How to know when to send a child back to school after chicken pox?

[LilllyLovesLife]

My DD2 has had chicken pox since Friday and has had it quite bad. Today she is feeling much better and a lot of her spots are scabbed over. However the smaller spots don't look like they will as they never had heads or anything. DD1 didn't have any scabs when she had it in half term.

I want to send her to Nursery tomorrow really, or at least Friday when they have their dressing up day thing for literacy week which she was looking forward to.
But I don't want to get her all dressed and ready and be turned away when we get there as she would be so upset. Her spots are very obvious and all over her. But I doubt she is still contagious.

How do you know when the time is right? Tempted just to leave her off till Monday but she is missing it, and driving me bonkers as she is bored and also wants to have the dressing up day thing.

[RyleDup]

When all of the spots have dried. Took 2 weeks for my dc.

[Hulababy]

Supposed to be once all scabs have dried up.

At DD's school they are current very vigilent on this and ask for it to be gone as much as possible, not just scabbed as they have a child having cancer treatment with them.

[LilllyLovesLife]

OK I think we will leave it till Monday. Thanks

[Marne]

We were told (by the school) to keep them off for 2 weeks, they drove me nuts as they were perfectly fine after a couple of days.

[LilllyLovesLife]

2 weeks is rediculous. The school have said to me once they scab, usually around 5 days. They are very hot on attendance though and probably wouldn't want kids off for 2 weeks. Once they are no longer infectious and feel OK, what's the point in them being off?

[minmooch]

None of these rules are ridiculous. They may not be helpful to you or your child but the reason schools have timescales to keep children off school (whatever the illness) is to protect other children.

My son has cancer and his immune system is low. He wants to and is entitled to an education at school. Some infections he can fight off. Chicken pox would be terrible for him (he has already had it but the treatment to fight cancer reduces your immune system) and he would no doubt end up in hospital.

Please wait until all spots have scabbed over - you do not know if any other children in the class have cancer or have a sibling at home with it.

[RyleDup]

Not ridiculous at all. My dh has cancer. If he caught cp it could kill him.

[RyleDup]

It took 2 weeks for every single one of dd's to scab.

[Ilovecake1]

My LO has chronic disease and chicken box is extremely dangerous for her, she has a regular booster to help her fight it off. Pleas keep your child home until every single scab has dried up!

[vodkaanddietirnbru]

hpa says 5 days from onset of rash and does not mention whether they all have to be scabbed over or not.

[LilllyLovesLife]

Vodkaa - that's what the school said, about 5 days. Kept her off anyway and she can go back on Monday. Thanks for all the advice.