Infectious Diseases 

Under the provisions of the Public Health (Amendment) Act 1992 school principals are required to notify the NSW Health Department of the following conditions:

Diphtheria, Measles, Mumps, Pertussis (Whooping Cough), Poliomylitis, Rubella (German Measles), Tetanus (and any significant outbreaks of Gastroenteritis). Parents should immediately inform the Principal of confirmed cases of these diseases.

It is possible that at some time during your child’s school career he/she will contract one of the common childhood diseases as listed below. Please notify the school if you child has a confirmed case of any of the following diseases.

Chicken Pox 

Child is excluded for at least five (5) days after the first spots appear or until spots have crusted.

Diarrhoea

Keep child at home until 24 hours after the diarrhoea has stopped.

German Measles

Child excluded for at least four days after rash appears or until a medical certificate of recovery is produced.

Glandular Fever

Child should be kept at home if they are too sick to attend school.

Hepatitis A

Child should be kept at home until recovered (usually seven [7] days from the first signs of jaundice).

Hepatitis B

Not necessary to keep child at home but some children with hepatitis B are too sick to attend school.

HIV

Not necessary to keep your child at home (unless he/she has a secondary infectious disease, such as TB).

Influenza

Child should be kept at home for five (5) days after appearance of first symptoms or until the child feels completely better.

Measles

Child should be kept at home for four (4) days after the appearance of a rash.                 

Meningitis

Child should be seen by a doctor IMMEDIATELY.

Mumps

Child should be kept at home for at least nine (9) days after the appearance of swelling.

Tuberculosis (TB)

Child should be seen by a doctor.

Whooping Cough (Pertussis) 

Child should be kept home for fourteen (14) days from the start of illness, or until they have had five (5) days of a ten (10) day course of antibiotics.

Meningococcal

Please consult the Principal before returning.

Conjunctivitis

Child should be kept home until discharge from eyes has stopped.

Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease

Child should be kept home until the blisters have dried.

Head Lice

Child is not excluded but the hair must be completely cleaned and nits (eggs) or lice removed.

Impetigo or Ringworm

Please consult the Principal or Deputy Principal concerning any case of Ringworm or Impetigo. 

Child may be allowed to return after treatment commences.

All sores must be covered with a watertight dressing.

Scabies

Keep your child at home until you have seen a pharmacist and begun suitable treatment.

Slapped Cheek Syndrome

Keep child at home if they feel sick.

Scarlet Fever  

Keep child at home until 24 hours after treatment has begun and the child feels better.

Protection Against Infectious Diseases

The Public Health (Amendment) Act 1992 requires parents of children starting in Kindergarten to provide an Immunisation Certificate at the time of school enrolment. This is not compulsory immunisation, you will always have the choice. If there is an outbreak of an infectious disease, such as measles or whooping cough in a school, children who are NOT immunised will have to stay home during the outbreak. This is especially important, as your child will be coming into contact with lots of other children, and infections can spread easily.

Children starting school who have not already had a booster immunisation should have:-

• one booster injection against diphtheria and tetanus (CDT)

• one booster injection of polio vaccine by mouth (Sabin).

A child should also have an injection of measles vaccine if he or she has not previously had measles or been immunised against measles. The diphtheria/tetanus (CDT) or polio (Sabin) can be given at the same time. If measles immunisation is also required, it is recommended that this be given one month earlier or later.

• Tetanus booster at age 10 (if not given for accidents since age 5).

Immunisation is available from your family doctor, from many council clinics and from some community health centres. (Date and times of clinics may be obtained from the council or the school). It is important to obtain and keep a written record of immunisation.

Protect your child:  Protect the community.

Mass immunisation has already brought poliomyelitis under control in the State and dramatically reduced the number of cases of diphtheria. Immunisation makes sure that epidemics of these diseases cannot start and that the few people who catch them do not die.