Little Red Wagon Parent Handbook Directives on Illness

Little Red Wagon will take every precaution possible to protect the spread of germs. All areas are cleaned off with disinfectant. Gloves will be worn when necessary. If your child does become sick and needs to be sent home, we will provide a safe, quiet spot for your child to lay down. We will first try to notify you, the parent(s). If you can not be reached, we will notify the first number on your emergency slip. This is a very important form.

Your child should remain at home if any of the following occur:

• temperature of 100°
• diarrhea or vomiting
• any diagnosed rash or pink eye
• sore or discharging eyes, ears, or nose
• Any other unusual illness related behavior

A note will be posted to notify if a child in the center contracts a contagious illness. Your child must be fever free and medication free for 24 hrs. before returning to child care. Please notify the center of special medical conditions, allergies, and needs.

The Department of Human Services requires that we exclude a child with an illness or condition that the Commissioner of Health determines to be contagious and a license health care provider determines has not had sufficient treatment to reduce the health risk to others.

We will follow the exclusion guidelines listed below which are taken from INFECTIOUS DISEASES IN CHILD CARE SETTINGS AND SCHOOLS: FOR DIRECTORS, CAREGIVERS, AND PARENTS OR GUARDIANS, prepared by Hennepin County Community Health Department, Epidemiology and environment Health. We must exclude a child with any of the following conditions:

• Chicken Pox: Until all the blisters have dried into scabs and no new blisters or sores have started within the last 24 hours; usually by day 6 after the rash began.
• Eye Drainage: Until 24 hours after treatment begins when purulent (pus) drainage and. Or fever or eye pain is present, or a medical exam indicates that a child may return.
• Diarrhea: Until diarrhea stops or a medical exam indicates that it is not due to a communicable disease, Diarrhea is defined as an increased number of stools compared with a person's normal pattern, along with decreased stool form and/ or watery, bloody, or mucus- containing stools.
• Mouth Sores With Drooling:Until a medical exam indicates the child may return or until sores have healed.
• Fever: Axillary (armpit) temperature: 100 F or higher; or Oral temperature: 101 F or higher, when accompanied by behavior changes, or other signs or symptoms of illness. Measure temperature before giving medications to reduce fever.
• Impetigo: Until treated with antibiotics for 24 hours and sores are drying or improving.
• Lice (head): Until first treatment is completed and no live lice are seen. Little Red Wagon reserves the right to deny care to any child with lice for any period of time. The child will be check before returning to care, by a Little Red Wagon employee.
• Rash: Until a medical exam indicates these symptoms are not those of a communicable disease that requires exclusion (i.e., chicken pox, measles, roseola, rubella, shingles, strep throat).
• Respiratory Infections (Viral): Until child is without fever for 24 hours and is well enough to participate in normal activities. No exclusion for other mild respiratory infections without fever as long as child can participate comfortably.
• Ringworm (skin & scalp): Until 24 hours after treatment has started.
• Scabies: Until 24 hours after treatment has started.
• Signs/ Symptoms of Possible Severe Illness: Unusually tired, uncontrolled coughing, irritability, persistent crying, difficulty breathing, wheezing, or other unusual signs for the child; Should be evaluated by the child's health care provider to rule out severe illness.
• Streptococcal Sore Throat:Until 24 hours after antibiotic treatment begins and child is without fever for 24 hours.
• Vomiting:Until vomiting stops. Vomiting is defined as two or more episodes in the previous 24 hours.
  • Who is not able to participate in childcare program activities with reasonable comfort, including outdoor play.
  • Who requires more care than staff can provide without compromising the health and safety of other children in care.
• Medicine: In order for Little Red Wagon to distribute prescribed or over the counter medicine a medication form must be signed and filled out by the parent and give to Little Red Wagon. Any medicine brought in must be kept in the original container, labeled and given to your child's teacher. In the event of accidental poison ingestion, Little Red Wagon will contact the Poison Control Center. Syrup of Ipecac will be administered if we are directed to do so by the authorities at Poison Control.
• Procedure for administering first-aid:
  • Teacher exams child.
  • Teacher determines if child needs attention from a more qualified staff member.(EMT, RN, LPN, Advanced first aid, etc).
  • treat child at center, if injury allows.
  • if injury requires advanced medical attention, call 911 or correct medical advisor.
  • if injury can be treated at center, clean, disinfect, and cover if needed.
  • inform parents, by incident report and/ or phone call.

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