Prevent children with communicable diseases from attending school

Tema, July 17, GNA- A Paediatrician of the Department of Child Health of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Dr Victoria Adabayeri on Friday advised parents not to allow children with communicable diseases to attend school in order to prevent the spread of the diseases. Speaking at the 16th graduation of the SOS Hermann Gmeiner Kindergarten at Tema, she noted that some parents send their children to school even when the children are sick.

She mentioned such illnesses such as measles, chicken pox and diarrhoea, saying that these illnesses might not cause distress to the children they needed to be kept away from school in the initial stages in order to prevent the spread of the diseases.

This would limit the spread of the illness because most of them could be transmitted to others saying that sick children needed to be nursed at home, she said.

The Paediatrician however, indicated that pre-school children were susceptible to many minor and mild infections like colds and coughs and such children need not to be kept away from school.

She advised parents to ensure personal and environmental cleanliness of their children for good health.

Dr Adabayeri stressed the need for children to have balanced diet and regular exercise and good night sleep.