澳洲开学后小朋友容易得的疾病

在澳大利亚小学教育



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Children may return from the summer break stress-free and healthy, but doctors warn their bodies can react to exposure to so many people and so many germs.

Respiratory diseases such as coughs, colds and asthma, followed by eye problems, are the most common health problems affecting schoolchildren, the latest National Health Survey reports.

While it can be difficult for working parents to manage sick children, it is important to keep them away from school to prevent illness from spreading, spokesman for the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Ronald McCoy says.

"There can be pressure on parents to send children back to school quickly but it's important to ask your doctor when it is safe for them to return," Dr McCoy, from Victoria, says.

Advertisement: Story continues below "It's often far quicker than you'd expect because with many things they have been infectious before they become sick."

Elisabeth Murphy, senior clinical adviser at the NSW Department of Health, agrees.

"It is also sometimes judicious to keep children home that little bit longer and send them back well rather than recovering," she says.

"It is often an investment for them not being vulnerable to the next infectious illness."

Dr Murphy says children can avoid many common infections simply by knowing how to wash their hands correctly.

"Most infections such as colds and gastro are spread by direct contact because hands get germs on them and children put their hands in their mouths," Dr Murphy says.

"It's basic advice, but important. All you need is clean water, soap and the time to wash [hands] properly, which means washing the front and back as well as between the fingers and nails. Drying hands well is also an important part of the process."

Respiratory illness

Respiratory disease is the main illness affecting schoolchildren. Colds can come on quickly between one and three days after exposure. Symptoms include a runny nose, sore throat and cough. NSW Health advises parents to keep children at home until they look and feel better.

Twelve per cent of children have asthma, making it a serious illness that needs to be managed, the RACGP says. Dr McCoy advises parents to see a doctor to set up a treatment plan and inform the school of their children's condition.

Eye problems

Eye problems are often identified once children start school when it becomes clear they can't see the blackboard. Consult your GP if your child is squinting, complaining of headaches or tells you they are having trouble seeing things on the blackboard. The RACGP says 10 per cent of children have eye problems, making it important that parents have their children's vision checked regularly. Talk to your doctor or your early childhood health centre about free government eye screening programs for preschoolers.

Tummy bugs

Bouts of gastroenteritis can last for several hours or several days and include vomiting, stomach cramps and frequent loose or watery stools. NSW Health recommends children be kept home from school until the symptoms go away and for 24 hours after the diarrhoea stops. Make sure you and your child wash their hands well before and after toileting and handling any food.

Head lice

One of the most common school-based afflictions, head lice take five to seven days to hatch. NSW Health does not recommend keeping children at home but says parents should inform the school plus family and friends if their children have it. The first sign might be when your child is scratching his or her scalp. You might see the eggs, called nits, which are white specks found near the base of the hair, or small lice crawling on the scalp or along the hair. Treat immediately using large amounts of hair conditioner and a fine head-lice comb to remove any eggs or lice and repeat a few days later.

Whooping cough

Whooping cough can start in the same way as a cold but develops into bouts of coughing that can linger for weeks or longer. It can be life-threatening to babies who are often infected by an older sibling or adult. Vaccination is the best defence.

NSW is in the middle of a whooping cough outbreak. Anyone with a new cough should see their GP and stay away from babies to avoid infecting them.

Chicken pox

The symptoms are a slight fever, runny nose and a rash of raised pink spots that blister and scab. It can take two to three weeks for these symptoms to appear after exposure. Immunisation is recommended at 18 months. Vic Health recommends children stay home for five days from when the rash appears and longer if the blisters have not dried.
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