Aim
To keep the nursery free from contagious illnesses to ensure that all children, parents and staff are provided a healthy environment.
Sickness Procedure
In case the child has been unwell:
- It is essential for parents to notify staff about their child’s state of health, whether the child is suffering or has recently suffered from any illness, has had a loose motion, an above normal temperature or has been vomiting.
- Cheeky Chums Day Nurseries will request children to be cleared, either by a doctor or by nursery staff, for any illness such as stomach upsets, sickness or diarrhoea, before returning to Cheeky Chums Day Nurseries. The department for health stipulates that children must be excluded if suffering from any infectious illness until the child is well. Children will be excluded for a minimum of 48 hours after they have become symptom-free. With diarrhoea and vomiting illnesses, the child will need to be well for 48 hours before returning to Cheeky Chums Day Nurseries.
Please cooperate with us to improve the health and wellbeing of all those who attend or work at Cheeky Chums Day Nurseries. Consideration by parents for the entire group must be exercised. If your child is unwell, then a loving parent with a cosy home environment and sleep is what s required until your child is fully well again. This produces the best results for all concerned. Parents must give their child’s welfare priority and keep them at home until they are well. Medications such as antibiotics need time to work in order to prevent further infection.
Calpol will be given once to if your child develops a temperature of 38 degrees or above. A calpol authorisation form must be completed by parents. You will be asked to collect your child . A normal temperature for at least twenty-four hours prior to your child’s return is requested.
Medical authorisation forms are to be completed on a daily basis for each medication. As antibiotics and medicines are prescribed over a twenty-four hour period, it is essential to spread the dosage so that maximum affect is achieved. Inhalers and breathing equipment will be administered as required in emergencies.
Medication Procedure
All medications are to be stored in their original containers bear the child’s name and are in date, and kept inaccessible to children.
Senior staff members are permitted to give medication to the children providing the following are adhered to.
If a child has fallen unwell whilst at nursery parents will be contacted by telephone and oral consent obtained to give the child over the counter medication, a medication form must be completed by the appropriate person and completed by the parent/carer when collecting the child.
When medicine is being administered it must be checked by two members of staff to ensure the correct medication and quantity is given.
An additional record of medicines to be administered must be kept where all members staff it and signed once the medication has been administered.
Only qualified, senior staff members may give medicine to children. This person is responsible for ensuring the medication form has been completed correctly.
If the administration of prescribed medications requires technical/medical knowledge, individual training is too provided be to staff members from a qualified health professional. Training is specific to the individual child concerned.
Minimum time children should be away from nursery due to illness:
- Prescribed antibiotics = First two days at home
- Temperature = will be sent home and cannot return until the child is well again
- Vomiting and Diarrhoea = child must be kept away from nursery for 48 hours after the last bout of vomiting or diarrhoea
- Conjunctivitis = child will be sent home and can return when medication has been prescribed.
- Chickenpox = seven days after the appearance of the rash.
- Gastro-enteritis, food poisoning, salmonellosis and dysentery = until authorised by a doctor.
- Measles = five to seven days from onset of rash
- Mumps = until all swelling has gone, approximately 10 days.
- Pertussis (whooping cough) = 21 days from onset of paroxysmal cough
- Rubella (German measles) = four days from appearance of rash.
- Shingles = seven days from appearance of rash.
- Thread worm = until treated
- Tonsillitis = minimum 24 hours after antibiotics
- Impetigo = until skin has completely healed
- Pediculosis (lice) = until appropriate treatment has been given.
- Ring worm of scalp = until cured
- Ringworm of body = seldom needs exclusion.
- Hand, Foot and Mouth = until the blisters have disappeared
Cheeky Chums Day Nurseries must be informed if a child has a contagious disease/illness in order to prevent the illness spreading however such information will be treated sensitively and in a confidential manner.
Cheeky Chums Day Nurseries reserve the right to request a letter from the child’s GP before allowing them to return to the nursery.
Infection outbreak
We aim to protect staff and children/residents/service user during an outbreak of infection
- Staff should disclose relevant information/ Symptoms etc. when asked to do so and take necessary action advised by agencies such as Health Protection Agency.
- As soon as outbreak is suspected within the setting, the person in charge should contact the North West London Health Protection Unit, Health Protection Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5EQ, Tel. 020 8327 7181, Fax: 020 8327 7206. Out of the hours phone number: 01895 238282. Email: nwlhpu.omcall@hpa.org.uk
- Staff to promptly notify and report the cases of suspected infectious diseases to the manager
- High standard of record keeping would be maintained during outbreak of infection. Names, date of births, symptoms, dates of onset of illness and location/class of the ill person(s) along with GP details
- Manager would ensure that staff is trained in and children taught correct hand washing technique and that there is easy access to hand hygiene facilities including warm running water, liquid soap and disposable paper towels.
- During outbreak, hands washing would be thoroughly and frequently with soap and water. Before, after contact with individual, after toileting/ nappy changing, cleaning up spills of vomit, diarrhoea, dealing with ill person.
- Prompt isolation of affected person (adult or child) and exclusion until the virus is clear (48 hours after normal bowel habits and vomiting stopped)
- Enhanced cleaning of environment and equipments would be done twice daily as a minimum
- All parents and visitors would be advised about the outbreak and non essentials visitors restricted/ discouraged from visiting for the duration of the outbreak
For more details to see the Guidance on Prevention and Management of Probable/Confirmed Outbreaks of Diarrhoea and vomiting in Nurseries and childcare settling (In Health and safety folder)