In order to help stop the spread of disease we ask all families to notify the center when their child is sick. Illness notifications will be posted on the door of the classroom to inform families of the signs and symptoms of any illnesses present in the classroom. If you observe any of the signs in your child, you can keep the child home or take the child to the doctor if necessary.
In the long run, less time is missed if early signs of an illness are heeded and the child remains home to rest. Please be aware that due to the unique dynamics of children in childcare, our policies in terms of exclusion may be more conservative than those of your health care provider. The State of California requires all children to be current on immunizations in order to be enrolled in a childcare facility unless there is a valid medical exemption on file from a licensed medical professional. Children with a medical exemption on file will be excluded from the center if an illness/disease develops in the center for which a vaccine-preventable immunization would provide protection. The child may not return to the center without the written permission from a licensed medical professional.
Health Policy (Infants under 2 years) #
| Illness | Symptoms | Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Bronchitis | Frequent coughing, labored breathing, possible fever. | The child may return 24 hours after the medication is first administered. |
| Chicken Pox | Fever, discomfort, itching, pink, or red spots on chest stomach, and back. Spots will change to blisters, which will crust. | The child may return after the last spot has crusted over. |
| Common Colds/Allergies | Sneezing, stuffed or runny nose, sore throat, watery eyes, possible cough, chills, and low fever. | If symptoms persist for 5 days, a doctor’s note stating allergies or not contagious must be brought in before the child may return. |
| Coxsackie Virus (Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease) | Children may develop a fever that lasts 1-2 days. After the fever disappears a blister-like rash appears in the mouth, inner cheeks, tongue, hands, feet, and sometimes on other parts of the body. | Children may return once the fever is gone and all the blisters have healed. This can be 3-10 days depending on the severity of the disease. |
| Croup | Labored breathing, hoarseness, and loud hacking cough often coming on at sleep times. | May return when the child is able to fully participate in normal center activities. |
| Diarrhea | Runny or liquid bowel movements | Infants under 2 will be sent home after 4 uncontained liquid bowel movements occurrences in a school day and may return after bowel movements return to normal. May return if due to medication side effect with proof. |
| Fever | Infants under 2 with an auxiliary (armpit) fever of 100 and above will be sent home or have an auxiliary (armpit) fever less than less than 100 accompanied by other symptoms will be sent home. | The child must be fever free without medication for 24 hours and be able to fully participate in the program’s daily activities. |
| Head Lice | Persistent itching of the scalp. Small silvery nits attached to hair especially behind ears and neck. | Child may return after establishing that treatment was effective (No nits in the hair, even dead ones.) |
| Impetigo | Lesions first appear as pink-red blemishes which change to blisters, they enlarge and then develop crusts and leave temporary superficial blotchy, red areas. | Seek medical attention. The child may return when lesions are completely crusted over. |
| Influenza (Virus Flu) | Chills, drowsiness, weakness, sudden high fever, headache, sore throat, no appetite, possible nausea, and dizziness. | The child must be fever free without medication for 24 hours and be able to fully participate in the program’s daily activities. |
| Pin Worms | Small, white worms in the stool. | The whole family must be treated. The child may return once treatment begins. |
| Pink Eye Conjunctivitis | Red and swollen around the eye, mucous or clear liquid seeps out, mucus returns after several attempts to clean. | The child may return 24 hours after treatment has begun and clinical improvement is evident with written consent from a doctor or symptoms subside. |
| Pneumonia | Coughing, fever, rapid breathing, discomfort, chills, & weakness. Possible nausea and vomiting. Sudden fever for several days. | The child may return with written note from the doctor stating that they are no longer contagious. |
| Ring Worm | A perfect, reddish, crusty ring with a blotch or red in the center. | The child may return 24 hours after medical treatment with lesion covered until gone. |
| Strep Throat | High fever, sore throat, dryness of throat, swollen glands at neck, and/or white coating. | The child will remain out of the center until the doctor states the child can return w/note (Usually 48 hours after RX has been given). |
| Teething | The 8 day period before, during, and after a tooth emerges. Normal symptoms of teething include: biting, drooling, gum-rubbing, sucking, irritability, wakefulness, earrubbing, facial rash, decreased appetite, or low grade fever. | Children will be excluded if they are unable to participate fully in activities. |
| Thrush | Creamy white lesions on tongue and inner cheeks and sometimes on the roof of mouth, gums and tonsils which resemble cottage cheese. | The child may return with written note from the doctor stating that they are no longer contagious. |
| Undiagnosed Rash | Red, itchy, and possibly raised area on the body. | The child may return to the center with a doctor’s clearance. |
| Vomiting | Vomiting is the forcible voluntary or involuntary emptying ("throwing up") of stomach contents through the mouth. | Children may return after symptoms have subsided at least 24 hours. Spitting up is normal for infants and will not be cause for going home. |
Health Policy (Children 2 years and over) #
| Illness | Symptoms | Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Bronchitis | Frequent coughing, labored breathing, possible fever. | The child may return 24 hours after the medication is first administered. |
| Chicken Pox | Fever, discomfort, itching, pink, or red spots on chest stomach, and back. Spots will change to blisters, which will crust. | The child may return after the last spot has crusted over. |
