Children's Corner's Health Policy

Children have a higher rate of illness when first enrolled in a new group setting. However, research shows that children who attend preschool acquire a strengthened immune system and experience a lower incidence of illness throughout the elementary school years compared with children who did not attend preschool.

At Children’s Corner, we promote a healthy environment and discourage the spread of diseases in several ways:

•
 Staff and children wash hands when entering the classroom at the beginning of the day and throughout the day, but especially before handling food or eating and after using the bathroom.
•
 Staff are trained in Preventative Health Practices and implement Universal Precautions as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
•
 Classrooms, toys and equipment are regularly cleaned and disinfected.
•
 Children with communicable diseases or conditions are excluded from school.

We can greatly reduce the incidence and severity of illness at Children’s Corner if we work cooperatively to prevent the rapid spread of communicable disease.

A health assessment is made of each child upon arrival. Children showing any signs of illness are not accepted. We discuss health concerns directly with you.
If a child shows signs of illness or infection while at the center, the parent will be contacted and the child will be removed from the play areas until he/she is picked up.  Parents will be asked to pick up their child immediately, or to designate another adult to pick up the child.  Children must be free of symptoms for 24 hours before returning to the center.  This is for the protection of the recovering child; whose resistance is low and is just getting well.

The California School Immunization Law requires that children be completely immunized before enrollment in Children’s Corner. Children must have received three doses of polio vaccine, four doses of DPT vaccine and one dose each of measles, mumps, rubella vaccines, one Hib after the first birthday, three Hep B, and one Varicella. We must receive a written record provided by the physician or agency performing the immunizations.

The law allows exemptions for medical reasons or for personal beliefs. The reasons for exemptions must be stated in writing. Because we believe strongly in the value of immunizations, we provide information about relative risks of disease versus immunization for those contemplating personal beliefs exemption.

If your child is under-immunized for a vaccine-preventable disease, and an outbreak should occur, your child must be excluded from school for the length of time determined by the California Department of Public Health.
Parents are required to let us know if a child contracts a communicable disease such as chicken pox, giardiasis, shigellosis, hepatitis, meningitis, or measles. You are notified if your child is exposed to a communicable disease while here.

Criteria for Child Staying Home – Symptom List

Fever:
 101 orally, 102 rectally, 100 auxiliary
Diarrhea and Colds:
 See details below.
Ear Infections:
 Fever, or lethargy, nausea, vomiting, loose stools, drainage, irritability, tugging on ears.  Child may return to center when on medication and 24 hours after constitutional symptoms are gone.
Eye Infection:
 With yellow or green drainage.  Child must be on medication 24 hours and have no drainage before returning to center.
Cough:
 A wet wheezy cough with mucous secretion.
Vomiting:
 Recurring or with fever.
Skin Infection or Rash:
 With drainage.  Child having dried skin lesions may come to the center.
Lice, Scabies, etc.:
 Child may return to the center after appropriate treatment and shampoo.
Other Communicable Infections:
 A child may return when infection symptoms have subsided and child is feeling better.  In some instances, a physician’s release may be required.

Diarrhea
(frequent watery, loose, or mucous bowel movements)

All cases of diarrhea must be reported to the center and cause explained.  Diarrhea has more serious consequences than catching a cold.  Severe dehydration can lead to hospitalization.  The risks of spreading serious intestinal illness associated with diarrhea are more serious than the risk of spreading colds.

Child can come to the center:   Criteria for child staying home:

Child has had one loose movement without other physical symptoms before coming to the center.

  

Diarrhea is accompanied by additional signs of illness (fever, runny nose, vomiting, irritability, lack of appetite, lethargy).

Colds and Runny Nose

Child can come to the center:   Criteria for child staying home:

Clear runny nose with no other symptoms.
Clear runny nose caused by teething or allergy.

  

Runny nose with fever, lack of appetite, lethargy or irritability.
Runny nose that is yellow or green unless there is documentation by a physician that the child is not contagious.
Runny nose plus vomiting.
Runny nose plus other signs of illness.

Any symptoms that persist for two or more weeks usually require medical attention.


Medication Policy

•
 Teachers have responsibility for seeing that the medication policy is carried out.
•
 A safe place in each room, out of reach of children is to be designated “medications storage”.
•
 Teachers will personally administer medication. The Teacher will ask the Director to administer medication in her absence.
•
 Parents are required to follow this procedure:
 
•
 Bring the exact dose we are to give in the original container, or medication must be measured out in front of lead teacher, a Director, or designee. Travel bottles are available from the pharmacist.
 
•
 Fill out a Parent Request for Medication Administration form, which included explicit instruction for administration, emergency instructions, and signature.
 
•
 Give container to a lead teacher only who is responsible for seeing that the medication policy is followed.
•
 Before administering medication, the Teacher will:
 
•
 Verify that the information on the medication container matches the information on the Parent Request for Medication Administration form and
 
•
 Verify that the prescription is intended for the child we are asked to give it to. IT IS AGAINST THE LAW TO GIVE A PRESECRIPTION MEDICATION TO SOMEONE OTHER THAN THE INTENDED PATIENT.
 
•
 Double check to make sure we are giving the medication to the right child at the right time and by the right method.
 
•
 Wash hands before administering medication.
•
 After administering the medication, the Teacher or Director will:
 
•
 Complete the appropriate section on the Parent Request for Medication Administration form and
 
•
 Wash hands.
•
 In the Event of an adverse reaction to the medication, the Teacher notifies the Director immediately for assistance in following the parent’s emergency instructions.