Please have children wash their hands upon arrival at the center, a licensing reg. Ask a teacher for a copy of one of the hand washing songs we sing here.
Staying Healthy when cold and flu season is upon us is our goal!
There are several things you can do to help us keep each other healthy. To help us keep our youngest, most vulnerable group healthy, we ask that only those parents and children who have a child in the Sweet Pea or Buttercup rooms enter these. Many of our older children like to greet the babies, but each time they grasp the gates they may be leaving an unwanted germ behind that may make a baby sick.
Teaching children to “cover their coughs" is a smart way to reduce the spread of germs.
In addition, please follow the guidelines for keeping your children home when sick. If a child looks or acts ill when being dropped off, we will ask you not to leave her. If your child becomes ill while in our care, you’ll be notified to pick him up as soon as possible. If we can’t reach you, we’ll begin calling your emergency contacts. We require all parents to have a current back up plan for illness, and to ensure their child is picked up within an hour of being notified. Having a sick child is stressful in itself, without having to figure out what to do when you get the “dreaded” call that your child is sick. If you haven’t done so recently, now is a good time to revisit your back up plan.
If your child is sent home, they must be symptom free for 24 hours WITHOUT FEVER-REDUCING MEDICATION before returning to care. If medication is needed to cease the symptoms, a doctor’s note is required to ensure they are not contagious OR they need to have been on antibiotics for 24 hours. If your child has been home ill, we ask that you take his temperature within an hour of returning to care. Upon return, expect to be asked when your child’s temperature was last taken, the degree, and when he or she was last given fever-reducing medication.
Read on for more information and tips from Whatcom County Health Department's Communicable Disease Prevention Team Member, Kim Hankinson.
Kim Hankinson, RN BSN CIC - from the Whatcom County Health Department, Communicable Disease Programs provides more information and tips for community members.