ringworm question

[Tigz]

My daughter has come down with a case of ringworm. Not bad, only one spot. I didn't notice it until we were leaving for practice. I brought her back inside and and covered it up with a bandage (one that has tape on all 4 sides) figuring that was enough. We got to the gym a little early and I asked the owner and coach if they had noticed it on any of the other girls. The coach was concerned it might be staph (several girls have had it before) but I said I was pretty sure it was ringworm. We took off the bandage and the owner agreed it was more than likely ringworm.

The owner told me to take her back home until it cleared up.

Therein lies the problem. I fully understand and agree that they would not want a fungus loose of the gym. However properly covered, it poses no risk. Ringworm can take up to 6 weeks to clear up completely (the "ring" might be gone, but it is still considered contagious since the fungus can come back if the full treatment isn't finished).

My daughter not only takes gymnastics there, she also takes several dance classes there as well....and spring recital is only 8 weeks away. So this is really going to pose a problem.

I have offered to keep the area covered, and have offered - in addition - to have her wear a long sleeve leo.

Like I said, I can fully appreciate that they would not want an infection loose on the gym - I don't want one either, but I am thinking this is a bit of over-kill.....especially since I think that (or a recent meet she was in) is where she got it to begin with.

I don't know...am I being overly sensitive?

 

[Blazing15]

I don't think you are being overly sensitive. I think you are fine. I would be doing the same thing you are. Put medicine on it, cover it up and have her wear the long sleeve leotard. I can also understand not wanting it spread all around but if it's covered and a long sleeve leo someone is not going to get it from her.

 

[AlexsGymmyMom]

I applaud you for bringing it to the attention of the gym! Most would say nothing and THAT is the reason it keeps spreading. I see nothing wrong with your DD covering it up and wearing a long sleeve leo so that she can keep practicing! More than likely there are other girls there that have ringworm and not taking the necessary steps to make sure noone else is affected. You are def not being too sensitive!

 

[gymcoach34]

I think you owe it to everyone to get her diagnosed by a dr, and get the drs advice. I think the gym was right in what it did w out any medical info. Sure, it looked like ringworm, but it COULD be something else, and its the owners job to protect the entire program. We had some young, upper level gymnasts get exposed to whooping cough this year, and even though they were on meds, we kept them out until we had done our own research to make sure everything was ok for everyone else. I think if you think of everyone else position, you should understand.

 

[Tigz]

Actually, she was checked by a physician that very evening.

 

[MaryA]

I think, in your position, I would take her to a dr, have her confirm that it is ringworm, and ask what she thinks about the risk of contagion in the gym. I would imagine that, with a Dr.'s note that says, "Suzie is being treated for ringworm. If she keeps it covered with x type of bandage and wears a long-sleaved leotard, there is no risk that it will be transmitted." or some such thing, that the gym should allow her back in. If not, I would start to make a stink about it because 6 weeks is a LONG time to be out, and really, you're being punished for doing the right thing, because truly, most parents probably wouldn't have said anything.

 

[coachmolly]

I totally agree with MaryA. I commend you for bringing it to the attention of the gym and also having it checked by a doctor, a very noble thing to do. Did the doctor suggest any ways to prevent the spread of it in the gym? Assure you there was no risk of spreading as long as it's covered? If that's the case, i'm sure he/she could provide a note or some info to the gym owner about how to deal with it. It might even be helpful to provide some key things to look out for, just in case it was something picked up at the gym and still capable of spreading to other girls. Other parents might not be as perceptive to the issue, or just totally ignoring it.
I remember the wrestling team at my high school had a huge ringworm issue that seemed to take a long time to resolve. I'm sorry your daughter picked it up somewhere along the way and hope she can find some way to continue to participate in the coming weeks. It does scare me though that this gym has had a bout with staph and now ringworm, I know these things can and do happen in gym like facilities, but I think dealing with staph would have given them a kick in the butt to really stay on top of things.

 

[GymGirl's Mom]

I worked in a preschool for 10+ years ringworm is very common and easily spread. No need to exclude you daughter. Take her to the Dr. get it confirmed and them begin topical meds and keep it covered. We all used Lotrimin (for athletes foot) on rigworm and it cleared up. Chances are she got it at the gym-- definitley let them know- they may need to do a good clean/bleach of the bars, mats, equipment-- my guess is she is not the only one who has it or even the one who introduced it in the gym.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

great that you let the gym know. they are overreacting just a bit. and ^^^ it is not likely she picked this up at the gym. ringworm, as well as a lot of other things can not thrive in a gym environment.

think: if all these kids went to the movie theatre would you then say they all picked it up there? or anywhere else for that matter??

 

[cher062]

Get a doctors note that says she doen't need to be excluded after treatment has begun and the area is covered (long sleeved leo and bandaged is more than enough. give it to the gym so they can cover their butts. Alot of the gyms in our area follow the guidelines of the schools in the area for exclusion in the program.
Yours might do the same. In my area its 48 hours after treatment has started and keep it well covered.

 

[10.0]

She may or may not have picked it up at the gym. While ringworm is generally spread by skin to skin contact it can survive for quite some time on surfaces. Ringworm Eguide - Research and Resources for Skin Ailments

I think bandaging and covering should be fine, get your Dr. to write a note stating this. You are light years ahead of a lot of parents, I had one girl show up to class covered from head to toe in it, skin completly uncovered saying Mom said it was fine as they were using ointment, needless to say we didn't do anything that required me spotting her and everything was wipped down and I was livid.

 

[Tigz]

great that you let the gym know. they are overreacting just a bit. and ^^^ it is not likely she picked this up at the gym. ringworm, as well as a lot of other things can not thrive in a gym environment.

think: if all these kids went to the movie theatre would you then say they all picked it up there? or anywhere else for that matter??

The only thing that makes me feel that she probably got it at the gym or at the meet is the location of the ringworm. It would be virtually impossible for her to have come in contact with it at that location unless she were wearing something sleeveless. The only thing she has worn that was sleeveless in the past 4 weeks has been her leotards.

It is no big deal to me whether she got it there or someplace else. I am just stating that it is logically the most probable place that she came into contact with it.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

oh man...then you have the extreme opposite end of the spectrum. geesh...and gross.

 

[Tigz]

I'm sorry.....but I'm not getting your inference. (?)

 

[Mariainlv]

He is saying you were cautious and the other parent was not. What you did = OK. What the other parent did = Yech!

 

[Deleted member D3987]

got that right! ^^^

 

[Tigz]

Thanks for clarifying. I was sort of clueless there for a bit.

BTW they contacted me last night and said she could come back to the gym if the area were covered. (no long sleeve leo required)
I'm still going to get one though. I want to change the type of bandage from regular bandages (band-aid, etc) to gauze and easy to remove surgical tape. (the regular bandages are pulling at the surrounding skin and leaving it raw...and could cause the infection to spread to the compromised skin) But I don't want to do that without a backup. A long sleeve will keep the bandage in place even if the tape starts to fail.

I had thought to just use one of her long sleeve dance leos (already on hand and easy to wash in hot water).....but no, she was totally aghast at the idea. LOL
So she gets to do some extra chores around the house to "earn" the new one. (yeah, I'm mean like that).