over 150 students sent home in 2 days sick....

[Chaos Ranch]

Anyone who reads many of my posts can see why my farm is called Chaos Ranch! Lol... We're always covered in so much it's complete chaos most of the time.

Yesterday my 6 year old daughter comes home and tells me that 10 of her 18 student classroom was sent home yesterday with high fevers.

My mother in law comes over and I ask her about it and she tells me that yesterday in the elementary school alone (elem. and high school are connected by a hallway.) 76 students were sent him with high fevers.Tells me many have strep throat, and also heavy red rashes spreading over their bodies. :new_shocked:

I get a little more information... tongues are yellow or white coated, bumpy, and the rash is spreading on some down their arms, over their backs, bellies, and necks. Ok... I'm no genius, and I don't claim to know a whole lot, but in a VERY Small school, 76 students in the elementary are breaking out with this stuff in ONE DAY...shouldn't they send home a note? Contact the news? Somehow inform the parents????

I decide to keep my 5 kids home today until I find out what's going on. At 12:30 I speak to the nurse and she says she has sent home 88 students from the elementary school TODAY by 12:30.... ???? Ok... does that not spell infectious problem ??? I ask her about scarlet fever. She says "some have the flu but most have strep throat and are getting the strep rash".

This is part of an article on Scarlet fever I found on kidshealth.com......

""Scarlet fever is caused by an infection with group A streptococcus bacteria. The bacteria make a toxin (poison) that can cause the scarlet-colored rash from which this illness gets its name.

Not all streptococci bacteria make this toxin and not all kids are sensitive to it. Two kids in the same family may both have strep infections, but one child (who is sensitive to the toxin) may develop the rash of scarlet fever while the other may not.""

You can read all of what they wrote here.....Kids Health ~ Scarlet Fever

I ask the nurse...

"Are you shutting school down for a few days and disinfecting the school?"

No, we're not.

"Are you sending home warning letters to parents?"

"No, we're not.

"Should I keep my kids home?"

I can't authorize that.

I kept them home. I am going to contact their doctor for a note of excuse, then I contacted the local news and asked them to check in and see what's going on. Parent's deserve to know that their kids are being exposed to a very highly contageous fever, as well as the flu, and strep throat, and possibly scarlet fever.

I have questions though. How long should I keep them home?

My friend is 8 weeks pregnant. She's VERY high risk...already lost a baby in July, very fragile pregnancy. Her 3 year old step son has strep throat, I am worried that if we go around her, and my kids are carrying whatever this is going around I'm scared that they could possibly cause her baby in her belly to get sick. Is this possible? Should I avoid her at all costs to prevent infecting her or her unborn baby with this ...well...with this mystery illness?

Is there a shot I can get my kids to prevent them from getting sick? How long should I keep them home?

 

[Just Us N Texas]

If it is Scarlet fever, they should be quarantined. Call your local health dept., your personal Dr., and generally raise the awareness of this disease in the community. As I remember, when I was a kid and had scarlet fever, I broke out in a rash starting with my belly, then my throat swelled nearly shut. High, high fever (so high I sorta went out of it), and sick as a dog. It could also be scarletina. They get sick, have the rash, but not so contagious or serious as scarlet fever. Don't go around your girlfriend till you can find out from your health care professionals what is going on. Keep the kids home a couple of days and see if you can possibly by-pass it.

 

[minisaremighty]

UGH!!! BTDT!!! I'm so glad you notified the news, that's what I did. I happened to know something weird was going on because a friend who worked in the school called me and told me unofficially to keep my kids home. We had norovirus going through the school! It was horrid, kids ended up in the hospital, yet there was NO announcement from the school UNTIL the news hit the papers. They were royally peeved at me (let's just say I'm heavily invovled at my school and all know me WELL), but you know what? When it comes to my kids and their health (one of whom is asthmatic and this would have been horrible for her to catch!), I will annoy whomever it takes. From that point on, OUR school started notifying us anytime something weird like that happens.

I would say for safety sake, just stay away from your friend for a bit. Give it a week and if your kids don't show any symptoms, all should be fine.

 

[Marty]

Schools here are closed down AGAIN in this county, but not in the county where Dan goes

Not scarlet fever but a flu bug, stomach virus they say

Do not go near your girlfriend! If your kids are carrying the bug, she can get it !!!!!!

Kimmy give me a call when you get time. Missing YOU!

Bledsoe County Schools Closed Until Monday

By David Carroll

[email protected]

As a stomach virus spreads through Bledsoe County, officials have decided to close schools until Monday, January 29.

Superintendent Cledus McDaniel told Eyewitness News that the absentee rate among students is 15 percent and climbing.

In addition, several teachers and bus drivers have been calling in sick during the past few days.

McDaniel hopes the four days off will give the county time to fight off the illness.

The school system has 13 "snow days" built into the calendar each year, and will have used 8 of those days by the end of the week. Earlier, the school system used 2 days for another illness, and 2 days for water problems.

 

[Chaos Ranch]

I called my physician and they said to keep the kids home and to totally avoid my friend, just as ya'll suggested. I do not know the germination period for strep throat, scarlet fever, or the flu. Does anyone here know how long after initial exposure it can take for a child to show symptoms or signs?

