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We know that managing the demands of work can be challenging when your child is ill. We strive to limit the spread of communicable disease in our Center and are committed to implementing policies that balance and respect the needs of children, families and staff in these circumstances. All families are expected to openly share information about their child’s behavior, symptoms or exposure to illness. If your child has been diagnosed with a communicable disease, please inform the front desk immediately: 313-593-5424, so that extra care can be made to stop the spread and inform families about possible symptoms to be aware of. Parents must identify the illness, if known, or describe the symptoms the child is experiencing. Whenever a contagious illness has been reported the ECEC must post a contagious illness notification form on the classroom door.

Families must have a backup plan for care for their children when the child is unable to be in the facility due to illness or injury. ������-Dearborn Faculty and Staff have access to Kids Kare if they are preregistered for the service. Please visit Human Resources online for more information. Exclusion from the center is sometimes necessary either to reduce the transmission of illness or because the center is not able to adequately meet the needs of the child. Mild illnesses are common among children, and infections are often spread before the onset of any symptoms. 

Reasons the ECEC excludes children include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Illness that prevents the child from participating comfortably in program activities, such as going outdoors.

• Illness that results in a greater need for care than our staff can provide without compromising the health and safety of other children.

• Illness that poses a risk of spread of harmful disease to others

• Severely ill appearance.

• Fever of 100.4 or above.

• Diarrhea; watery stools or decreased form of stool not associated with change of diet; stool not contained in the diaper; children unable to reach the toilet; or stool frequency that exceeds 2 or more stools above normal for that child.

  • For cases of bloody diarrhea and diarrhea caused by Shigella, salmonella, Shiga toxin producing E coli; Cryptosporidium or G intestinalis must be cleared for readmission by a healthcare professional.

• Blood or mucus in the stools not explained by dietary change, medication or hard stools.

• Vomiting in the previous 24 hours (unless the vomiting is determined to be caused by a non-communicable condition and the child is not in danger of dehydration).

• Mouth sores with drooling (unless the child’s medical provider or local health department authority states that the child is noninfectious).

• Persistent cough, persistent runny nose, mucus draining that causes vomiting

• Diagnosis of Flu, COVID-19, H1N1, etc. (return after symptoms have dissipated and under medical provider guidance)

• Abdominal pain that continues for more than 2 hours; intermittent abdominal pain associated with fever, dehydration, or other signs of illness.

• Rash with fever or behavioral changes (unless a physician has determined it is not a communicable disease).

• Skin sores weeping fluid and on an exposed area that cannot be covered.

• Purulent conjunctivitis (defined as pink or red conjunctiva with white or yellow eye discharge) until on antibiotics for 24 hours and discharge has cleared.

• Impetigo until 24 hours after treatment has been started

• Strep throat (or other streptococcal infection) until 24 hours after treatment has been started.

• Head lice or nits until after first treatment.

• Rubella, until 7 days after the rash appears.

• Scabies until 24 hours after treatment has been started.

• Chickenpox, until all lesions have dried or crusted (usually 6 days after onset of rash).

• Pertussis (whooping cough) until 5 days of antibiotics.

• Mumps, until 5 days after onset of parotid gland swelling.

• Measles, until 4 days after onset of rash.

• Hepatitis A virus until 1 week after onset of illness or jaundice or as directed by the health department (if the child’s symptoms are mild).

• Tuberculosis, until the child’s medical provider or local health department states the child is on appropriate treatment and can return.

• Any child determined by the local health department to be contributing to the transmission of illness during an outbreak. We follow guidance from, and regarding illness and communicable diseases.

For your child’s comfort, and to reduce the risk of contagion, we ask that children be picked up within 1 hour of notification. Until then, your child will be kept comfortable and will continue to be observed for symptoms. If the child is not picked up within 1 hour of notification, a $50 fee will be billed to the family account. Please be considerate not only of the health and comfort of your child but also the health of all the children and staff at the center.

