How do you know when a child's illness is in the contagious stage? I run a day care and would like to be able to take the right precautions at the right time when kids get sick.
– Yvette
It's important to keep in mind that most viral illnesses are contagious before a child shows any symptoms of being sick. In other words, a child who is infected is often spreading the virus even before feeling sick — which makes it virtually impossible to stop the spread of infections.
The best way to try to prevent the spread of germs is to encourage frequent hand washing, even when kids feel well. Kids should wash their hands after playing outside, before eating, after coughing or sneezing, and after going to the bathroom.
For more information, check out these articles:
Infections
What Are Germs?
Why Is Hand Washing So Important?
Reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MD
Date reviewed: October 2006
Originally reviewed by: Neil Izenberg, MD
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