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By Dr Ellie Cannon
We are often asked how long you need to keep your child off school when they are unwell.
We have made a list of the common childhood ailments and the recommended time off school. These are just a guide based on national recommendations from Public Health England to protect others in the school or nursery.
These times assume that your child is feeling well enough to go to school: so they are really a minimum time off. If they are feeling unwell or suffering with a temperature, they should stay off school.
Recommended time off
- Chickenpox - Until all spots are have crusted over
- Cold Sore - None necessary
- Hand, foot and mouth - None necessary
- Impetigo - 48 hours after starting antibiotics
- Molluscum - None necessary
- Ringworm - None necessary
- Headlice - None necessary
- Roseola - None necessary
- Scarlet Fever - 24 hours after starting Antibiotics
- Slapped Cheek - None necessary
- Diarrhoea and Vomiting - 48 hours after last episode of diarrhoea or vomiting
- Flu - Until recovered
- Conjunctivitis - None necessary
- Glandular Fever - None necessary
- Threadworms - None necessary
- Tonsillitis - None necessary