Children need to remain home for 24 hours without symptoms before returning to the program, unless the center receives a note from the child’s medical provider stating that the child is not contagious and may return to the center. In the case of a (suspected) contagious disease, rash or continuing symptoms, a note from the child’s medical provider may be required before the child can return. Children who have been excluded may return when:

• They are free of fever, vomiting, and diarrhea for a full 24 hours. (Without the use of Tylenol, Ibuprofen etc.)

• Readmission after diarrhea can occur when diapered children have their stool contained by the diaper and when toilet-trained children do not have toileting accidents.

• The child has been treated with antibiotics for a full 24 hours

• The child is able to participate comfortably in all usual program activities, including outdoor time.

• The child is free of open, oozing skin conditions and drooling (not related to teething) unless:

• The child’s medical provider signs a note stating that the child’s condition is not contagious, and

• The involved areas can be covered by a bandage without seepage or drainage through the bandage.

If a child is excluded because of a reportable communicable disease, a note from the child’s medical provider stating that the child is no longer contagious and may return is required. Some illnesses may require longer recovery times than others. 

The final decision on whether to exclude a child from the program due to illness will be made by the ECEC.

NOTE: Doctor Notes allowing for a child’s return to the center after exclusion due to illness must originate from the child’s medical provider. A note written and signed by the child’s parent/guardian who is also a physician is NOT acceptable.

Medications

If a child should require medication while in our care, staff can administer the medication if the following conditions are met:

1. The parent completes a medication form requesting that the teacher administers the medication.    (These are available from the front desk. You can get blank copies to keep with you.)

2. Children on an antibiotic must receive 24 hours of the medication PRIOR to bringing the child back to school. The first dose of a new prescription must be given at home by the parent.

3. The prescription drug in the original container, clearly labeled by a pharmacy with a current date, physician’s name, child’s name, and name and strength of the medication, and directions for administering shall be provided. Ask for an additional labeled bottle from the pharmacy so medicine can be left at the center.

4. The medication will be stored in a locked, childproof container and/or in a refrigerator of the classroom, which is inaccessible to children.

5. Repeated prescription medicine must not be expired.

Over-the-Counter Medications

The ECEC can only administer over-the-counter medication with a Doctor’s note indicating name of medicine, why the medication is needed, when the medication is needed (ex: bee sting), dosage, frequency of dosage, for how long (days) the medicine should be given, child’s name and birth date. Over-the-counter medications are subject to the same rules listed above. Please bring in a new, unopened container if the ECEC is administering over-the-counter medication. DO NOT put medication of any sort in your child’s cubby or in your backpack. This includes: sunscreen, diaper cream, Fever reducing medication like Tylenol are not permitted as the teachers do not know each time the root cause of the fever. Medicine discovered will be locked in the classroom until retrieved by an adult. 

Cleaning in the Classrooms

Throughout the school day the classroom teaching teams work to ensure adequate cleaning and sanitizing procedures are taking place. Prior to setting out food, tables are sanitized using a 3 step process. Adults will use gloves when directly handling food for the children. The classrooms are swept after meals and art activities, and tables are regularly cleaned after table top activities. 

Classroom materials are also cleaned/sanitized on a daily basis. If a child puts a toy in their mouth, it is set aside and cleaned before others can use it again. Rest mats are sanitized after each use. 

Children are encouraged to “catch their cough” and sneezes as needed. Hand washing prior to eating, after toileting, after playing outside, after eating, after nose wiping, etc. is included in regular classroom routines and on an as needed basis. When washing hands, the children are taught to wash the fronts of their hands, backs of their hands, and in between their fingers. Adults in the classroom are also directed to regularly wash hands to prevent the spread of germs. 

We have a cleaning crew that also comes each evening to go through the classrooms, and building maintenance can be called throughout the day as needed. 

When the weather permits, windows will be opened to allow fresh air to pass through the screens. Even in winter months, we try to spend time outside so the children can play in the open air. 

With all of these routines and precautions in place, it is still very important that we adhere to the illness policies outlined at the ECEC.