Advice to Parents and Guardians: Scarlet Fever

Dear Parent or Guardian,
There has been a case of Scarlet fever within the school/nursery and your child may have been exposed.

What is Scarlet Fever?Scarlet fever is a bacterial illness that mainly affects children. It causes a distinctive pink-red rash. The illness is caused by a bacterium known as ‘Group A Streptococcus’, which are found on the skin and in the throat.

Is it dangerous?Most cases of scarlet fever don't cause complications, particularly if the condition is properly treated.

Children who have had chickenpox recently are more likely to develop more serious infection during an outbreak of scarlet fever and so parents/guardians should remain vigilant for symptoms such as a persistent high fever, cellulitis (skin infection) and arthritis (joint pain and swelling).

Is there any treatment? A GP will prescribe antibiotics. These will:
• help you get better quicker
• reduce the chance of a serious illnesses, such as pneumonia
• make it less likely that you'll pass the infection on to someone else

How is it spread?Scarlet fever can be spread by:
• breathing in bacteria in airborne droplets from an infected person's coughs and sneezes
• touching the skin of a person with a Streptococcal skin infection, such as impetigo
• sharing contaminated towels, baths, clothes or bed linen
• It can also be caught from people who have the bacteria in their throat or on their skin but don't have any symptoms
 
What is the incubation period (period before infection develops)?The first signs of scarlet fever can be flu-like symptoms, including a high temperature, a sore throat and swollen neck glands (a large lump on the side of your neck).

A rash appears 12 to 48 hours later. It looks like small, raised bumps and starts on the chest and tummy, then spreads. The rash makes your skin feel rough, like sandpaper
How long should children stay away from school?Children can return to school 24 hours after antibiotic treatment.

Can you catch it more than once?
It's possible to have scarlet fever more than once, but this is rare.

Thank you for giving this your attention. You can find further information on Scarlet Fever from either from your GP or NHS https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/scarlet-fever/

​Scan the QR code below on your mobile phone for more information.

Regards,
Becky