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Health Care Policy

Children who are sick must stay home and only return to the center when they have returned to normal activity and 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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  • Fever (Temperature of 101 Degrees or Higher): If a child develops a fever at the center, the child will be sent home and must remain home until fever free for 24 hours (without any fever reducers) before returning to the center. If a fever develops at the center, First Step will contact the parents immediately. A cot will be placed in the administration office for the child to rest, and a teacher or an administrator will remain with the child until a parent arrives.

  • Impetigo: A child with symptoms of Impetigo will be removed from the classroom and parents will be contacted immediately. The child will remain in the administrator's office with a teacher or administrator until a parent arrives. A child with Impetigo must stay home and can return to the center after being on antibiotics for 24 hours. 

  • Conjunctivitis: A child with symptoms of Conjunctivitis will be removed from the classroom and parents will be contacted immediately. The child will remain in the administration office with a teacher or administrator until a parent arrives. 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.

  • Vomiting: A child with vomiting symptoms will be removed from the classroom and a parent will be contacted immediately. The child will remain in the administrator's office with a teacher or administrator until a parent arrives. The child can return to the center when normal activity has been back for 24 hours. 

  • Diarrhea: 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 bowel activities have been back for 24 hours.

  • Strep Throat: 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, Foot and Mouth: A child with symptoms of Scarlet Fever or Hand, Foot and Mouth must stay home. The child can return to the center with a note from their pediatrician stating that the child is not contagious and may participate in all activities.

  • Chicken Pox:  A child with symptoms of Chicken Pox 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 with head lice must stay home and can return to the center when lice-free and nit-free.

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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 cot 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, Chicken-Pox, Etc.) 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 required, stating that child is no 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.

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  • All tables, high chairs and changing surfaces will be washed with soap and water, and disinfected after each use. The disinfectant will be a self made bleach solution of 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 the 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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