Common & Contagious School-Age Illnesses

Many schools and childcare centers can be breeding grounds for germs, allowing any contagious illness to easily spread among children.

If your child starts showing symptoms or gets sick, it's important to know what common illnesses should keep your child home from school and even those that require a visit to the doctor.

Common Cold

A cold is one of the most commonly known contagious illnesses out there. Colds usually occur year-round but typically rise when other respiratory viruses are likely to circulate during the fall and winter months, such as Adenoviruses, Influenza, and RSV.

The symptoms that typically last about 7 days, but can last up to two weeks, include:

• Cough
• Sneeze
• Runny nose
• Nasal congestion
• Sore throat
• Headache
• Body aches
• Fever

If your child is feeling sick, help stop the spread by keeping them home from school and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces and objects on an on-going basis. If symptoms don't clear up after two weeks, call your child's primary care doctor to learn next steps to getting them back to feeling their best – and back to school!

Strep Throat

Unlike a virus that causes a sore throat, strep throat is caused by an infection in the throat and tonsils and is more common in children ages 5-15 years old than it is in adults. Step throat is highly contagious through respiratory droplets and direct contact.

Symptoms of step throat include fever, pain when swallowing, red and swollen tonsils, white patches or pus on tonsils, red spots on the roof of the mouth and swollen lymph nodes.

If you suspect strep throat, your doctor will be able to diagnose your child with a rapid-step test. If your child has strep throat, they will most often be treated with prescribed antibiotics.

Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease

Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) is a viral infection that causes a rash on hands and feet and sores in the mouth. Although it is common in children, anyone can contract it, causing even more severe symptoms in adults.

A child with HFMD may have symptoms of peeling, sometimes itchy blisters on the soles of their feet and palms of their hands. They may also have symptoms of a sore throat. Additional symptoms include:

• Fever, muscle aches or other flu-like symptoms
• Irritability, fussiness or requiring more sleep than usual
• Drooling (due to painful swallowing)
• Belly pain, vomiting or diarrhea

HFMD is spread through respiratory droplets from an infected person, contact with contaminated surfaces and from person to person.

There is no vaccine or cure for HFMD so the best way to prevent the spread is to keep your child home from school and childcare while they have a fever or open blisters on the skin and in the mouth. Visit an EvergreenHealth urgent care in your neighborhood for diagnosis and treatment options.

Pink Eye

Conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye, is an inflammation or infection of the outer membrane of the eyeball and inner eyelid.

Symptoms can include:

• Pink or red color in the white of the eye
• Swelling of the eye or eyelids
• Itching, irritation and/or burning
• Discharge (pus or mucus)
• Crusting of eyelids or lashes, especially in the morning

Three Types of Pink Eye: Bacterial, Viral and Allergen Conjunctivitis

There are three reasons you may contract pink eye: it can be caused by a virus, bacteria or by allergies.

• Viral pink eye can occur with symptoms of a cold, flu or other respiratory illness.
• Bacterial pink eye is more commonly associated with discharge and pus, which can lead to eyelids sticking together.
• Allergen pink eye typically occurs with symptoms of allergies such as itchy nose, sneezing and scratchy throat.

Pink eye that is caused by a certain bacteria or virus is highly contagious, spreading through close personal contact, respiratory droplets from coughing and sneezing and touching your eyes after touching an object with germs on it.

If you or your child are experiencing symptoms of pink eye, you should seek care from your primary care provider or visit an EvergreenHealth urgent care in your neighborhood for treatment options.

Head Lice

Head lice are tiny parasitic insects that can be found on your head, eyebrows and eyelashes.

Signs and symptoms of lice infestation are:

• Tickling feeling of something moving in the hair
• Itching, caused by an allergic reaction to the bites
• Irritability and difficulty sleeping (head lice are most active in the dark)
• Sores on the head caused by scratching

Head lice infestation, or pediculosis, is spread most commonly by head-to-head contact with an already infected person. Lice is often transferred during play at school, at home and elsewhere during sports activities, on playgrounds, at slumber parties and even camp.

If your child has head lice, all members of the household will also need to be treated. The Centers for Disease Control has a step-by-step process for treating lice, which should be followed to stop the spread.

Life – especially with school-aged kids – often means dealing with these and other common illnesses and surprise symptoms. Having a primary care doctor your family knows and trusts means you have a partner to guide you through every season.