{"id":632283,"date":"2026-09-22T08:56:11","date_gmt":"2026-09-22T08:56:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/632283\/"},"modified":"2026-09-22T08:56:11","modified_gmt":"2026-09-22T08:56:11","slug":"common-back-to-school-bugs-to-watch-out-for","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/632283\/","title":{"rendered":"Common back-to-school bugs to watch out for"},"content":{"rendered":"

If your child<\/a> is starting cr\u00e8che or pre-school, get ready for the onslaught of childhood bugs. A March 2026 study involving researchers from University College London found young children will experience around 12\u201315 respiratory infections, two gastrointestinal illnesses and one or two rash-causing infections in the first year alone.<\/p>\n

Ballina-based GP and infection control clinical lead with the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) Scott Walkin says frequent bugs in the first year are because your child is meeting with lots of others for the first time. \u201cPicking up frequent bugs is a rite of passage \u2013 it\u2019s how our immune system develops.\u201d<\/p>\n

Walkin says the silver lining is that next time the child meets this infection, they\u2019ll have immunity, and they either won\u2019t get it \u2013 or they\u2019ll be less ill.<\/p>\n

Here are six common childhood bugs to know about:<\/p>\n

Coughs and colds<\/p>\n

Almost inevitable, says Walkin. \u201cYoung children commonly have six or more each year. Most are mild, viral and self-limiting.\u201d<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll notice:<\/p>\n

sore throat, sneezing, blocked\/runny nose, cough
\n fever, tiredness, irritability or reduced appetite<\/p>\n

\u201cMost sore throats improve within seven days. Head colds can take longer \u2013 in particular a cough can take up to three weeks to settle.\u201d<\/p>\n

What to do:<\/p>\n

Age- and weight-appropriate paracetamol or ibuprofen for pain or fever.
\n Saline nasal drops or spray may help a blocked nose.
\n Warm lemon and honey drink may soothe a cough in children over one.
\n Normal drinks and food as tolerated.
\n No cough and cold remedies for under-sixes unless GP or pharmacist advises.
\n Keep child home from cr\u00e8che or pre-school if too unwell to participate normally or if temperature\u2019s 38\u00b0C or above.
\n Consider influenza with fever, marked tiredness, aches, headache, sore throat and cough. HSE recommends the free nasal spray flu vaccine each year for two to 17-year-old children.<\/p>\n

Tummy bugs<\/p>\n

\"DrDr Scott Walkin, infection control clinical lead with the ICGP.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Walkin says this usually means viral gastroenteritis, causing vomiting and\/or diarrhoea. \u201cIt spreads very easily through hands, shared surfaces, food and contact with vomit or faeces. Most children recover at home, but they can quickly become dehydrated. The main treatment is replacing fluid and watching carefully for dehydration.\u201d<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll notice:<\/p>\n

sudden vomiting, watery diarrhoea
\n tummy cramps, nausea, reduced appetite, tiredness
\n sometimes fever, headache, muscle aches.
\n Vomiting usually lasts one-to-two days. Diarrhoea often starts to improve within three days but can last up to seven.<\/p>\n

What to do:<\/p>\n

Offer small, frequent sips of liquid. Oral rehydration solution can replace lost water, salts and sugar \u2013 pharmacist can recommend suitable product.
\n Once able, offer child\u2019s usual foods.
\n Avoid fruit juice and fizzy drinks while diarrhoea is active.
\n Do not give young children medicines to stop diarrhoea unless doctor specifically advises.
\n Watch for dehydration \u2013 Much less urine, dark yellow urine; dry mouth, few or no tears, sunken eyes; unusual sleepiness, reduced responsiveness, pallor or low energy; unable to keep fluids down.
\n No attending school, cr\u00e8che or childcare until at least 48 hours have passed since the last vomiting or diarrhoea episode.<\/p>\n

Conjunctivitis<\/p>\n

Inflammation of the covering of the white of the eye and the inner eyelids may be caused by virus, bacteria or allergy.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s common in preschool children, usually mild and often settles without antibiotic treatment,\u201d comments Walkin.<\/p>\n

\u201cMost infectious conjunctivitis improves within five-to-seven days, though symptoms can last up to two weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll see:<\/p>\n

one or both eyes red or bloodshot \u2013 if whites of eyes aren\u2019t red, it\u2019s not conjunctivitis
\n watery eyes, grittiness, irritation, mild soreness
\n yellow-white sticky discharge, lashes stuck together on waking
\n mild eyelid swelling
\n cold or sore-throat symptoms (viral conjunctivitis)
\n itching and watery eyes (allergic conjunctivitis)
\n pain, light sensitivity, altered vision aren\u2019t typical and need prompt assessment.<\/p>\n

What to do:<\/p>\n

Wash hands before and after cleaning or touching eye.
\n Gently remove discharge using clean cotton pad moistened with cooled boiled water.
\n Wipe from inner to outer corner, using separate pad for each eye.
\n A clean, cold flannel held over closed eye for a few minutes may soothe irritation.
\n Discourage rubbing \u2013 no sharing towels, pillows, face cloths.
\n Conjunctivitis alone isn\u2019t a reason to exclude child from pre-school if otherwise well.<\/p>\n

