Children’s Health Tips for Daycare Safety & Wellness

In our boxed-in offices and WFH style, we all yearn for a good social life. But where does it all start? Let’s take it all the way back to daycares! Daycares are where babies meet people outside their family for the first time, and bonds are first forged. Babies running around, playing with blocks, and trying to put Legos in their mouths truly put a smile on our faces just by imagining it, but there’s one big downside.

These environments can also be breeding grounds for germs and illnesses because of all the close contact, saliva, shared items, and underdeveloped immune systems. Children's health in day-care is quite an overlooked part of healthcare, and we’re here to shed light on it.

So, let’s look at the challenges of day-care contagion and what can be done to prevent it!

Daycares are unique places where kids from various backgrounds come together to play, learn, and grow while their parents are out at work. However, this has one big flaw, as it’s the perfect place for germs to breed and spread. What contributes to this risk?

• Close Physical Contact: Young children play together all day, making it easy for germs to spread through touch, sneezing, or coughing.

• Shared Toys and Equipment: Toys, books, and play areas are shared daily among children, and they serve as potential carriers of germs if they are not properly sanitised.

• Immature Immune Systems: Children in daycare are still developing their immune defences, so it is easier for them to get infections.

• Irregular Hygiene Practices: Teaching young children proper hygiene, such as handwashing, can be quite difficult and, many times, requires micromanagement.

To ensure that daycares don’t become breeding grounds for bacteria, teachers and staff should bring about and follow strict rules regarding hygiene practices and prevention methods. Here are some strategies that daycares can follow:

Establish Clear Illness Policies

One of the main steps in managing illness is setting clear guidelines for when children and staff should stay home. Here are some basic policies:

• Sick Child Policies: Outline specific symptoms like fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, or unexplained rashes requiring the child to stay home. A common rule is to require children to be symptom-free for 24 hours before returning.

• Parent Communication: Regularly update parents about illness policies and protocols. Transparent communication builds trust and will ensure cooperation.

• Staff Guidelines: Ensure the staff also follow the same policies by staying at home when they are unwell to prevent spreading germs to children and coworkers.

Prioritise Hygiene Practices

Proper hygiene practices fall at the crux of illness prevention in childcare settings. These practices are mainly:

• Handwashing: Teach children and staff to wash their hands frequently with soap and water, especially before meals, after using the restroom, and after playground time.

• Hygiene Education: Use songs, posters, and fun activities to educate children about the importance of hygiene in a way that they find relatable.

Follow The Cleaning Routines

When the kids and staff follow cleaning and sanitisation routines, it minimises the risk of germ transmission. Here are the best practices that can be followed:

• Daily Cleaning: Clean and disinfect things that are always touched, such as tables, doorknobs, and light switches, more than once daily.

• Sanitising Toys: Follow a schedule for sanitising toys in daycare, especially the ones that the kids bite.

• Laundry Management: Wash bedding, blankets, and dress-up clothes regularly so they’re spick and span!

Bring In Infection Control Policies

Daycare infection control policies are paramount for having a structured approach to prevent the kids from getting sick. Here are some proven methods:

• Vaccination Requirements: Ensure that children and staff are up-to-date on recommended vaccinations to reduce the risk of preventable diseases.

• PPE Use During Outbreaks: Equip staff with masks and gloves when they have to handle sick children or if there is a germ outbreak.

• Visitor Restrictions: Reduce access to daycare facilities for non-essential visitors when there is a risk of illness.

Proactive Measures to Reduce Risks

To reduce the spread of illness, daycare centres can implement the following preventive measures:

• Cough and Sneeze Etiquette: Teach children to cover their mouths and noses with a tissue or their elbow when coughing or sneezing.

• Accessible Hygiene Supplies: Provide a generous amount of tissues, hand sanitisers, and soaps that kids can take for themselves.

• Training for Staff: Regularly train daycare staff on illness prevention strategies and drill in the importance of hygiene and early identification of symptoms.

Responding to Outbreaks

Even when you try so hard and get so far, in the end, it won’t even matter. However, a proper response plan will help limit the spread:

• Isolation Protocols: Designate a separate area for isolating sick children until their parents or guardians can pick them up.

• Parent Notifications: Inform parents immediately about outbreaks and provide guidance on the symptoms to watch for.

• Collaboration with Health Authorities: Work with local health departments to implement additional measures if it gets serious.

You need to maintain a high standard of hygiene to reduce the risk of contagion. So here are the number of top things we would recommend:

Daily Cleaning and Sanitization

• Create full-on cleaning routines for daycares that cover all areas, including playrooms, bathrooms, and outdoor spaces.

• Use child-safe cleaning products that effectively kill germs without posing risks to children.

• Encourage children to help with simple tasks, such as tidying up toys and inculcating good habits.

Guidelines for Sick Children in Daycare

Clear and enforceable guidelines for managing sick children play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy environment:

• Create an exclusion policy that specifies when children should stay home or be sent home.

• Require parents to inform staff of any contagious illnesses diagnosed in their child.

• Provide alternative learning resources, such as take-home activities, for children recovering at home.

What Can Parents Do?

Parents are the final piece in the daycare puzzle. Facilities should encourage parents to:

• Keep children home when they show symptoms, following the daycare’s sickness policies.

• Teach and reinforce proper hygiene habits at home, such as handwashing and not sharing things like teethers and brushes.

• Keep immunisations updated and inform daycare staff of changes in the kid’s health.

Proactive measures to manage contagion in daycares offer several benefits, including:

• Healthier Environment: Children and staff will be sick fewer times so that kids will be present in the daycare more!

• Trust and Confidence: Parents will feel reassured knowing their children are in a safe and hygienic environment.

• Positive Reputation: Daycares prioritising health and safety will build a strong reputation and attract more business.

We hope you’ve understood the importance and impact of keeping daycares clean! It helps not only the kid but also their family! By prioritising children’s health in daycare settings, these places can create a safe, nurturing environment where children can have fun, make friends, and grow into wonderful kids!

Not only will you create a clean and healthy daycare, but parents can go about their day without worries as they know their kids are in safe hands!