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Health Care Policy

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Children that are sick must stay home and return to the center when all normal activities are back and they are able to keep up with scheduled activities.

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First Step will not allow children at the center if:

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  • A child has a temperature of 101 degrees. If a child develops a fever at the center, the child will be sent home and remain home until fever free for 24 hours ( without any fever reducer ) before returning to the center. If a fever develops at the center, First Step will contact the parents immediately. A mat will be placed in the office for the child to rest on until the parent arrives. A teacher or the administrator will be with the child.

  • A child with impetigo must stay home and can return to the center after being on antibiotics for 24 hours. A child with this symptoms will be excluded from the center.

  • Conjunctivitis: a child with symptoms will be removed from the classroom and parents will be contacted immediately. The child will wait for the parents’ arrival in the administrator’s office. Books, crayons and others activities will be presented for the child.  The child can return to the center after being on eye ointment for 24 hours and all the discharge from the eye or eyes is cleared up.

  • A child with 2 bouts of diarrhea in one hour (foul smell and not contained in the diaper) will be sent home from the center. The child can return to the center when normal activities are back for 24 hours.

  • A child with vomiting symptoms will be excluded from the center and is to remain home until normal activities return.

  • A child with strep-throat must stay home and be on antibiotics for 24 hours before returning to the center.

  • Ear infection: a child may attend the center with these symptoms if a note from the pediatrician is provided.

  • Scarlet fever, hand, food and mouth: a child with these symptoms must stay home and can return to the center with a note from the pediatrician stating that the child is not contagious and may participate in all the activities.

  • Chicken pox: a child with these symptoms must stay home. The child may return to the center with a note from the pediatrician stating that the child is not longer contagious and is able to participate in all daily activities and all lesions are crusted over..

  • Head lice a child must stay home and return to the center lice and nits free.

  • Parents will be immediately informed by the administrator or a staff member if a child is ill. The child will be removed from his or her classroom and wait in the administrator’s office until the parents’ arrival.

  • A mat will be provided for the child to rest if needed. All the child’s belongings must be taken home and washed.

 

First Step will notify parents of symptoms of common illnesses and ask the parents for their cooperation in keeping the center healthy.

 

Teachers will increase cleaning in the classroom if a common illness is present at the center.

 

First Step will notify parents in writing, if a communicable disease (Measles, salmonella chick-pox) was present at the center. Children with signs of any communicable disease symptoms will be excluded from the center. In order to return, a note from child’s physician is require stating that child is not longer contagious and may participate in all daily activities.

Infection Control:

All staff and children shall wash their hands with liquid soap and running water at the following times:

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  • Before eating or handling food

  • After changing a diaper or toileting

  • After coming in contact with bodily fluids

  • Staff members are required to use disposable gloves if handling bodily fluids.

  • All tables, high chairs and changing surfaces will be washed with soap and water and disinfected after each used. The disinfectant will be a self made bleach solution 1:10 stored in a spray bottle and kept out of reach of the children. Disposable gloves must be used at all the times in case of handling bodily fluid. The infected area will be disinfected immediately with a bleach solution. In case body fluids are spilled on carpets, the areas will be immediately disinfected with bleach and water.

  • Carpets will be washed/cleaned after departure of children

  • Used gloves will be thrown in a lined, covered container and all staff members will wash their hands with soap and water after handling bodily fluids or blood.

  • All clothing will be sealed in plastic containers/bags, labeled with the child’s name and returned to the parent at the end of the day.

 

First Step will hold training in infection control once per year. The Director or the health care consultant of the center will be conducting the training. During this training, staff members will be provided with hand outs including all the information regarding;

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  • Hand washing for children and staff

  • When to use disposable gloves and how to dispose used gloves

  • Items that must be washed and disinfected daily

 

A training log will be signed from all the participants and kept on file at the center.

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