Scoil Charthaigh Naofa

Dear all

 

Please read information below, taken from HSE guidelines, in relation to when your child should not attend school. A self declaration form will be sent home with your child tomorrow. This is required to be filled out and signed by aprent/ guardian following any absence from school.

 

Kind Regards

 

Mary

 

 

If your child has symptoms of coronavirus

Last updated: 02 September 2020 at 1pm

This advice is for babies and children up to the end of primary school, usually the age of 12 or 13.

Children and babies can get coronavirus (COVID-19). But they seem to get it less often than adults and it's usually less serious.

When to get urgent medical help

If your child becomes very unwell quickly, it's rare that they have coronavirus. Their symptoms may be because of another illness.

Phone 999 or 112 if your baby is under 3 months old and has a high temperature (38 degrees Celsius or more). If your baby is aged 3 to 6 months and has a high temperature, phone your GP urgently

When to keep your child at home and phone your GP

Do not send your child to school  if any of the following is true.

Your child has:

• a temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or more
• any other common symptoms of coronavirus - a new cough, loss or changed sense of taste or smell, or shortness of breath
• been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus
• been living with someone who is unwell and may have coronavirus
• an existing breathing condition that has recently got worse

You will need to:

1. Isolate your child - this means keeping them at home and completely avoiding contact with other people, as much as possible. Read advice on self-isolation
2. Phone your GP - they will advise you if your child needs a coronavirus test.
3. Everyone that your child lives with should also restrict their movements, at least until your child gets a diagnosis from their GP or a coronavirus test result. This means not going to school, childcare or work.
4. Treat your child at home for their symptoms.

Your child should only leave your home to have a test or to see your GP.

Follow the advice on what to do if your child:

• is given another diagnosis by your GP
• is not tested and is also not given another diagnosis from your GP
• tests positive for coronavirus
• tests negative for coronavirus

Diarrhoea and other symptoms

If your child has symptoms such as diarrhoea, headaches or a sore throat keep them at home for at least 48 hours. These are not common symptoms of coronavirus, but they could be a sign of another infection.

Keep an eye on their symptoms for 48 hours. After 48 hours it's usually okay to send your child back to school or childcare as long as:

• their symptoms do not get worse
• they do not develop new symptoms
• they do not need paracetamol or ibuprofen during these 48-hours

Children who are close contacts of someone who has coronavirus

If your child has been in close contact with someone who has coronavirus, they should restrict their movements for 14 days. They should do this even if they feel well and have no symptoms.

If your child has symptoms, isolate your child and phone your GP to arrange a test for coronavirus.

When it’s okay to send your child to school or childcare

It's usually okay to send your child to school or childcare if they:

• only have nasal symptoms, such as a runny nose or a sneeze
• do not have a temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or more (as long as their temperature has not been lowered by taking any form of paracetamol or ibuprofen)
• do not have a new cough
• have not been in close contact with anyone who has coronavirus
• do not live with anyone who is unwell and may have coronavirus
• have been told by a GP that their illness is caused by something else, that is not coronavirus. Your GP will tell you when they can return to school or childcare.
• have got a negative ('not detected') coronavirus test result and have not had symptoms for 48 hours
• have not had diarrhoea for 48 hours

We ask you to sign a form to say that your child is well enough to attend school. This is called a 'parental self declaration form'. You can use this instead of a GP medical certification.

Runny nose or sneezing

You do not need to restrict your child's movements if the only symptoms they have are:

• a runny nose
• sneezing

They can continue to go to school or childcare if these are the only symptoms they have.

If your child also has a high temperature (38 degrees Celsius or over) or has any other common symptoms of coronavirus - isolate your child, phone your GP and restrict your movements.

Most of the time, you do not need to phone your GP if a runny nose or sneezing are your child's only symptoms. Talk to your pharmacist instead.

A runny nose or sneezing on their own are more likely to be symptoms of a cold or other viral infection.

Compare symptoms of coronavirus, flu and cold

Read more about colds, coughs and viral infections in children

Children and testing

Your GP will decide if your child needs a test for coronavirus.

They will usually need a test if they have:

• been in close contact with someone who has the virus
• common symptoms of coronavirus
• been in contact with someone who has symptoms

They may also need a test if they are admitted to hospital for any illness.

While you wait for their test and test result, follow the advice on keeping your child at home.

Read more about testing for coronavirus.

Bringing your child to a test centre

You may need to drive your child to a test centre. They may find going to a test centre a strange experience. They will see people in protective clothing. They may find this frightening.

Explain to them what will happen before they go. You can read about what to expect at a test centre.

These visual guides may also help children who need to be tested:

Getting ready to go to the Test Centre (Comic) (PDF, 5.35 MB, 3 pages)

Getting ready to go to the Test Drive-in Centre (Comic) (PDF, 4.30 MB, 3 pages)

Autism Social Story for Testing (PDF, 837 KB, 4 pages)

Negative (not-detected) test result or another diagnosis

Your child can return to their normal activities once they have been given either:

• a negative (not-detected) test result and are 48 hours without symptoms and, or
• another diagnosis, that is not coronavirus

You and anyone your child lives with will no longer need to restrict your movements.

Positive test result or not tested and no alternative diagnosis

Your child will need to continue to self-isolate if:

• their test result is positive
• they are not tested and are also not given an alternative diagnosis - if this happens they should be treated as if they have coronavirus

They’ll need to remain in self-isolation until both of these apply:

• they have not had a high temperature (38 degrees Celsius or over) for 5 days
• it has been 14 days since they first developed symptoms

Caring for child in self-isolation

If you are looking after a child who is isolating there is a risk that you can become infected too. You will become a close contact if your child tests positive for coronavirus or has not been tested and not been given an alternative diagnosis.

You will need to:

• restrict your movements for 14 days
• get tested for coronavirus

Continue to restrict your movements until 14 days after your child's self-isolation period ends.

Read more about self-isolation.

If you have symptoms or are unwell

Self-isolate if you have symptoms or become unwell. Follow the advice on self-isolation.