Hepatitis A reported at school now DD is ill

[clux73]

Hello

Last week we were informed by the school that there had been a reported case of Hepatitis A. We were given a factsheet saying the symptoms are:
Flu-like symptoms
Fatigue
Nausea
Vomitting
Diarrhea

My 3 year old has had a cough and a cold since last week. At the start of this week DD1 caught the hacking cough, snotty nose etc. Yesterday she was sent home from school complaining of tummy ache and she spent the afternoon laying on the sofa. She got quite hot but nurofen brought the temp down and she slept ok all night, Woke up this morning bright and breezy and said she wanted to go to school. Picked her up this afternoon and hte teacher said she'd said for the last hour that she'd got a tummy ache. Half an hour ago she was sick. She's now much perkier and says her tummy doesn't hurt/

I'm worried about hepatitis A. I've called the helpline number we were given but its closed now until Monday. Not quite sure what to do. THere has only been one case at school (not in her class) so it seems unlikely she would be the only other person to get it. Also her teacher said that a lot of others had also been complaining of tummy ache.

I guess I just sit it out tonight and see how she is tomorrow and take her to the emergency docs if necessary...?

Does the factsheet tell you how it is spread? Or what to do if you suspect your child has it?

I thought it was transmitted by biting or saliva contact etc but I might be wrong.

How worrying....but isn't it covered in the baby vaccination programme?

It's spread via germs in poo apparently! So as I say its highly unlikely she can have caught it - she does wash her hands after she's been to the loo

We don't vaccinate against the A strain as its the milder form, we do vaccinate against B and possibly C i think.

Says to phone the helpline if you have the symptoms and to keep your child off school! Not very helpful advice on a Friday night!! Maybe I should call NHS direct??

Yes, I would ring NHS direct. I'm not sure how you would treat it if it was hep A, nor whether there are any long term consequences of infection? Hopefully not.

Even if she washes her hands, many of the children probably won't, and will then contaminate surfaces they touch so it is possible she could have got it - but it could easily be something different.

I hope you get some peace of mind before the weekend and she continues to feel better.

Thank you. No treatment available - just a case of getting over it.

Would a GP need to do a blood test so they know how many people are catching it do you think?

We can add runny poo to the list of symptoms now!!
Sleepless night for me I think.
I go to pieces when my children are ill.