| Colds & Allergies | Sneezing, stuffed or runny nose, sore throat, watery eyes, possible cough, chills, and low fever. | If symptoms persist for 5 days, a doctor’s note stating allergies or not contagious must be brought in before the child may return. |
| Coxsackie Virus (Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease) | Children may develop a fever that lasts 1-2 days. After the fever disappears a blister-like rash appears in the mouth, inner cheeks, tongue, hands, feet, and sometimes on other parts of the body. | Children may return once the fever is gone and all the blisters have healed. This can be 3-10 days depending on the severity of the disease. |
| Croup | Labored breathing, hoarseness, and loud hacking cough often coming on at sleep times. | May return when child is able to fully participate in normal center activities. |
| Diarrhea | Runny or liquid bowel movements | The child will be sent home after 3 bowel movement occurrences in a school day and may return after bowel movements return to normal or have a doctor’s clearance. |
| Fever | Children with an auxiliary fever of 101 and above will be sent home or have an auxiliary fever less than 101 accompanied by other symptoms will be sent home. | The child must be fever free without medication for 24 hours and be able to fully participate in the program’s daily activities. |
| Head Lice | Persistent itching of the scalp. Small silvery nits attached to hair especially behind ears and neck. | The child may return after establishing that treatment was effective (No nits in the hair, even dead ones.) |
| Impetigo | Lesions first appear as pink-red blemishes which change to blisters, they enlarge and then develop crusts and leave temporary superficial blotchy, red areas. | Seek medical attention. Child may return when lesions are completely crusted over. |
| Influenza (Virus Flu) | Chills, drowsiness, weakness, sudden high fever, headache, sore throat, no appetite, possible nausea, and dizziness. | The child must be fever free without medication for 24 hours and be able to fully participate in the program’s daily activities. |
| Pin Worms | Small, white worms in the stool. | The whole family must be treated. The child may return once treatment begins. |
| Pink Eye Conjunctivitis | Red and swollen around the eye, mucous or clear liquid seeps out, mucus returns after several attempts to clean. | The whole family must be treated. The child may return once treatment begins. |
| Pneumonia | Coughing, fever, rapid breathing, discomfort, chills, & weakness. Possible nausea and vomiting. Sudden fever for several days. | The child may return with written note from the doctor stating that they are no longer contagious. |
| Ring Worm | A perfect, reddish, crusty ring with a blotch or red in the center. | The child may return 24 hours after medical treatment with lesion covered until gone. |
| Strep Throat | High fever, sore throat, dryness of throat, swollen glands at neck, and/or white coating. | The child will remain out of the center until the doctor states the child can return w/note (Usually 48 hours after RX has been given). |
| Teething | The 8 day period before, during, and after a tooth emerges. Normal symptoms of teething include: biting, drooling, gum-rubbing, sucking, irritability, wakefulness, earrubbing, facial rash, decreased appetite, or low grade fever. | Children will be excluded if they are unable to participate fully in activities. |
| Thrush | Creamy white lesions on tongue and inner cheeks and sometimes on the roof of mouth, gums and tonsils which resemble cottage cheese. | The child may return with written note from the doctor stating that they are no longer contagious. |
| Undiagnosed Rash | Red, itchy, and possibly raised area on the body. | The child may return to the center with a doctor’s clearance. |
| Vomiting | Vomiting is the forcible voluntary or involuntary emptying ("throwing up") of stomach contents through the mouth. | Children may return after symptoms have subsided at least 24 hours. Spitting up is normal for infants and will not be cause for going home. |
Please remember if you are called to pick up your child, we require the family or emergency person to pick your child within one hour. If someone has not arrived within the hour, children will be excluded for 2 operational days. Let us work together to make our center a healthy place!! If your child cannot fully participate in daily activities, including rest time, teacher directed activities, indoor/outdoor play, etc. they must be picked up within 1 hour or the same exclusionary rule will apply.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at the https://www.ascr.usda.gov/filing-program-discrimination-complaint-usda-customer and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call 866-632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:
(1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
(2) fax: 202-690-7442; or
(3) email: program.intake@usda.gov
EDS Civil Rights Coordinator is the Operations Director
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
If an accusation of child abuse or neglect is made against a staff member by any individual, the accusation must be reported to the Human Resources and/or Executive Director immediately by the accused person, if they are aware of the accusation. Or by the staff member to whom the accusation is reported. Immediately means, reporting within the business day of the accusation. The report my initially be made by calling the Human Resources Director or the Executive Director in the absence of the Human Resources Director.
The Human Resources Director will begin an internal confidential investigation by the next business day. The Human Resources Director will contact the other Agency Directors, as warranted, to inform them of the accusation. As a part of the investigation the HR Director will interview all parties, the accuser, the accused staff member, other staff members on site, program families if applicable, or other individuals who may have information about the accusation as well as review center videos. All interviews will be confidential and documented for the investigation record. Persons who are interviewed will be requested to submit a written sworn statement of their knowledge regarding the accusation. The information gained during the interview process with be provided to the Agency Directors for the purposes of ensuring due process for the accused staff member. The Agency Directors will attempt to resolve the investigation within 30 days.
