What is your nurser’s policy for hand foot and mouth?

[Lalarara10]

Since September 11, DD 1 has had a stomach bug, chest infection and HFMD. It’s now looking like she’s got HFMD AGAIN a mere 2 weeks since she last had it? Our nursery don’t let them in until all scabs are crusted over so each child is off for a week. I’m just feeling sooooo fed up its
completely destroying my work life.

just wondering if peoples’ nurseries let them in as long as no fever and otherwise well?

My 6 year old has just had it (it seems to be doing the rounds) and he still went to school and to his childminders throughout as he was never actually unwell. The NHS advice is that children don't need to wait until the blisters/scabs have healed, and can still attend school or nursery as long as they feel well enough.

Having said that, I did check with the school that there were no pregnant staff working directly with my child, and I checked that the childminder had no pregnant families as I think it might be a specific risk during pregnancy.

Ours is fine to come in unless they have a fever or are seeming bothered by the blisters, not eating normally etc

Agree with @Tofeeornottofee. Both my kids school and nursery let them in as long as they're well enough. Did feel bad dropping DS off with it though... until I realised that both the kid who arrived before us, and the one who arrived after also had it.

Nurseries and schools around here don't require them to be kept off. Have you pointed out that they are going against NHS advise?

Keep your child off school or nursery while they're feeling too unwell to go.
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 away from other children for longer is unlikely to stop the illness spreading.

This is so interesting - it clearly isn’t stopping the spread as it’s been going round for a month. I do know other places too that don’t let them in until all scabbed over.

Just mad it’s only been 1 week since she returned to nursery from the last bout. I know you can get it more than once but twice in 2 weeks seems insane to me!

It's not just about nursery policy, but your child will be quite uncomfortable until the sores go away.

Unfortunately nursery comes with illnesses. Part and parcel of being a parent.

Last time she seemed entirely unaffected by them - ate like normal, slept, played. Totally well aside from the sores actually.

Aware kids get ill but HFM twice in two weeks is a LOT

At our nursery you just keep them off if they’re too unwell to come in and/or a temperature, they bc a come back in once feeling well. Are they getting it confused with chicken pox when you do have to wait for spots to crust over?

Ours followed the NHS/UKHSA guidance for everything, so no exclusion for HFM unless unwell/fever.

Our nursery are the same. They don't follow the NHS guidance so from the first HFM blister it's then a 10 day exclusion period. I know it's annoying but at the end of the day nurseries can and will make up their own rules on this. It's the same with conjunctivitis. Child has to go home and can return when eye drops have been administered, but our GP surgery have said they won't see children for conjunctivitis or prescribe eye drops because they're unnecessary (which I agree with because I was always told most conjunctivitis is viral so you just clean eyes with clean warm water) 🥴. Unfortunately when you sign a contract with the nursery you agree to their sickness policy so there's not much you can do.