Hand, foot and mouth disease<\/p>\n

Common, highly contagious and viral it usually affects under-10s. \u201cIt\u2019s generally mild and settles by itself within seven-to-10 days. In most children it\u2019s managed with comfort, fluids and observation,\u201d says Walkin.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll see:<\/p>\n

sore throat, temperature above 38C, reduced appetite, general unwellness \u2013 at first.
\n painful mouth ulcers a few days later \u2013 drinking may be difficult
\n raised red spots (sometimes blisters) on hands and feet, occasionally also on buttocks\/groin
\n pain or itching from rash.<\/p>\n

What to do:<\/p>\n

Age-appropriate paracetamol or ibuprofen for pain or fever.
\n Regular drinks \u2013 small sips through straw may be easier.
\n Soft, cool foods \u2013 yogurt, smoothies, mashed foods, ice cream.
\n No hot, spicy, acidic or citrus foods\/drinks \u2013 they sting mouth ulcers.
\n Ask pharmacist about child-appropriate mouth-ulcer gels, sprays or mouthwashes.
\n Keep blisters clean with lukewarm soap and water \u2013 pat dry, no popping them.
\n Keep child home while they feel unwell.<\/p>\n

Chickenpox<\/p>\n

\u201cA very contagious viral infection, it\u2019s usually mild in healthy children and gets better without specific treatment,\u201d says Dublin-based GP and ICGP immunisation clinical lead Patrick Kelly. \u201cPractical priorities are itch relief, hydration, preventing skin infection and protecting vulnerable contacts.\u201d<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll see:<\/p>\n

itchy rash that may start on head, neck or trunk but can appear anywhere, including inside the mouth.
\n spots that become fluid-filled blisters and then crust over.
\n new crops of spots for three-to-five days
\n temperature above 38C, aches, poor appetite, general unwellness.
\n blisters usually crust after one-to-two days. Scabs generally fall off after one-to-two weeks.<\/p>\n

What to do:<\/p>\n

Use age-appropriate paracetamol for fever, pain or discomfort.
\n No ibuprofen \u2013 it may increase risk of serious skin infection.
\n Keep fingernails short and clean \u2013 socks on hands at night may reduce scratching.
\n Use lukewarm baths, pat skin dry, dress child in loose cotton clothing.
\n Treatments for itch include oatmeal baths, calamine lotion \u2013 antihistamine if troublesome.
\n Regular drinks \u2013 ice pops may help with painful mouth spots.
\n Keep child away from school\/childcare until every spot has crusted over and is dry \u2013 usually five-to-seven days after rash first appears. A child\u2019s infectious from about two days before rash appears until all lesions are crusted and dry.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe varicella vaccine is part of the HSE childhood vaccination schedule for children born [since] 1 October 2024. First dose is given at 12 months, the second in junior infants,\u201d says Kelly.<\/p>\n

Fever<\/p>\n

Fever \u2013 temperature of 38C or above \u2013 is common in young children and almost always due to infection. West Cork-based GP and ICGP paediatric sepsis lead Andrea Fitzgerald says height of the fever on its own isn\u2019t a useful guide to how serious an illness is.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cA high fever can occur with a minor infection \u2013 and a child who\u2019s seriously unwell may have no fever at all. How your child looks and behaves, whether they\u2019re breathing normally, whether they\u2019re drinking and passing urine, and whether they seem better or worse in themselves are more important than how high their temperature is.\u201d<\/p>\n

But Fitzgerald says the height of fever does matter in some situations: Babies under three months with temperature of 38C or above, and three- to six-month-olds with temperature of 39C or above require medical assessment. \u201cLow temperature \u2013 below 36C \u2013 can also be a sign of serious illness.\u201d<\/p>\n

What to do:<\/p>\n

Use digital thermometer in the armpit for babies under four weeks. For older children, use armpit or infrared in-ear thermometer.
\n Most children with fever can be cared for at home.
\n Offer drinks regularly \u2013 and food if wanted.
\n Dress child comfortably \u2013 no over-wrapping or deliberately under-dressing them.
\n No cold baths or cold sponging \u2013 can make feverish children very uncomfortable and shivering may actually raise temperature.
\n Use paracetamol or ibuprofen if child\u2019s uncomfortable, distressed or in pain \u2013 no need for medicine simply to lower a high temperature.
\n Check on child regularly, including at night \u2013 no waking them simply to take their temperature.<\/p>\n

Fitzgerald advises seeking medical advice if something about your child\u2019s illness is worrying you. \u201cThis includes if they seem unusually unwell or aren\u2019t behaving as you\u2019d expect, are breathing unusually fast or working hard to breathe, aren\u2019t drinking or can\u2019t keep fluids down, or haven\u2019t passed urine for 12 hours \u2013 or have pain that doesn\u2019t settle with regular pain relief.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf your child has been assessed but you\u2019re still worried, seek advice again, particularly if they seem to be becoming more unwell.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If your child is starting cr\u00e8che or pre-school, get ready for the onslaught of childhood bugs. A March…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":632284,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[71805,20645,103,61,60,1786,756],"class_list":["post-632283","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health","tag-parenting-preschool","tag-parenting-school-children","tag-health","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-parenting","tag-parenting-advice"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/632283","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=632283"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/632283\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/632284"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=632283"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=632283"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=632283"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}