NHS message to parents over 18 illnesses as some could keep kids off school – full list

The National Health Service has issued a warning to parents

The NHS has issued a warning to parents across the UK. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, they said that the message comes ahead of changes happening this week.

The NHS noted: “It’s back to school this week! But if your child’s feeling under the weather, here’s some advice to help you decide if they should stay at home or not.”

Linking to its website, the NHS said there is several illnesses to consider. From a high temperature to nits and a cough, your child may need to stay home.

Posing the question, “is my child too ill for school?”, they said it can be “tricky deciding whether or not to keep your child off school, nursery or playgroup when they’re unwell.”

So what is the advice? Here is what you need to know.

Should my child stay off school?

1. High temperature: If your child has a high temperature, keep them off school until it goes away.
2. Feeling anxious or worried: It’s normal for children to experience occasional anxiety. They may experience a sore stomach or headache, or have trouble eating and sleeping. However, avoiding school can exacerbate a child’s anxiety about attending school. It’s good to discuss any worries they may have, such as bullying, friendship problems, schoolwork, or sensory issues. You can also work with the school to find ways to help them.
3. Coughs and colds: It’s okay to send your child to school with a slight cough or common cold symptoms, such as a runny nose, sore throat, or headache, as long as they’re otherwise well and do not have a fever.
4. Chickenpox: Keep them off school until all the spots have crusted over. This typically occurs about 5 days after the spots first appear.
5. Cold sores: There’s no need to keep your child off school. Encourage them not to touch the blister or kiss anyone while they have the cold sore, or to share things like cups and towels.
6. Conjunctivitis: You don’t need to keep your child away from school unless they are feeling very unwell.
7. Head lice and nits: There’s no need to keep your child off school. You can treat head lice and nits without seeing a GP. Tell the teacher if your child has this.
8. Ear infection: If your child has an infection and a high temperature or severe earache, keep them off school until they’re feeling better or their high temperature goes away.
9. Hand, foot and mouth disease: If your child has this but seems well enough to go to school, there’s no need to keep them off. Encourage your child to throw away any used tissues straight away and to wash their hands regularly.
10. Impetigo: If your child has this, they’ll need treatment from a pharmacist or GP, often with antibiotics. Keep them off school until all the sores have crusted over and healed, or for 48 hours after they start antibiotic treatment.
11. Ringworm: Your child should see a pharmacist unless it’s on their scalp, in which case you should see a GP. It’s fine for your child to go to school once they have started treatment.
12. Scarlet fever: Your child will need treatment with antibiotics from a GP. Otherwise, they’ll be infectious for 2 to 3 weeks. Your child can go back to school 24 hours after starting antibiotics.
13. Slapped cheek syndrome (fifth disease): You don’t need to keep your child off school because, once the rash appears, they’re no longer infectious. However, please notify the school or teacher if you suspect your child has slapped cheek syndrome.
14. Sore throat: You can still send your child to school. But if they also have a high temperature, they should stay at home until it goes away. A sore throat and a high temperature can be symptoms of tonsillitis.
15. Threadworms: You don’t need to keep your child off school. Speak to your pharmacist, who can recommend a treatment.
16. Vomiting and diarrhoea: Children should stay away from school until they have not been sick or had diarrhoea for at least 2 days (48 hours).

Two other crucial illnesses the NHS mentions are Covid-19 and measles. Speaking about the coronavirus, the NHS stresses that children can in fact still go to school if their symptoms are “mild” such as a “runny nose, sore throat, or slight cough” and they feel “well enough”.

The NHS add: “Your child should try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people if they have symptoms of COVID-19 and they either have a high temperature or do not feel well enough to go to school or do their normal activities.”

In a final illness warning, the NHS notes that children with measles must see a GP. It suggests: “Call the GP surgery before you go in, as measles can spread to others easily.

“Keep your child off school for at least 4 days from when the rash first appears. They should also avoid close contact with babies and anyone who is pregnant or has a weakened immune system.”

Also alerting parents to its own guidance regarding protecting children and young people as well as education staff, experts at GOV.UK note: “To complement the guidance and support its implementation, we recommend educating children and young people on hygiene, germs (microbes), vaccination, and antibiotics.

“A range of interactive lesson plans for ages 3 to 16 have been developed by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) with teachers and are available for free at e-Bug.eu. These are designed to promote healthy behaviours among students and provide additional support and guidance to educators, to contribute to the prevention of infections in the school setting.”