Molluscum Contagiosum

[chasinRT]

So I have a student that I saw this morning for "warts on his hands". Well, he appears to me to have a rip-roaring case of Molluscum Contagiosum. I called his mom, she made a dermatology appointment but it won't be until October. The lesions are on his hands and fingers, so he can't really keep them covered without wearing gloves, which isn't practical. He is in the second grade. Besides frequent hand washing and cleaning/sanitizing of classroom, what can I do to keep it from spreading to the other kids? What would you do?

[Farawyn]

Pediatrician!!!

It's a virus. The child is contagious as long as there are bumps.

Funnily enough, it's not listed as a DOH reportable disease.

I would have the mom tell the doc the child is being school restricted until he/she can start on an antiviral if appropriate, and if the doc can't get to him, urgent care.

It sometimes takes awhile for the bumps to go away, but again, the DOH does not list.

I would call your local DOH and see what their school policy is for this.

[ohiobobcat]

Send him to his PCP- you don't need a dermatologist to diagnose molluscum contagiousum.

You can always contact your state CDC for recommendations/guidelines for at school care for this.

[Farawyn]

The older kids don't get it as much. In fact, I've only seen one resolving case since I've been here. I may be dead wrong.

Also, this child did not have antivirals, he had them lasered off.

[OldDude]

Warts aren't on the Texas list of conditions by which kids are excluded from school or other precautions to prevent transmission. So, I'd be hard pressed to do anything beyond what you are doing.

[Farawyn]

Warts aren't on the Texas list of conditions by which kids are excluded from school or other precautions to prevent transmission. So, I'd be hard pressed to do anything beyond what you are doing.

Would you call the DOH on this? Since they are kinda super contagious at certain ages?

I was waiting for you to weigh in.

[SaltineQueen]

Molluscum isn't on Indiana's list of diseases we can exclude for. I don't even know if most docs around here would Rx an antiviral. When I worked for a dermatologist, with the exception of severe cases, he didn't. He usually used topical liquids on kids & cryotherapy on older teens and adults. It can last for months...

[OldDude]

There just isn't any reference to warts on the entire DOH website; just genital warts, HPV immunizations, etc. I've never run across a situation where they couldn't be covered until treatment and resolution.

Chasin - is it on both hands? Could you cover the warts if you used elastic wrap like that 1" wide coban type stuff where you could weave it around the fingers and hand as needed? If not I'd be thinking about light gloves you could cut the fingertips off of, etc., something washable.

[adventure_rn, MSN, NP]

Is it terrible that when I read the title of your post I thought it was some gag diagnosis related to Harry Potter?

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MOLLUSCUM CONTAGIOSUM!

[WineRN]

We only exclude "any child with bumps that cannot be covered with a watertight bandage from participating in swimming or other contact sports."

But normal class activity we don't, just recommend they are covered.

[JenTheSchoolRN, BSN, RN]

They do make bandaids for warts, which may be more practical for this student to wear. Or just some coban wrap covering the areas. Reduces cause of skin-to-skin contact spread. But my guidelines wouldn't exclude this student.

[BostonFNP, APRN]

FYI we don't use antivirals for it.