Kids at South Side Daycare Facility Possibly Exposed to Scabies

A South Side daycare facility sent a letter to parents last month saying children there may have been exposed to scabies.

Chicago Commons, in the 1600 block of West 43rd Street in the city’s Back of the Yards neighborhood, sent the letter on May 18, cautioning parents to “check your child thoroughly; if [you] notice small itchy bumps or blisters.”

Parents NBC 5 spoke with Monday said their children were not yet exhibiting symptoms of the highly contagious infection. At least one parent said they thought the school should do more.

The school says it has done two deep cleanings and has plans for a third.

“Your child may need a treatment prescribed by a doctor,” the note reads in part. “The name of the infected person is confidential and would never be revealed under any circumstance.”

Scabies is an infestation of tiny mites that burrow into human skin and lay eggs. People exposed to scabies may show symptoms of severe itchiness and irritated skin.

“A scabies infection begins as small itchy bumps, blisters, or pus-filled bumps that break when scratched” the note from Chicago Commons says. “Itchy skin may become thick, scaly, scabbed, and crisscrossed with scratch marks.”

Doctors can prescribe a medical cream to kill the mites in the skin as a way to treat scabies—as well as oral medication and antibiotics.

Scabies can also be a sexually transmitted disease.

Children are not allowed back at the school without a doctor’s note saying they have the ointment for scabies.

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