Children's illnesses
When booking an emergency nanny it's vital you tell us of any illness your child may have
In particular, we need to know if your child has a contagious condition such as chicken pox; impetigo; hand, foot and mouth; norovirus; etc.
The nanny agencies we work with must be made aware of anything that could be passed on to their emergency nannies - and then potentially to another child.
Undisclosed illness
If an emergency nanny arrives for a booking and discovers the child has a contagious illness, the nanny can refuse to stay. In such circumstances no refund will be made.
Guide to contagious illnesses
The information below is for guidance only - always check with us and we will consult our partner agencies.
Emergency Childcare illness table - for your reference
| Condition | Details | Suitable for care? |
| Chicken pox | Usually child is mildly unwell. Itchy rash and mild fever. | Yes - but only 5 days after the spots have appeared. |
| Common cold | Runny or stuffy nose and possibly mild fever. | Yes. |
| Conjunctivitis | Red, sore and sticky eyes. Highly contagious. Good hygiene essential. | Yes. Carer must practice good personal hygiene. |
| Diarrhoea and vomiting | Abdominal aches. Possibly mild fever. | Yes. Carer must practice good hygiene. |
| Fever - unknown reason | High fever and child unwell. | Care available after fever subsides or cause is ascertained. |
| Flu | Fever aches and pains, fatigue and cough. | Care available after fever has subsided. |
| German measles (rubella) | Rash and fever. | Yes - unless possibility carer is pregnant and has not been immunised. |
| Head lice | Itchy scalp with lice and eggs. | Care available 24 hours after treatment. |
| Hepatitis A | May be flu-like symptoms, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain. | Care available after all symptoms have resolved and doctor states child no longer infectious. |
| Impetigo | Blistery rash usually on face. | Care available after all spots have crusted over and are completely dry / until 48 hours after antibiotic treatment has been started. |
| Measles | Fever, rash, unwell. | Care available 5/7 days after appearance of rash unless nanny has had measles or been immunised. |
| Meningitis | Symptoms vary. | No - until doctor states child is well enough for care - symptoms may persist for weeks/months. |
| Mumps | Fever, headache, sore throat, facial swellings. | Care available 9 days after facial swellings appear or carer has had mumps or been immunised. |
| Ringworm | Itchy, sore areas of skin. | Yes - if lesion can be covered. If not then wait until treatment started. |
| Scabies | Itching in skin creases, scalp, palms, soles etc. | Care available once treatment is completed. |
| Scarlet fever | Sore throat and rash. | Care available once fever has subsided/once they've been on a course of antibiotics for at least 5 days. |
| Slapped cheek syndrome | Mild fever, cold symptoms, flushed cheeks, abdominal pain. | Yes. |
| Tonsillitis | Sore throat and fever. | Care available once fever has subsided. |
| Thrush | White patches in mouth or on genitalia. | Yes. |
| Whooping cough | Cough, fever, nausea, vomiting. | Care available if child has no breathing difficulty and carer has been immunised. After about 5 days of taking anti-biotics they are no longer infectious. |
| Worms | Anal itching, restless sleep. | Yes. Carer must practice good hygiene. |
Please note: The above information is for general guidance only.
If you have further questions please get in touch with our team on support@emergencychildcare.co.uk or 0345 241 5307.
We're available 7:30am to 7:00pm, Monday to Friday.
Wondering what you can expect from an emergency nanny? How to payroll your nanny? Or...? Visit our FAQs for all you need to know about membership, bookings and your service. Frequently Asked Questions
