Tiny Tots Tips and Tricks Chat Recap: Keeping away those nasty, ewwy gooy, ugly little germs
9:47 AM on Sep. 9, 2008
Cold and flu season is arriving more quickly than we all would like. Last night, we discussed many ways to help prevent the spread of germs and what to do to stay healthy and have a healthy daycare.

Some of the best things you can do ALL THE TIME are:

Practice good handwashing:
wash your hands and kids hands upon arrival at daycare, after using (or helping someone use) the toilet, after playing outdoors, after playing w/ pets, after coughing or sneezing, after caring for a sick child or wiping noses, after diaper changes, after cleaning up messes and spills, after other cleaning activities, after handling garbage and before eating or preparing food.
teach kids a little song or something to show them how long to wash...15 seconds...kids love "happy birthday"...they can sing it once (or twice) while scrubbing...maybe use the following lyrics:
"I'm washing my hands, and making bubbles, I'm washing my hands, to send germs down the drain...Then I'll stay nice and healthy, then I'll stay nice and healthy, then I'll stay nice and healthy, 'cause my hands are all clean!"

Use a cleaning solution of household bleach and water:
1/4 cup bleach to 1 gallon of cool water or 1 Tablespoon bleach for 1 quart of cool water.
Make a new solution every day!
Use a spray bottle and allow to air dry.

Keep immunizations current on everyone.
Most states (it seems) require immunizations and state that the children cannot enter care without them.
Check regulations in the area in which you live for what is required and when.
Keep children's shot records on file and enforce your policies on this with parents.
tinascreativekids has a county nurse that comes by and checks records. The nurse then calls parents when they are missing vaccinations...check in your area if this service is available.

Keep the toys clean!
Clean with soap and water first.
Use the same bleach solution to sanitize.
Use hot water cycle on dishwasher...then you can skip the sanitizing step!
Create a "YUCKY BOWL"...if a toy gets put in the mouth, then it goes in the bowl...they can't play with it anymore, because it's yucky. Don't reward this behavior by washing it and giving it back the same day. When the toy supply starts diminishing for the day, they'll get the idea. They begin to catch each other and say, "yucky now...in bowl please." They tend to get mad when they have to put their toy in the bowl but they understand why.

Teach everyone to cover their coughs and sneezes!
Remind them, remind them, remind them!
Remind parents to remind them!
Give verbla praise and maybe even rewards like stickers or dollar store prizes when they remember!
Teach them where to wipe their noses...not the shirt or thier hands...or the furniture!!!

BEWARE OF PARENTS WHO MEDICATE AND RUN!!!
This seemed to be a problem across the board. You know the ones I'm talking about. The kids have a little fever and the parent gives Tylenol before they bring them in. 3 hours later...FEVER 'S BACK!!!
Be sure that parents are aware of what they are doing. They are exposing the other children and facility and YOU! If you get sick, then who cares for their child?
Be sure you have policies in place for when this happens or a child gets sick while in your care.
Do you have a time limit for parents to pick up child once they have been notified?
Do you give warnings and possibly terminate care for repeat offenders?

Keep parents informed!
Teach the parents what to do (and what not to do...like wiping the child's nose with their hands...eeeeewwww!) Children will model what their parents (and you) do.
Send home information on immunizations.
Send home information on illensses in the area (Linda has an outbreak of mumps where she lives in Canada.) Are ALL parents aware? Do they know if their children (and themselves) are up to date on boosters?
Send home "keeping children healthy" articles and info periodically.
Go to your state regulations and copy the pages that talk about contagious diseases, symptoms, treatment and period of exclusion, and give to the parents.
Double check your state's regulations. One provider recently found that the state had changed the temperature for exclusion.
Are parents aware of habits of the child? Jeanne has a child who has a foot fetish. Always playing with his feet. Extra care and attention has to be paid to something like this. Think of all possible solutions to keep him from doing it while eating. (I know, eeeewwwwww!) Extra handwashing (and maybe foot washing) a must!

Keep yourself informed!
Here are some helpful websites and you can find MANY more on the web:
www.lungusa.org Lung Association...good info on flu
www.webmd.com All kinds of good info on almost all conditions...even those you've never heard of.
www.cdc.gov/flu/school/ Centers for Disease Control ...great info for child care and schools on preventing colds and flu
www.dshs.state.ts.us/ttfk/pdf/lonestar_guide_vol1.pdf Texas CCDS providers, this is the binder they gave us "keeping children healthy, the lonestar guide to healthy child care" This publication has write-ups on common child care diseases along with the period of contagion and treatment. Also info on if/when the child can return to daycare. Also, has letters for parents of children who have been exposed with symptoms to look for and advice for seeking medical care.
I hope this has helped you all toward keeping your facility healthy. Don't forget to take care of yourself as well. A little rest helps a lot, too! If you have anything to add, PLEASE post an entry on the blog for all of us to read!


THANKS AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO "SEEING" YOU IN THE CHAT ROOM NEXT MONDAY NIGHT!

--Joyce




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jycalv - 9:50 PM on Sep. 9, 2008 [ message ]
The last website I gave you should be tx not ts...so the correct addressis www.dshs.state.tx.us/ttfk/pdf/lonestar_guide_vol1.
pdf
Sorry for any confusion! Joyce


PaMom65 - 1:41 PM on Sep. 9, 2008 [ message ]
Holy Hanna bananas joyce! What a great blog! How informative is this woman eh? I knew that I made the right choice in enlisting in your help during football season. You are awesome! Everyone, internet clap!! ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )


jycalv - 12:05 PM on Sep. 9, 2008 [ message ]
Aawesome, PhilEH! Thanks for sharing.


PhilEH - 11:22 AM on Sep. 9, 2008 [ message ]
Excellent advice. Sorry I missed the meeting but thank you so much for this wonderful summary. Immunization information for each state (and Federal Immunization Guidelines too) can be found at: http://www.procaresoftware.com/links.shtml#immun


peverett - 10:57 AM on Sep. 9, 2008 [ message ]
Great job Joyce.