Childminding a sick grandchild

Is conjunctivitis contagious?

I don't think it would have bothered me.

Yes, it can be very contagious indeed.

I personally wouldn't see it as a big deal: easily dealt with by drops bought OTC even if you were unlucky enough to develop it. But with good hand hygiene precautions you should be able to avoid it.

Shouldn't be a problem so long as you make sure your GC uses a completely different towel, face cloth etc to you and that you put it straight in the wash when she's gone. Also make sure you wash your hands thoroughly after you've touched the eye area, particularly before and after applying ointment. Just good hygiene and you'll be fine.

make sure you wash your hands a lot and hopefully it will be fine
I think it should have been mentioned as they wouldn't have been allowed to leave her in a nursery or childminding setting either

When my grand daughter (3 years old) was dropped to me for the day, I noticed she was off colour. Within an hour after that she started vomiting (projectile). I rang my daughter and asked her to take a day off and return home, because the responsibility of a sick child was too much. Fortunately, her Boss gave her a day off.
TBH, I wasn't worried about catching anything. It was just that I was too anxious a person to deal with a sick child..

Ok, it's conjunctivitis, not a terminal illness. Assuming it is only in one eye, make a fun eye patch to discourage touching the infected eye, encourage rigorous hand washing for both you and the GC and lastly, have fun! Try wearing an eye patch yourself and make a game of it!

Both eyes.
Yes… I know it’s minor but I was just having a moan. I won’t moan to my daughter. Lots of hand washing!

Lots of handwashing; separate towels etc., as others have said. It will probably be OK, and easily treated even if you do catch it. Have a jolly holiday!!

It's ok to moan CbT. Lots of good advice for you above. Plenty of handwashing etc and things will be alright. Hope it soon clears up.

Some AC thinks we GP's are indistructable!.
I caught a tummy bug from my GS and was quite poorly, so you have every right to have a moan.

I have cared for all of my GC on a regular one day a week basis. I set a rule at the very start that I was happy to look after a child with any of the usual minor illnesses with one exception. The exception was tummy bugs. I always felt willing to expose myself to coughs and colds etc but not norovirus !
My adult children totally understood and never sent me a vomiting child.

I think you should have been warned as it would be considerate and polite to do so.

Would I personally mind looking after a child with conjunctivitis? No, I wouldn't and have done so. I didn't catch it.

I hope all goes well and you enjoy your holiday.

Grandmajean

I have cared for all of my GC on a regular one day a week basis. I set a rule at the very start that I was happy to look after a child with any of the usual minor illnesses with one exception. The exception was tummy bugs. I always felt willing to expose myself to coughs and colds etc but not norovirus !
My adult children totally understood and never sent me a vomiting child.

Totally with you on this one. Anything else you can cope with. Although I did get covid from DGC!

If you get conjunctivitis it’s easily dealt with. Your pharmacist will give you drops which will clear it up very quickly.

A pupil (forgive the pun) with conjunctivitis is always sent home from school. (Hand to eye contact)

If the child came without any drops or ointment I think I would be round to the local chemist. I have had the GC when ill, on one occasion with chickenpox which developed when mum was away but as I had an elderly mother to look after when the GC were small I did say no to tummy bugs.

As an FYI, there are different kinds of conjunctivitis - three, specifically.

Allergic conjunctivitis is caused by allergies such as hay fever. This usually presents with profuse, watery discharge and other allergy symptoms.

Viral conjunctivitis is very common with viral infections such as colds. This presents with thin yellow discharge and the eyes look a little bit pink.

Bacterial conjunctivitis, also known as "pinkeye", is the one you have to be careful with and the one that gets students sent home. This one is extremely contagious. The eyes are profusely itchy, look very red, and there is a lot of thick, yellow or green discharge. Often the child will report that their eyes were stuck together when they woke up.

Allergic conjunctivitis is not contagious and is treated with allergy medicine. While viral conjunctivitis is technically contagious, it is not nearly as contagious as bacterial and does not require specific treatment. Bacterial conjunctivitis needs to be treated with antibiotic drops and the child should be kept home.

This was viral conjunctivitis- we didn’t catch it but we did catch the cold which turned out to be a real humdinger; day 8 today and still coughing for England. Holiday cancelled.