Conjunctivitis - nursery policy?

[oysterpots]

Think DS has conjunctivitis and is due in nursery tomorrow (he only goes one day a week). Is there a blanket policy that most nurseries adopt with this? Haven't taken him to the doctor yet but remember last time he had it doc said they only prescribe antibiotics when children are in nursery because the nurseries won't accept them without treatment.

Anyone know if that's right?

My nursery won't have them in with gunky eyes. Previous nursery wouldn't have them in until they had started being given drops. TBH current nursery we have no problems with recurrent conjunctivitis, wheras with first nursery we did, so maybe they have a point, though I know its frustrating. My gp thinks its awful to give antibiotics for this condition. HTH

Nurseries vary. Docs generally don't give anti-bs and think it's wrong to keep children off school but they aren't the ones dealing with miserable children who have caught conjunctivitis AGAIN. It's horribly infectious. Ds had it as a baby several times (he was at nursery) and it was clearly very painful and upsetting.

(I don't mind avoiding anti-bs where they are not needed, but I do think children should be kept off school/nursery until it has cleared up.)

My nursery takes them and just bathes thier eyes with water. Half the time it's viral anyway, so Ab are no use.

Thanks for the info. Guess we'll call the nursery first thing, try to get a GP same-day appointment, and if worst comes to worse DH will take day off.

Last time DS had it GP said conjunctivitis has a bad reputation but is no more contagious than anything else they might pick up from nursery. Guess it's more visible than a common or garden cold, and pretty unsightly though!

Never heard of antibiotics for conjunctivitis - usually just drops for eyes - antibiotics are usually only needed if there is an accompanying chest infection or ear infection.

My gp told me that most nurseries will only accept children with conjunctivitis if it's being treated with drops.

However my ds's nursery definitely doesn't exclude on the basis of conjunctivitis, whether it's being treated or not (I think because it's usually viral and so will just clear up by itself).

My nursery's policy is pretty stupid. There seem to be new guidelines saying that it's not contagious (yeah right) so therefore if you have it you can still go to nursery.

But if you take your dc to a doctor who prescribes antibiotic eyedrops, they are excluded for 24 hours "to support the child's recovery"

So don't treat it and you're allowed in nursery. Try and sort it out and you're banned...

My DD has conjunctivitis again. Nursery said she could come back after 24 hours. As it was she was poorly with a cold/ oral thrush as well and we kept her at home for 3 days. She's got drops and they give them at nursery.

My daughter has conjunctivitus and the nursery made us phone the doctor but the doc states that they wont prescribe as the latest evidence suggests that its no more contagious than a cold etc and the govt backs this up with no exclusion for kids. The nurseries seem to be way behind on this and need to catch up and climb out of the dark ages.

It may be no more contagious than a cold, but a child can be really miserable with crusted up eyes, so it's best to avoid it if they can. Some cases are very mild and some are just dreadful.