Sick Child Policy

Daily health screening for early signs of illness can sometimes prevent a child from becoming ill while attending school (during school hours). This screening can also eliminate problems for The Growing Tree in having to care for a sick child until the parent or guardian is able to come to the school to pick the child up.

Exposing the other children and staff at The Growing Tree to communicable diseases can also be eliminated. If, however, a child becomes ill during school hours, he/she must be placed in a supervised isolation area with a clean appropriate place to lie down. The ill child must also be provided with the appropriate supervised attention while waiting for their parent or guardian to arrive at the school. This would cause a staff member to leave their workplace and care for the ill child leaving a classroom short one teacher/assistant and put extra responsibility on the remaining teacher/assistant.

The illness must be reported to the parent or guardian immediately. Parents or guardians are then required to come to the school and remove the ill child. When the child is removed from the school, the area where the child was waiting must be cleaned and sanitized by the school.

Policy for the Exclusion of Ill Children

Children will not be allowed to attend the Growing Tree if they have any of the following symptoms:

• Drainage of ANY kind: This includes nose, ears and eyes. A clear running nose is acceptable but we do encourage parents to keep the child home if ANY type of fluid is running from the nose. If there is any color to the fluid from the nose, we will contact the parent and ask that the child be picked up. Drainage of any kind is considered a bodily fluid which can contaminate the toys and be spread to another child.

• Fever: Auxiliary temperatures over 99 degrees (infants, toddlers), oral temperatures over 100 degrees. Glass thermometers are discouraged for oral temperature for children.

**All children must be fever free for the previous 24 hours to attend school.**

• Behavior: If a child looks or acts differently: awake all night and crying, unusually tired, pale, lack of appetite, irritable or restless.

• Respiratory: Breathing difficulties (i.e., wheezing, abnormal, quickness of breath).

• Vomiting: Any vomiting situation.

• Diarrhea: Diarrhea is characterized by frequent watery or green colored bowel movements, which are not related to medications or food reactions/allergies.

• Rash: Undiagnosed rash other than mild diaper rash or heat rash

• Sore Throat: Sore throat that needs culturing because other signs are present.

POLICY FOR RE-ADMITTANCE OF CHILD TO THE GROWING TREE FOR THE FOLLOWING COMMUNICABLE DISEASES SHALL BE AS FOLLOWS:

Chicken Pox: All Lesions are dry and crusted.

Impetigo: Blisters covered with honey-colored crusts at least 24 hours after the start of medication. If there is no improvement in 48 hours, the child should be reassessed by the family physician.

Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye): Re-admittance after at least 24 hours after the start of medication and/or drainage present.

Lice: Child can be readmitted after medical treatment and inspection by qualified personnel to insure they are nit free.

Pin Worms: No restrictions following the start of treatment.6

Hepatitis: Physician’s statement required for re-admittance.

Strepp Throat: Re-admittance no sooner than 48 hours after the start of oral medication or 24 hours after an injection.

***If children have been prescribed medication for any illness, the first dose must be administered more than 24 hours prior to returning to school.***

***Please notify The Growing Tree immediately of any communicable illnesses your child develops at home so that the proper procedures may be followed and parents be advised.

Your child’s name will remain confidential.