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Observation of general health of children
Illness signs; things to look for
· Change in sleep habits
· Change in eating habits
· Obvious change in behavior
· Fussy or difficult to console
· Frequent loose bowel movements
Developmental signs; things to look for
· Non-responsive
· More than three months behind in motor development
· More than 3 months behind in emotional and social skills
Day Care Plus Illness Policy
Policy regarding communicable disease and illness is as follows: If any of these symptoms should occur, the parent will be asked to keep the child home.
Common signs or symptoms of communicable disease
· Thick, colored discharge from nose.
· Persistent and productive cough.
· Red or running eyes
· Persistent sneezing
· Fever more than 1 degree above normal
· Sore throat
· Diarrhea and or abdominal pain
· Nausea and vomiting
· Headache and or stiff neck
· Swelling and tenderness of glands
· Sores and crusts on the scalp, face, or body, particularly if red, swollen or draining
· Skin eruptions
· Rashes
· Yellowing of eyes or skin
· Visual signs of lice
· Sores in the mouth
Should any of these symptoms be noted while the child is in day care the staff will contact the parent or authorized persons from emergency card for prompt removal of the child. Parents are strongly urged to contact their physician and the child must be excluded from the center until they are symptom free, and have obtained a note from their physician.
We insist that children running fevers must remain home for a period of no less than 24 hours after the fever breaks. The rationale behind this is that many symptoms show up after the initial fever.
Steps to minimize the spread of disease
· Parents will be notified if their child has been exposed to a communicable disease.
· Frequent hand washing
· Teach children to cough or sneeze into a tissue or arm fold.
· Wash rinse and sanitize all food service utensils
· wash and sanitize toys and equipment
· wash and sanitize sleeping equipment
Minor injuries: bumps, bruises or minor cuts and scraps
· Thoroughly clean area with soap and water
· Perform preliminary first aid.
· Prepare a minor injury report.
· Notify parent
Serious injury/death of child or staff
· First staff member call 911.
· Second staff member staff with the victim.
· Additional staff clear area and isolate the victim.
· Perform preliminary first aid.
· Do not remove the victim unless an immediate emergency situation dictates evacuation.
· Designate a staff person to accompany the injured or ill to the hospital.
· Administrative follow up will include the following.
1. Notify parent of child or next of kin if employee.
2. Prepare an accident report.
3. Notify Department of Human Services-follow up with a written report.
Health forms and Immunizations
The purpose of the health evaluation is to give information about a child’s health history, special needs, and current health status to allow the center to provide a safe setting and healthful experience for each child. Physicals for children are to be completed within the first 30 day of attending day care.
Physical evaluations shall be updated as follows:
· Yearly for children under 2 ½
· Every two years for children over age 2 ½
Day Care plus obtains immunization records through MCIR. The class roster is checked at the beginning of each new month parents are notified if their child is behind on any shots.
Medication procedures
When a Parent request that the center administer medication, the following shall apply:
· Medication, including prescription drugs, over the counter drugs, or individual special medical procedures, will be given or applied only with written permission from the Parent. Prescription medication shall have the pharmacy label indicating the physician’s name, child’s name, instructions, and name and strength on the medication and shall be given in accordance with those instructions. Provider will not honor any instructions from a parent which contradicts the instructions of the physician (for prescription drugs) or the instructions on the label (for over the counter drugs.)
· Provider/caregiver will maintain a record as to the time and amount of any medication given or applied.
· The medication shall be in the original container, stored according to the instructions and clearly labeled for the specific child. The Provider/caregiver will keep medication out of the reach of children, and will return the medication to Parent or destroy it when no longer needed.
Record keeping
A continuing record is kept for each child under 12 months of age. The record will include food intake, sleeping, patterns, bowel movements, and developmental milestones.
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