Symptoms
Look out for symptoms in your child, which include:
o Sore throat
o Headache
o Fever
o 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:
o your child is getting worse
o your child is feeding or eating much less than normal
o your child has had a dry nappy for 12 hours or more or shows
other signs of dehydration
o your baby is under 3 months and has a temperature of 38C, or is
older than 3 months and has a temperature of 39C or higher
o your baby feels hotter than usual when you touch their back or
chest, or feels sweaty
o your child is very tired or irritable
Call 999 or go to A&E if:
o your child is having difficulty breathing – you may notice grunting
noises or their tummy sucking under their ribs
o there are pauses when your child breathes
o your child’s skin, tongue or lips are blue
o your child is floppy and will not wake up or stay awake
For more government advice please follow the link HERE