Toddlerville

Health and Medical Policies

 

The child care home is required to have on file a physician's report verifying overall good health and required immunizations.  Current information on immunization status must be maintained while the child is enrolled.  If your child is behind on immunizations, the child care home has the right to refuse care until they are current.  The parent is still responsible for tuition during this time.  Toddlerville Academy requires all children to have their immunizations.  I will not accept immunization exemptions. 

 

Children are to be checked upon arrival each day for any visible indications of illness.  If a child appears ill while at the child care home, parents will be contacted and asked to pick up the child immediately.  If the child remains at the child care home after one hour has lapsed, a sick child care rate of $15.00 per hour will be due at pick-up.  The main reasons for excluding children from the Childcare home are: 

• An illness prevents the child from participating in routine activities; 

• An illness requires more care than I can provide without compromising the needs of the other children in the group; 

• A child's presence poses an increased risk to others with whom the child may come in contact. 

 

The Childcare home cannot admit any child appearing to be sick without a written statement from a doctor or registered nurse certifying no contagious disease is present. 

• Children should be kept at home when they meet the following exclusion criteria: 

• Rectal temperature of 100.4 or higher or underarm temperature of 99.4 or higher, in the past 24 hours. 

• Conjunctivitis ('pink eye'), redness of the eye and/or lids, usually with yellow discharge and crusting. 

• Bronchitis, which begins with hoarseness, cough, and a slight elevation in temperature.  The cough may be dry and painful, but gradually becomes productive. 

• A rash you cannot identify which has not been diagnosed. 

• Impetigo: red pimples, which becomes small vesicles surrounded by a reddened area.  When blisters break, the surface is raw and weeping.  Look for signs in neck, creases, groin, underarms, face, hands, or edge of diaper. 

• Diarrhea three or more times within 24 hours (watery or greenish BM's that look different and are more frequent than usual).

• Vomiting within 24 hours (more than usual 'spitting up'). 

• A severe cold with fever, sneezing, and nose drainage. 

• An unknown illness without obvious symptoms other than unusual paleness, irritability, tiredness, or lack of interest. 

• A contagious disease, including measles, chicken pox, mumps, roseola, strep throat, etc.

 

The child must be clear of all symptoms for 24 hours before returning.  (This means no Tylenol/Motrin during these hours).

 

While I regret the inconvenience caused by strict adherence to these guidelines,  my concern for all the children dictates a very conservative approach when dealing with health matters.  Because of conflicting medical opinions about the advisability of re-admitting children receiving treatment who still appear ill, the child care home will err on the side of safety when making such decisions and ask for your tolerance and understanding. 

 

Should your child contact a contagious illness, please notify the childcare home immediately so other parents can be alerted to the possibility of exposure.  Guidelines issued by the Texas Department of Health dictate readmission criteria.  Contact the office for details.  Parents are encouraged to administer medication outside of the child care home.  At my discretion, I may administer medication, on a 'best efforts' basis. 

 

The childcare home accepts no responsibility or liability for any error or omission regarding administration of medication. 

 

All medication must be furnished in the original prescription container, with an appropriate dispense, marked with the child's name, date, and directions for use; placed in a labeled plastic (zip-locked) bag, and handed to me with a fully completed MEDICAL AUTHORIZATION FORM. 

 

In the event of an injury or medical emergency, I will immediately administer first aid.  If I believe the situation may call for parent involvement or professional medical attention, the child care home will attempt to contact a parent or other authorized emergency contact.  If the condition is serious, the child care home will call 911 for an EMT response or will transport the child to a hospital Emergency Room.

 

Note:  In case of a serious accident or illness requiring immediate medical attention, the following procedures will be followed. 

 

A phone call to 911 is made. 

 

Child's parents (or emergency contacts) are called. 

 

Child is separated from the other children and appropriately cared for. 

 

Parent, provider, or ambulance takes the child and health records to the doctor or hospital.