The doctor told me that if my kids, me, or my husband develp a fever to get in to their office immediatly to begin an appropriet antibiotic schedual.

I advised my friend to call her OB/GYN and inform him of her exposure to Strep during the high fever stage (someone told me that's when it is most contagious) and see what he advises her to do. She's extreemley diabetic and every time she gets sick, gets too emotionally stressed, or has her period her sugar levels jump to 650 and as high as 850 at times. Now she's 8 weeks pregnant and already her sugar began being irratic and that's what caused me to think she might be pregnant. After a home test confirmed it, I insisted she get to a doctor that monday and follow his instructions 100%. She just lost a baby in July at 14 weeks along because of her sugar going over 900 caused by a serious infection she developed. This is why I am terrified that she could catch this flu, strep, scarlet, whatever it is and it could cost her, and her baby their lives.

Marty, I'll give you a call soon. I've put so many irons in the fire lately that not only am I trying to manage them all, I'm trying to keep some of them from burning me! lol..

I wonder where I can go to find out the germination...wait... isn't it incubation? period for the flu, and strep throat/scarlet fever. (why do I keep trying to put an "e" at the end of flu?)

 

[~Karen~]

I usually go to dr. green My Webpage for medical information when I need it. His web site covers many many illnesses. It helped me when Hand, Foot and Mouth was going around our community including my very own preschool

This information should cover some or all of the questions you asked...

Scarlet Fever

Related concepts:

Scarlatina, Strep throat rash

Introduction:

A rash as rough as sandpaper, a high fever, a child who looks quite ill…When parents learn that it is scarlet fever, tragic images from the past may be conjured up. Thankfully, with the right medicine, this one is now easy to treat.

What is it?

Scarlet fever is a Streptococcus infection causing a high fever and a characteristic rash. It is one of the classic childhood exanthems. Unlike the others, however, it does require treatment with antibiotics. Scarlet fever is also called scarlatina, although sometimes the term scarlatina is used for milder forms of the same disease, or even just for the rash. Scarlet fever is almost always associated with a strep throat infection, although occasionally it can arise from strep in another location, such as in a wound. There are many strains of strep; some of them produce one of the three toxins that can lead to the rash. The rash is thought to be an allergic reaction to these toxins.

Who gets it?

Scarlet fever is most common in children between the ages of 5 and 15. It is unusual in children before the third birthday, partly because it takes time for allergies to the toxins to develop. Scarlet fever is most common in the late fall, winter, and early spring, perhaps because children are in closer contact with each other during those months.

What are the symptoms?

People get sick an average of 3 days after they are exposed (range, 2–5 days). Illness usually begins suddenly, with a high fever that peaks at 103°F or 104°F on the second day. Many children also have sore throat, headache, stomachache, nausea, or chills. The characteristic rash usually appears within 12 to 48 hours—while the fever is still present (unlike roseola and fifth disease, in which the fever usually has subsided before the rash appears).

The rash is usually red and has the feel of coarse sandpaper. It fades briefly when you press on it. The rash may begin in the armpits or groin but spreads to cover most of the body. The face usually does not feel rough, but the cheeks are reddened and a pale ring develops around the mouth. The rash usually peels 1 to 6 weeks later.

The tongue may be covered with a white coat, through which red taste buds are visible (a white strawberry tongue). Later, the tongue itself may be reddened and swollen (a red strawberry tongue).

The throat and tonsils are often swollen and beefy red, covered in a gray/white/yellow coat. There may be red or purple spots on the roof of the mouth. Lymph nodes in the neck may be tender.

In some people, scarlet fever is very mild, with only a few of these symptoms. Others are seriously ill, collapsing from the raging illness.

Is it contagious?

Scarlet fever spreads by droplet and by contact transmission. Fomites and airborne transmission are rarely involved. Close contact is necessary to get the infected secretions from one person to the next. To become infected, children need to get the secretions from a sick child into their own mouths. Children are most contagious during the fever.

How is it diagnosed?

A strep test can assist in the diagnosis, along with the appropriate history and physical findings. In the absence of the test, scarlet fever is sometimes confused with the other classic childhood exanthems (measles, rubella, fifth disease, roseola) or with mononucleosis, Staphylococcus infection, enteroviral infections, or Kawasaki disease.

How is it treated?

Antibiotics are used to treat scarlet fever and to prevent its complications. Ibuprofen can help these children feel much better while the antibiotic is taking effect.

How can it be prevented?

Treatment involves avoiding close contact with those who are contagious. Children should be kept out of school or daycare until they have been on antibiotics for 24 hours. Most people are no longer contagious 24 hours after starting the antibiotic. I also recommend getting a new toothbrush for children after they are no longer contagious but before they finish the antibiotics, to prevent re-infection.

Related A-to-Z Information:

Airborne Transmission, Contact Transmission, Droplet Transmission, Exanthems (Childhood rash), Fifth Disease, Fomites, Pneumonia, Roseola, Strep Throat, Streptococcus (Strep)

Alan Greene MD FAAP

February 27, 2002

I wish your friend the best in her health. That must be really scary for her.

:

~Karen