A strong sick policy is essential in today's daycare setting and serves as the foundation for responsible childcare management. Developing a sick policy for daycare necessitates giving careful thought to several variables to protect children, families, and employees. We'll examine the fundamental elements of a daycare sick policy in this tutorial, along with helpful advice on how to draft one that is efficient, legal, and conducive to a healthy atmosphere.

What is a daycare sick policy?

A daycare sick policy is often known as an "exclusion for sick policy" since it frequently mandates that children who exhibit specific symptoms of illness remain at home. Due to the high level of germ exposure in group childcare settings, children may suffer from up to 12 respiratory diseases during their first year of attendance.

To preserve a healthy environment for employees, kids, and their families, daycare providers can prevent the spread of these infectious diseases with the aid of daycare sick rules. Furthermore, certain households include elderly people and infants with weakened immune systems. Sick children can get the proper attention and rest without endangering the health of other people thanks to a daycare sick policy. 

Daycare facilities must have a thorough sick policy in their family handbooks so that parents know when to send their kids home and what requirements need to be fulfilled for them to come back to the facility. Regularly update your policy to make sure it complies with state laws and to account for the emergence of new infectious diseases, such as COVID-19.

Including distinct protocols for various illnesses, such as vomiting, fever, diarrhea, medicine administration, and COVID-19, in a daycare sick policy is also essential because these conditions are acquired in different ways and some are more contagious than others. State-by-state variations exist in childcare health laws, therefore it's critical to review your state's regulations to guarantee compliance.

Daycare fever policy:

Children frequently get fevers, especially those who attend daycare centers. Fever is generally a symptom of a mild sickness, such as the flu or a cold, but it's crucial to manage it and stop the spread of infectious diseases. The following is a thorough policy that daycare centers can use for daycare fever:

1. Temperature Thresholds:

• Threshold: Children with a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher should be excluded from daycare.
• Measurement: Use a digital thermometer to measure temperatures orally or under the arm.
• Frequency: Temperatures should be taken upon arrival and throughout the day if a child appears unwell.

2. Exclusion Period:

• Duration: Children should stay home until they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.
• Return Requirements: A written note from a healthcare provider may be required before the child can return to daycare.

3. Recurrence Policy:

• Frequency: If a child has a fever more than once within a week, they may be required to stay home for a longer period or provide a doctor's note for clearance.
• Monitoring: Staff should closely monitor children with recurring fevers for signs of serious illness.

4. Exceptions for Other Symptoms:

• Assessment: If a child has a fever but no other symptoms and is otherwise feeling well, they may be allowed to stay in daycare at the discretion of the staff.
• Consideration: Children with other symptoms, such as coughing, sore throat, or diarrhea, should be sent home.

5. Medication Guidelines:

• Administration: Fever-reducing medication, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, should only be given with written permission from a parent or guardian.
• Monitoring: Children who have been given fever-reducing medication should be monitored closely for any adverse reactions.

For further reading: Solitary play in early childhood

6. Communication with Parents:

• Notification: Parents should be notified immediately if their child develops a fever while in daycare.
• Instructions: Provide clear instructions to parents on when their child can return to daycare and any additional requirements, such as a doctor's note.

Daycare vomiting policy:

Another frequent cause to keep a child home from daycare is vomiting. It can be a sign of something more serious, such as food poisoning or the stomach flu.

Should a child throw up at daycare:

• Keep the youngster away from adults and other preschoolers.
• Any vomit should be cleaned up as away using a bleach solution.
• To keep the youngster from becoming dehydrated, encourage them to drink clear liquids like water or ginger ale.
• Keep a close eye out for any more signs in the child.

Vomiting is a common reason for daycare centers to send children home, but it's crucial to have a policy in place for this. Here are some other points to think about:

• The quantity of episodes: How many times does a youngster have to throw up before being sent home? It could only be necessary once, particularly if the youngster exhibits additional symptoms like a fever.
• Not applicable to other symptoms: You might let a youngster stay if they're throwing up but don't seem sick. Going home, though, could be the wisest course of action if the child also has diarrhea or a fever.
• Drugs: What happens if a young child takes drugs to prevent vomiting? You might let the youngster stay if they can stop throwing up and they are not showing any other symptoms. Nonetheless, you will most likely have to send the child home if they continues throwing up or feeling under the weather. Before the child returns, you might also need a note from a doctor.

Daycare diarrhea policy:

A child should stay home from daycare if they have diarrhea as it could indicate a more serious disease. When creating your policy about diarrhea at daycare, keep the following factors in mind:

• Frequency: The number of loose stools a child is allowed to have in a day before being sent home is specified in your policy. A suitable regulation might, for instance, stipulate that children who have two loose or watery bowel movements in a single day will be sent home.
• Additional symptoms: Your policy may mandate that a child remain at home until the symptoms subside if they are accompanied by additional symptoms, such as a fever or other behavioral abnormalities, or if there is blood or mucus in their stool. 

Daycare covid policy:

The COVID-19 epidemic has prompted modifications to the operational procedures of childcare facilities to safeguard the well-being and security of both employees and children. To prevent the virus from spreading and to guarantee everyone's safety, a thorough daycare COVID-19 policy is necessary.

1. Return and Exclusion Conditions

• Children with symptoms: Children who show any signs of COVID-19 should not be allowed back and must first have a negative test result.
• Vaccination: Remind children, staff, and families to maintain current immunizations against COVID-19 and the flu. 

2. Preventive Actions

• Staff Education: Educate all employees about health and safety measures that can stop the spread of disease, such as proper hand washing techniques, how to use personal protective equipment (PPE), and how to clean and disinfect areas.
• Screenings for Health: Every day before they enter the institution, all staff members and children should be screened for COVID-19 symptoms, including temperature checks and symptom checklists.
• Hand Hygiene and Social Distancing: Offer alcohol-based hand sanitizer and promote frequent hand washing. To minimize contact, lower the number of adults accessing the facility and alter the processes for drop-off and pick-up. When conducting activities outside, try to keep kids and adults in small groups and make sure the classrooms are well-ventilated.
• Cleaning and Disinfecting: Create a schedule for routinely cleaning and disinfecting all shared surfaces, paying particular attention to high-touch areas.

3. Staff Responsibilities:

• Alerting Families: Staff should alert families if there is a known or suspected case of COVID-19, isolate the sick individual, and disinfect the facility accordingly.

4. Daycare sick policy examples:

At your childcare facility, the well-being of the kids and staff is always of utmost importance. A few sick policy examples will help you get started and make sure everyone is aware of what to do if someone becomes unwell. This will help stop the spread of illness and keep everyone healthy.

Inclusion/Exclusion in Caring for Our Children (CFOC) Program The American Academy of Pediatrics' standards are modified in the Due to Illness guidelines to prevent the spread of certain infectious diseases in early care and education facilities.

To assist reduce the spread of respiratory infections, including the flu, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides the following advice to childcare facilities and schools.

Four stages to a healthier program are outlined in the health and safety notes for the California Childcare Health Program.