Health and Safety
School Health Services are designed to appraise, protect, and promote the optimum health of students and school personnel.
If a child exhibits any of the following symptoms, the child should not attend the center. If such symptoms occur at the center, the child will be removed from the group, and parents will be called to take the child home:
- Severe pain or discomfort
- Acute diarrhea
- Episodes of acute vomiting
- Elevated oral temperate of 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit
- Lethargy
- Severe coughing
- Yellow eyes or jaundiced skin
- Red eyes with discharge
- Infected, untreated skin patches
- Difficult or rapid breathing
- Skin rashes in conjunction with fever or behavior changes
- Skin lesions that are weeping or bleeding
- Mouth sores with drooling
- Stiff neck
Once the child is symptom-free or has a health care provider’s note stating that the child no longer poses a serious health risk to himself/herself or others, the child may return to the center unless contraindicated by The Department of Health.
Hygiene
Please be aware that all children are expected to be dropped off clean, fresh-smelling and well-groomed, with brushed hair, clean teeth and short nails and their diaper must be changed prior to arrival. Failure to keep a child’s nails short constitutes a danger to themselves and others. It is our policy to trim the nails of children we feel pose a danger to themselves or others.
Sickness Policy
If a child is dismissed from the center because of a contagious illness, a doctor’s note is required before your child may return to the center. If a child is dismissed from the center due to illness, they must remain symptom-free for 24 hours before returning to the center. In case of illness, there will be no credit issued. If your child requires antibiotics, they must have received the antibiotics for a minimum of 24 hours before they will be allowed to return to the center. In our brochure, you will find a detailed list of reasons for sending a child home and excludable diseases. But there are 2 main criteria for a child staying home, 1) They have an illness that is or could potentially be contagious, 2) a child’s illness results in greater care than the staff can provide, which will result in lesser care for the other children.
If a child has allergies or asthma, we have additional forms which must be completed by your child’s doctor.
Medications Policy
If your child requires medication during the course of the day, you must fill out the medication permission form which is located in each childcare classroom. All medications must be delivered to the preschool. Medication must be in its original container, clearly labeled with your child’s name. You must include a dispensing device which has easily legible markings. They must be held together in a box, a Ziploc bag, or with a rubber band. We cannot administer over the counter medications for more than 2 consecutive days without a doctor’s note, this does not include fever reducers, such as acetaminophen. Over the counter prescriptions for children under the age of 2 require a doctor’s note which details the dose required.
For coughs and colds, we will not administer any medication regardless of the child’s age without a doctor’s note which must include detailed dosing instructions. We will not administer any medication for vomiting or diarrhea.
If the medication is prescribed by a doctor, the prescription container must include the date the course was begun and the duration of the treatment. The prescription must be in the child’s name. This includes nebulizer medication, they must be in the original box labeled with the child’s name by the pharmacist.
We will not administer any medication containing a fever reducer. The only exception is Tylenol for teething. This cannot be administered for more than 2 consecutive days. We will check to make sure that the child does not have a fever before administering this medication. If they have a fever, they will be sent home. Of course, if a child is being sent home with a fever, upon request a fever reducer that you provide may be administered, but this will not affect the removal policy.
If your child requires medication for an extended period lasting one month or more, you may complete the Individual Permission for Medication or Health Care Procedure Form. This is available in each childcare center and needs to be completed and signed by the prescribing doctor. These forms must be renewed as they are completed.
Universal Health Form/Immunizations
The Universal Health Form, which is included in our brochure, is required by The Office of Licensing and it must be updated each year. The date it expires is one year from the date of the last physical, not the date the doctor signs the form. You must also update your immunization form each time a new immunization is received. The flu vaccine is required for all children over 6 months between September 1st and December 31st, each year.