How are Illnesses Contagious?
The majority of the illnesses children have are caused by either bacterial or viral infections. These kinds of illnesses are contagious. The illnesses infect the children in various ways: through air, by touch or through objects like toys and doorknobs.
When a child with the common cold coughs a lot of virus is released into the air. Virus can then transfer common cold on to children in the same room. With some illnesses, bacteria and virus can survive outside the children and be transferred through objects like pacifiers, toys, cutlery, doorknobs, toilet seats and towels. Other illnesses transfer from child to child by touch – for example by holding hands.
Infectious illnesses are especially easily transferred where many children are gathered. In the day care or the day nursery, many children are gather in the same place. A single case can therefore cause more children getting infected and thereby ill.