Teething: scarlet fever in kindergarten: you should leave your child at home

by BUNTE.de Redaktion May 26, 2017 at 1:15 p.m.

Scarlet fever is a common streptococcal disease that spreads in kindergartens and daycare centers, especially in the winter months. Due to the high risk of infection, there are a few things to consider.

Notification, symptoms and risk of infection – all you need to know about scarlet fever

The bacteria responsible for scarlet fever spread quickly through a droplet infection and are abundant, especially in kindergartens. A droplet infection means that bacteria (and viruses) stick to toys, hands and furniture through coughing, sneezing and saliva and are therefore easily spread.

The incubation period, So the time between infection with the pathogen and the appearance of the first complaints is between two and seven days. During this time, your child is already infectious.

First symptoms of scarlet fever

The first symptoms, Scarlet fever is similar to a cold, but can be distinguished from a normal viral infection by different deviations:

Fatigue and tiredness

Severe swelling of the lymph nodes

Itching on the groin, under the arms and on the chest

Whitish coating on the tongue, which turns intensely red after a while ("raspberry tongue")

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This is how scarlet fever is treated

The treatment of scarlet fever occurs with one antibiotic, that works against the bacteria – i.e. streptococci. The children are no longer contagious after a day or two, whereas an untreated scarlet fever infection can take up to three weeks.

Attention: Scarlet fever should always be treated with an antibiotic, otherwise the pathogens are also different vital organs can affect or trigger rheumatic fever! An alternative treatment is not recommended!

You should definitely have a doctor’s suspicion of scarlet fever cleared up, because of the high risk of infection compulsory registration consists.

No vaccination protection and no immunity

Unfortunately there is against scarlet fever no preventive vaccination, with you your child could protect against this infectious disease. This is because there are many different strains of streptococci that cannot be eliminated with preventive vaccination.

That is why there are children who have already been infected with this pathogen, unfortunately also not immune and can be infected with streptococci several times, even at short intervals.

So-called "controlled contagion" makes no sense at all, since scarlet fever is always highly contagious and serious illness which is in the course of life can occur again and again!

This also applies to adults, because nobody is immune from a droplet infection that is transmitted by coughing and sneezing.