CHILD CARE CENTER SICK POLICIES

When a child may not attend school:

• Fever: Children will be sent home if their temperature is 100.4 or higher and must stay home the next day for observation. Children must be free of fever (any temperature above 100.4 degrees) for at least 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication. The same policy applies if your child develops a fever at home. They must be fever free (any temperature above 100.4 degrees) for at least 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication.

• Conjunctivitis (pink eye): Children will be sent home if there appears to be an unusual amount of discharge from or irritation to their eye(s) and must stay home the next day for observation. Before returning to school they will need an evaluation and diagnosis from their doctor in writing of exactly what it is.
  If the diagnosis is BACTERIAL CONJUNCTIVITIS children must have received at least 24 hours of treatment.
  If the diagnosis is VIRAL CONJUNCTIVITIS your child may return AS LONG AS THERE IS NO DISCHARGE.
  If in fact they do not have “pink eye” we need a doctor’s note with a diagnosis and a clearance that it is not contagious.

• Diarrhea: Children will be sent home if they have three or more loose bowel movements in one day and must stay home the next day for observation. Before returning to school (after the day of observation) children must be free from diarrhea for 24 hours with at least 1 regular bowel movement. If your child has one or more loose bowel movements on their first day back they will again be sent home.

• Vomiting: Children will be sent home if they vomit and must stay home the next day for observation. Before returning to school (after the day of observation) children must symptom free with no vomiting for at least 24 hours.

• Lice: Children will not be readmitted until 24 hours after treatment and must be nit free. The Director or a Lead Teacher will make an evaluation and determine if the child can be readmitted.

• Any child out for 3 or more consecutive days with an illness needs a doctor note of clearance upon return to Little Waves.

Common Cold Policy

Children suffering from a common cold will be assessed on an individual basis.

Factors of consideration include the developmental level of your child in congruence with our ability to limit the spread of germs.

The younger your child, the more difficult it is to keep the spread of germs down. For example: hand to face contact, mouthing of toys, uncontrolled nasal discharge, uncovered sneezing and coughing etc.

You should keep your child home if your child has:

• Fever of 100 or greater

• Vomiting and/or diarrhea

• Rash with itching and/or fever

• Eye infection with redness, itching and/or discharge from the eye

• Any infectious illness that requires antibiotics

• Hospital stay and/or ER visit (please call the nurse for clarification)

• If your child's doctor gives you written authorization to keep your child home for a specified period

• If you are unsure whether to send your child or not, please call the director

Your child can return to school when:

• He/she has been fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medicine (Tylenol/Motrin)

• He/she has been symptom free for 24 hours without the use of medicine

• He/she has been cleared to come back by a doctor (written documentation from the doctor is necessary)

• He/she has been seen by a doctor and has been on antibiotics for at least 24 hours

A doctor's note is required when:

• A student has been absent for 3 or more consecutive days of school due to illness

• Has a contagious illness

• An injury requiring crutches, a sling, a cast, or other orthopedic injury

• After an emergency room visit or hospital stay

• A student has stitches

• A student has been diagnosed with a concussion

• A student is on antibiotics