There may be times when children become ill during their day with you. Ill children generally need rest, quiet and a caring adult nearby closely monitoring them. This can be difficult to do while also supervising the other children in your care. In addition, some illnesses can spread through your program, making other children and adults ill. It is a good idea to develop a list of symptoms and illnesses you will use to make decisions about excluding children from your care until they are well enough to return. The criteria for excluding children from your program are included on page 80in the Appendix of this handbook.
417.11(h) The caregiver must provide a child who has or develops symptoms of illness a place to rest quietly that is in the view of, and under the supervision of, the caregiver until the child receives medical care or the parent or approved parental designee arrives. In the event that a child has or develops symptoms of illness, the caregiver is responsible for immediately notifying the parent.
Talk with families about your exclusion policies when they first enroll. Make sure they know when you will not allow their child to come to care and that they are willing to abide by this policy. Also, explain to parents how you will contact them to pick up their child if (s)he becomes sick during the day. Reassure parents that you will provide a quiet place for their child to rest when waiting to be picked up. Reviewing this information with families periodically will help prevent problems when a child becomes ill. You might do this by:
• posting a reminder at the beginning of cold and flu season;
• letting families know another child has become ill and what related symptoms would exclude their child; • giving families a copy of the exclusion policy portion of
your parent handbook twice a year; and
• updating your exclusion policy when it changes based on new research.
Help families develop a back-up plan for times when children cannot come to your program. This might include:
• compiling a list of “drop-in” day care programs in your area that will care for ill children; and
417.8(d) No child can be released from the family day care home to any person other than his or her parent, person currently designated in writing by such parent to receive the child, or other person authorized by law to take custody of a child. No child can be
• talking with your registrar and local child care council to find other resources for families in your community.
released from the program unsupervised except upon written instruction of the child’s parent. Such instruction must be
Remember that you will need to document who is allowed to take a child from your program when parents cannot pickup their sick child. For more information, see “Providing and Maintaining a Safe Environment Inside and Out” on page 31 in this handbook.
acceptable to the provider and should take into consideration such factors as the child’s age and maturity, proximity to his or her home, and safety of the neighborhood.
Sometimes a child needs immediate medical care. Depending on the situation, this might include calling 911 or calling Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. The child’s parents must also be contacted. The course of action you will take depends on the specific circumstances and the child’s medical history. While attending to the emergency, you also must maintain supervision of the other children in your program. You might accomplish this by having your substitute or alternate provider care for the children while you care for the child with the health situation.
417.11(f)(1) The caregiver must obtain emergency health care for children who require such care and also must:
417.11(f)(1)(i) obtain written consent at the time of admission from the parent or guardian which authorizes the provider or other caregiver to obtain emergency health care for the child;
417.11(f)(1)(ii) arrange for the transportation of children in need of emergency health care, and for the supervision of the children remaining in the family day care home; and
Your first aid kit will be essential when dealing with an injury or emergency. It should be stocked with supplies for a variety of situations, including those when you’ll follow safety precautions relating to blood. Remember to restock items as you use them! More information on procedures to follow when dealing with blood is included in “Preventing the Spread of Germs” on page 93 and in the Appendix of this handbook. The Appendix also includes a list of recommended items for your first aid kit.
Another way to prepare for illness and medical emergencies is to take training related to first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). This type of training is frequently offered by local American Red Cross chapters.
417.11(f)(1)(iii) in the event of an accident or illness requiring immediate health care, secure such care and notify the parent or guardian.
417.11(g) The home must be equipped with a portable first aid kit which is accessible for emergency treatment. The first aid kit must be stocked to treat a broad range of injuries and situations and must be restocked as necessary. The first aid kit and any other first aid supplies must be kept in a clean container or cabinet not accessible to children.