Health and hygiene

Infectious disease and exclusion

For the well being of the children and the educators, any child entering the centre must be well enough to participate in all the day’s activities.  If an educator suspects an illness, they will take note of the symptoms and frequency (eg. vomiting, diarrhoea, temperature above 38 degrees Celsius, blisters etc) and consult the Director.

After referring to Staying Healthy: Preventing infectious diseases in early childhood education and care services (5th edition) by the National Health and Medical Research Council, the Director will make a decision whether to contact the parent and request that the child be collected.

In most cases the period of exclusion is determined by the above document or the family’s general practitioner. Where an illness is extremely active and there are multiple confirmed cases, the Department of Early Childhood Education and Care may request the exclusion period be doubled.  For some illnesses, the Director may also request a medical clearance before the child is able to return to the centre.

The Director will inform families of any diagnosed illnesses within the centre by placing an illness alert and information sheet in the foyer of the centre, as well as near the sign-in books in each room.  

It is your responsibility to ensure your child does not attend the centre when they have an infectious disease, or for 24 hours after vomiting, diarrhoea, or temperature in excess of 38 degrees Celsius has ceased. If your child develops a temperature greater than 38 degrees Celsius we will call you. Panadol will only be given if your child’s temperature is over 38 degrees Celsius. 

‘Dosing and dropping’ refers to the practice of giving a child ibuprofen or paracetamol to lower their temperature or reduce the severity of symptoms. This is not acceptable and places other children and staff at risk of contracting illnesses.

Your cooperation would be greatly appreciated.  A clearance letter from a Doctor may be required before children are readmitted to the centre after suffering from a serious contagious illness.  There is a current illnesses board located in the office foyer, this will display any current illnesses and have attached a fact sheet from “Staying Healthy” 5th Edition.

Your child needs to be kept at home if he/she has:  

Temperature of over 38 degrees celsius and can't return to the centre for 24 hours from when the temperature has ceased. 

Conjunctivitis - an eye infection where the eye is generally red with some associated burning and sometimes a thick yellow drainage being secreted.

Impetigo (school sore) shows initially as red pimple like lumps.  These eventually become fluid-filled surrounded by reddened area.  When the blisters break, the surface is raw and weeping.  The lesions most commonly occur in moist areas of the body, such as creases in the neck, groin, arms, on the face and hands or edge of the nappy.

Diarrhoea watery or greenish bowel movements that look different and are much more frequent than usual.

Vomiting

Severe colds with a fever and runny nose

Head Lice and eggs

All contagious diseases the most common are: Measles (normal and German), Chicken Pox, Mumps, Whooping Cough, Hand foot and Mouth

YOUR CHILD’S HEALTH AND SAFETY IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY AND WE TAKE IT VERY SERIOUSLY.

We will inform the local public health unit of the following conditions:

• Diarrhoea (if several children in one group are ill)

• Haemophilias influenza type B (Hib)

• Hepatitis A

• Hepatitis B (recent illness only)

• Measles

• Meningococcal infection

• Parvovirus B19 (if 2 or more cases)

• Pertussis

• Roseola (if two or more children in one group are ill)

• Scarlet fever

• Tuberculosis (TB)