Dear Families,

There is an increase in the number of Scarlet Fever cases being reported and there seems to be an increase in people contracting this in schools and college. Below are some key  messages and symptoms and a letter from  the  UK Health Security Agency

Symptoms

Look out for symptoms in your child, which include:

• Sore throat
• Headache
• Fever
• A fine, pinkish or red body rash with a sandpapery feel.
• On darker skin the rash can be more difficult to detect visually but will have a sandpapery feel.
• Contact NHS 111 or your GP if you suspect your child has scarlet fever, because early treatment with antibiotics is important to reduce the risk of complications, such as pneumonia or a bloodstream infection.
• If your child has scarlet fever, keep them at home until at least 24 hours after the start of antibiotic treatment to avoid spreading the infection to others.

Action

As a parent, if you feel that your child seems seriously unwell, you should trust your own judgement. Contact NHS 111 if or your GP if:

• Your child is getting worse
• Your child is feeding or eating much less than normal
• Your child has had a dry nappy for 12 hours or more or shows other signs of dehydration
• Your child is very tired or irritable

If there are any questions, please let us know.

You can download further information here.