|
|
|
|
CHICKENPOX |
| Incubation
Period |
14 -16 days |
| Infectious
Period |
From the day
before the rash appears, until the spots are dry. |
| How
to recognise it |
Begins with
feeling unwell, a rash and maybe a temperature.
Spots are red and become fluid-filled blisters within
a day or so. Come first on the chest and back, then
spread. The spots eventually dry into scabs, which
drop off. Unless spots are badly infected, they
don't usually leave a scar. |
| What
to do |
No need to
see the doctor unless you are unsure whether it is chickenpox
or your child is very unwell and/or distressed.
Give plenty to drink. Paracetamol will help bring
down a temperature. Baths, loose comfortable clothes
and calamine lotion can all ease the itchiness. |
|
MEASLES |
| Incubation
Period |
7 - 12
days |
| Infectious
Period |
From a
few days before the rash appears until five days after
it goes. |
| How
to recognise it |
Rash appears
after third or fourth day of a feverish illness.
Spots are red and slightly raised; may become blotchy.
Rash is not itchy. Child becomes very unwell,
with cough and high temperature. Illness usually
lasts about a week. |
| What
to do |
Contact
your doctor. Give rest, and plenty to drink.
Warm drinks will ease the cough. Paracetamol
will ease discomfort and lower the temperature.
Vaseline around the lips protects the skin.
Wash crustiness from eyelids with warm water. |
|
MUMPS |
| Incubation
Period |
14 -
21 days |
| Infectious
Period |
From a
few days before becoming unwell until swelling goes
down. Maybe 10 days in all. |
| How
to recognise it |
Child
may complain of pain around the ear or feel uncomfortable
when chewing. Swelling then starts, under the
jaw up by the ear. Swelling often starts on
one side, followed (though not always) by the other.
(It is rare for mumps to affect boys' testes. This
happens rather more in adult men with mumps. However,
the risk of permanent damage is very low). |
| What
to do |
Child
may not feel especially ill and may not want to be
in bed. Paracetamol will ease pain in the swollen
glands. Give plenty to drink but not fruit juices.
They make the saliva flow which can hurt. No need
to see the doctor unless your child has stomach ache
and is being sick. |
|
RUBELLA |
| Incubation
Period |
14 -21
days |
| Infectious
Period |
From a
few days before the illness starts until a week after
the rash first appears. |
| How
to recognise it |
Can be
difficult to diagnose with certainty. Starts
with a mild cold. Rash appears in a day or two, first
on the face, then spreading. Spots are flat. On a
light skin, they are pale pink. Glands in the back
of the neck may be swollen. Child doesn't usually
feel unwell. Give plenty to drink. |
| What
to do |
No need
to see the doctor. Keep your child away from anyone
you know who is pregnant (or trying to become so).
If your child was with anyone pregnant before you
knew about the illness, let them know. |
|
WHOOPING COUGH |
| Incubation
Period |
7 - 14
days |
| Infectious
Period |
From
the first signs of the illness until about six weeks
after coughing first started, unless an antibiotic
is given. |
| How
to recognise it |
It is
a gradually worsening cough. After about two weeks,
coughing bouts start. These are exhausting and make
it difficult to breathe. Sometimes, but not always,
there's a whooping noise as the child draws in breath
after coughing. It takes some weeks before the coughing
fits start to die down. |
| What
to do |
If your
child has a cough that gets worse rather than better
and starts to have longer fits of coughing more and
more often, contact your doctor. It's important for
the sake of other children to know whether or not
it is whooping cough. |
|
|
|
|
