm also thinking about writing it into my policies that I exclude children with conjunctivitis from now. Even though the official guidelines are that you do not need to exclude, it's just not fair on the other children is it.

Prob is that there's a lot of different types of conjunctivitis.
The really gunky one is usually acute, short lasting and very contagious (that's usually bacterial)
Allergic isn't contagious at all and could last for weeks.
Viral is usually associated with a cold or upper respiratory tract infection and can last a month.
You obv don't want a child with bacterial conjunctivitis in you care, but excluding a child with allergic or mild viral conjunctivitis would be completely unnecessary.

(There are also lots of other types of conjunctivitis, but they're the main three).