With cold and flu season right around the corner, here at Little Footprints, we’re taking extra precautions to keep the germs at bay. At the end of every day, the tables are washed down with a Clorox solution to kill any lingering germs. As always, we teach the children in our care clean and healthy habits so everyone can do their best to stay happy and healthy.
Simple Steps for Keeping the Cold and Flu Away
We teach the children in our care these simple steps to keep their bodies healthy and well:
- Wash your hands frequently, especially after every bathroom visit, messy art project and coughing or sneezing.
- When washing your hands, count to 20 while they are scrubbing with soap. (Tip: Sing the ABCs Song, or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star to make the time more measurable for little ones).
- Cough or sneeze into your elbow.
- Get a tissue to wipe your nose. Throw the tissue in the trash can.
- Keep your fingers out of your mouth.
The Little Footprints staff watches for children sneezing on and/or in the vicinity of toys so the toys can be re-washed. In addition, if a child starts to display symptoms or complains of feeling ill, the staff will take the child’s temperature and determine whether or not a parent needs to be called. If the child has a temperature, the parent will get an immediate call. If there is no temperature, the decision is made based on the instincts and experience of the staff member.
Keep an Eye Out for Severe Symptoms
Some important precautions that families can take include keeping your child home if he/she has experienced any of these symptoms in the past 24 hours:
- severe pain or discomfort
- diarrhea
- vomiting
- elevated oral temperature
- blood in urine
- severe coughing
- lethargy
- yellow eyes or jaundiced skin
- red eyes with discharge
- difficult or rapid breathing
- infected, untreated skin patches
- skin rashes lasting more than 24 hours
- skin lesions that are weeping or bleeding
- discolored runny nose
- visibly enlarged lymph nodes
- stiff neck
Be sure to contact your child’s pediatrician if you notice severe symptoms, or if any of your child’s symptoms concern you. It is also important to contact the school when your child will be absent stating the reason for the absence. Finally, a doctor’s note is needed when a child returns to school after having had chicken pox or lice.
Important Notes
- The Little Footprints staff is not authorized to dispense medications to the children except in a life threatening situations, e.g. EPI Pens.
- The NJ Department of Health and Senior Services requires the immunization for influenza for all children enrolled in preschool or child care center. The requirement states that the children need “1 dose to be given between September 1 and December 31 of each year. Students entering school after December 31 up until March 31 must receive 1 dose since it is still flu season during this period.” In the past, parents who oppose giving their children this shot have been allowed to be exempt from the regulation as long as they give the school documentation stating that their child will not receive the shot due to parent objections.
