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| Sick kid strategies for winter
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Winter is coming and with it an observable increase in the number of runny noses around the place.
It's a well-known fact that children in group care get sick. Some people say the upside to this is that they develop strong immune systems as a result and are sick less often at school, and although this is good news in the long run, it still means you have to deal with the sick days when they come marching round this winter.
The best strategies for dealing with winter illnesses are PREVENTION and PREPARATION.
Prevention is better than cure
Preventing the spread of germs is a key part in avoiding the spread of illness. Your child care provider should have clear policies outlining the steps it takes to encourage good hygiene among the children. However, good hygiene starts in the home and it is worth teaching your child good habits from as early as possible.
Encouraging your child to adopt the good habits listed below will definitely slow the spread of germs and will hopefully reduce the likelihood of illness.
- Wash your hands regularly; while most children are taught to wash their hands after going to the toilet, children should also be encouraged to wash their hands when they are dirty, before and after eating, after messy activities and when they do anything which puts them in contact with potentially germy objects such as animals.
- Cover your mouth when coughing; uncontrolled coughing and sneezing quickly spread germs around an area. Children should be taught to cover their coughs with whatever they can, while a tissue might not be handy when the urge to cough comes on, children can cough in to their hands and wash them or in to the crook of their arm or sleeve.
- Avoid close contact with sick people; when someone in the family is sick make sure the above two rules are strictly applied so as to avoid the spread of germs within the family.
Preparation is key
The first decision you need to make when your child is ill is whether they are too sick to send to child care. Many children with a mild illness, such as a cold, can attend child care without causing harm to themselves or the other children.
However, you should always check your child care provider's policy on illness before you send your child off to child care for the day. Many providers have clear policies on sick children which should be adhered to, a common example of this is: 'If your child's nose is running with green or yellow mucous they should be kept home'
Nothing is more likely to cause friction between care providers and parents than when sick children are sent to child care when they should be kept at home so make sure you are very familiar with the policy and stick to it!
It is sensible to have a sick day contingency plan ready for the day your child is too sick to send to child care. Read our article on Emergency Child Care for tips on how to manage this situation when it happens.
Make sure you are familiar with your child care provider's policy on sick children and never pressure your child care provider to accept your child if they are ill. Remember that it is the child care provider's responsibility to maintain a healthy environment for all the other children, staff and families associated with the child care service.
Another good habit to get in to is to notify your child care provider about any illness that occurred the night before. Many children go to bed with mild symptoms and wake up perfectly healthy after a good night's sleep. However, advising your service of any upsets the night before may make them more alert to any additional signs of sickness your child displays during the day.
While it is sometimes okay to send your child off to care with a cold there are many occasions when you should keep your little one at home, when making your decision at the beginning of the day ask yourself these questions:
- Will my child be well enough to comfortably and happily participate in the activities of the day?
- Will my child's care provider be able to care for my child without it affecting their ability to look after the other children?
- Will my child pass the illness on to their playmates if I send them in today?
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