Understanding Excellent Child Care Activities

Understanding Fifth Disease And When You Can Send Them Back To Daycare

30 August 2016

Barry Ward

Fifth disease is a rarely discussed problem that affects people of all ages. However, it is most common in children and it can be spread through a daycare center very quickly. It's worth understanding this condition so that you can know whether your child has it and when it's safe to send them back to daycare.

Symptoms Of Fifth Disease

When a child catches fifth disease, they will start suffering from a low fever, a headache, and some cold symptoms, such as a running nose or a cough. These symptoms are typically fairly mild, so it's possible they might not keep your child home from daycare. After they disappear, a rash usually appears on the face a few days later.

The rash, which is bright red, will start spreading along the body, including the torso, the arms, and the legs. At this point, you're obviously going to know there is a problem and will be worried if your child is contagious and if they can be sent back to daycare without causing an outbreak.

The Period Of Contagion

Fifth disease is spread when a child coughs an d when saliva, sputum, or nasal mucus touches another child's mucus membranes (such as the mouth and the eyes). Imagine a child with fifth disease coughing in daycare without covering their mouth or playing with their friends without washing their hands.

The strange thing about fifth disease is that it is no longer infectious once it reaches the rash stage. This means that it's possible to miss it in the early stages and that your child may have already spread it to others in daycare.

When It Is Safe To Send Your Child Back To Daycare

Fifth disease's strange contagious cycle means it is hard to gauge when it is okay to send your child back to daycare. By the time they develop a rash, they have already gone through the contagious stage and won't pass the disease on to their classmates.

However, it is important to make sure that they have fifth disease, instead of a similar disease like chicken pox. Chicken pox can ravage through a daycare in a matter of days and infect dozens of children. Take your child to the doctor and confirm that they have fifth disease before assuming it is okay to return them to a daycare setting.

It is also a good idea to tell all the parents in the daycare about the problem, especially pregnant mothers and parents of children who may have difficulties resisting disease. They may be more susceptible to fifth disease, even during the rash stage.

By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your child's disease doesn't spread to other children in the daycare. This can help avoid difficulties with other parents and children that may make it difficult to stay at your current daycare provider.

For more information, talk to a daycare professional like Little Peoples Early Learning Center.

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