Parents or other authorized guardians will be notified when their child has a symptom that requires exclusion from the center. A quiet area will be provided for a child who appears to be sick or injured. You, or your emergency contact, will be required to pick up your child immediately upon notification of your child’s condition. Reasons for exclusion are described below.
Fever:
A child with a fever of 100 F or more is to be sent home. She/he may return when fever-free (less than 100 F) for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication.
Vomiting:
If a child is acting ill and has vomited 1-2 times, she/he is to be sent home. The child may return if there has been no vomiting for 24 hours and she/he is tolerating bland foods.
Diarrhea:
A child having uncontrolled diarrhea will be sent home. The child may return to the center when normal stools are present for 24 hours. An increase in number of stools compared with the child’s normal pattern
1. Increase stool water; or
2. Decrease form that is not contained by the diaper or use of toilet
Mouth Sores:
A child who has mouth sores and is drooling will be excluded from day care. She/he may be readmitted when sores are scabbed and healed or health care provider determines they are non-infectious.
Eye Infection:
Parents will be notified if child has signs and symptoms of conjunctivitis/pink eye. The child will be sent home with recommendations to see a physician. She/he may return after 24 hours of antibiotic therapy or sooner if we receive a written statement from the physician that your child does not have a communicable disease.
Ear Infection:
If a child exhibits symptoms of an ear infection and is acting ill, parents will be notified so that they can take the child to a physician. The child may return after initiation of antibiotic therapy or if cleared by a physician. Your child must be fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication.
Strep Throat:
A child with fever and/or strep throat will be excluded from day care. She/he may return after 24 hours of antibiotic therapy and if fever-free for 24 hours without use of fever reducing medication.
Chicken Pox:
A child will be sent home when chicken pox lesions are detected. She/he may return when all chicken pox lesions have dried and crusted. Parents will be notified when a case of chicken pox occurs.
Head Lice:
A child with head lice will be excluded only at the normal departure time until after the first treatment.
RSV:
Infants under the age of 2 with RSV should be excluded a minimum of 5 days following diagnosis. Children must be feeling well and fever free for 24 hours with minimal coughing before returning to daycare. Due to the fact that RSV is highly contagious, St. Matthew Early Childhood Center reserves the right to request parents to have RSV testing on any child with symptoms of RSV. If testing is declined, the child may be sent home until he/she is free of symptoms.
Skin Outbreak:
If a child develops a rash, (this includes ringworm, impetigo, hives, severe diaper rash, or any other undiagnosed rash), parents will be notified to remove the child from day care and see a physician. The child may return after 24 hours of medication or written clearance from a physician that states that the child does not have a communicable disease.
Other Illnesses or Conditions
A child will be excluded from the center if she/he has an illness or condition that
The child may return to the center when the symptoms or conditions causing exclusion have subsided.
A child that is too sick to go outdoors is considered too sick to be at the center. We will expect all children in attendance to go outdoors if the class is going outdoors. There will be no exceptions.
Often times a physician will state that the child can return to group care contrary to our exclusion policies. In such cases, a written statement signed by the physician is required upon the child’s return to the center. However, the St. Matthew Early Childhood Center reserves the right to still exclude the child from care. A written doctor’s statement will NEVER override the center’s 24 hour, fever free, exclusion policy.