Children who attend daycare centers or kindergartens spend a lot of time in close contact with other kids, which means the risk of catching an infectious disease or passing one on to others is relatively high. This guide explains the most common childhood infectious diseases in group-care settings: what they are, what symptoms to look for, how long a child should stay home, and how to prevent them in the first place.
Common Childhood Infectious Diseases
Chickenpox (Varicella)
Chickenpox is an acute infectious disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus. It mostly affects children under 15. It typically starts with a mild fever, followed by an itchy rash of fluid-filled blisters that spread across the body. Within 7 to 10 days the blisters crust over and the illness settles down.
The virus spreads through direct contact with blister fluid or through airborne respiratory droplets. It is especially contagious in the early stages. Once all the blisters have crusted over, the child is no longer contagious, so children should stay home until that point.
Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD)
HFMD mainly affects children under 6. It causes small blister-like sores on the hands, feet, and inside the mouth. After an incubation period of 3 to 4 days, sores smaller than 1 cm appear on the tongue, inner cheeks, palms, and soles. The child may also have a sore throat, mouth pain, fever, and a rash, similar to a common cold.
Children should be kept home for about one week after symptoms appear. Because HFMD is caused by several different viruses, children with weaker immune systems can catch it two or three times in a single season, so prevention is especially important.
Influenza (Flu)
Influenza is an acute respiratory illness caused by the influenza virus. Symptoms include high fever, runny nose, sore throat, headache, and muscle aches.
The standard isolation period is around 5 to 7 days. A child can generally return to the facility once at least 5 days have passed since symptoms began and at least 24 hours have passed since the fever resolved without fever-reducing medication. Daycare centers follow official infectious-disease guidelines on this.
Quick Reference: How Long to Stay Home
| Disease | When the child can return |
|---|---|
| Chickenpox | Once all blisters have crusted over |
| Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease | About 1 week after symptoms appear |
| Influenza | At least 5 days after symptoms appear AND at least 24 hours fever-free |
Each facility may have slightly different rules, so always check with your child’s daycare or kindergarten first.
Basic Rules for Preventing Infectious Diseases
The most effective ways to prevent the spread of illness in a group-care setting are:
- Wash hands thoroughly: After going out, before and after meals, and after using the toilet, wash with soap and running water for at least 30 seconds.
- Cough and sneeze etiquette: Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or the inside of your elbow when coughing or sneezing.
- Check vaccinations: Make sure your child’s vaccinations for chickenpox, influenza, and other diseases are up to date. Under Korean law, daycare and kindergarten directors are required to verify that children in their care have completed all mandatory vaccinations.
- Keep sick children home: If your child has a fever, rash, vomiting, or other symptoms, contact the facility and hold off on sending them in.
Who to Contact When Your Child Is Sick
- Your child’s teacher at the daycare or kindergarten: Let them know about the symptoms and ask whether your child should come in.
- A nearby pediatric clinic (소아청소년과, soa cheongsoenyeon-gwa): If your child has symptoms, get them seen by a doctor as soon as you can.
- Health information and hospital referral line, 129: This is the Ministry of Health and Welfare helpline. Interpretation services in languages other than Korean are available.
Specific isolation periods and guidelines can change over time, so before making any decisions, check the latest information with the Immigration Contact Center (1345), your local Korea Immigration Service office, or the KDCA infectious-disease hotline at 1339.