Questions and Answers!
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Healthy Childcare 6-1
December 2002-January 2003

Sickness and Health: Fifth Disease

Are all rashes contagious? No. Rashes may be caused by skin irritants, allergic reactions, mild communicable diseases, or some serious diseases.

Is fifth disease contagious? Fifth disease is very contagious for 7-10 days before the characteristic rash occurs, and there is no vaccine to prevent it. It is spread by close physical contact and by contact with droplets that occur when the infected person coughs or sneezes.

Can a child with fifth disease attend childcare? Since the contagious period is before the rash appears, many doctors will allow the child to return if he or she feels like participating in daily activities.

What is the treatment? Treatment involves relieving discomfort. If the child complains of itching from the rash, tepid baths or oatmeal baths may help. Parents also may ask their child's physician about topical lotions that may be applied. The physician also may recommend acetaminophen or ibuprofen to reduce low-grade fevers.

Safety First: Clothing Safety

How can I teach health and safety regarding clothing through the curriculum and environment? Allow children daily opportunities to button, zip, snap, and put on a jacket or coat. Add or remove seasonal clothing such as jackets, caps, gloves, umbrellas, and sun glasses to the dramatic play learning center.

What protective clothing and safety rules can I include? Require woodworking goggles, painting and water-play smocks, and helmets and knee pads for wheeled toys.

Do children need helmets on tricycles? Teaching young children to wear helmets (safety education) is critically important. Store helmets near the tricycles, and enforce the rule of wearing a helmet when riding.

What are some unsafe clothing items? Drawstrings in jackets (strangulation); bell bottom pants, fuzzy shirts, or puffy sleeves (can become entangled in tricycle pedals or climbing apparatuses); ribbons, necklaces, and pacifier strings (strangulation); small buttons, beads, and earrings (choking hazards); and open shoes or shoes that can easily slip off (tripping hazard).

Nutrition Action: Nutrition for Infants and Toddlers

Why is breast feeding best for babies? Colostrum, (the first milk) contains antibodies that boost the baby's immune system. Breast milk also contains nutrients that promote brain growth and may even enhance IQ. Another advantage is that breast feeding encourages proper facial and dental development.

How do I know if a breast-fed baby is getting enough to eat each day? One way is to count diapers; a baby should have at least six wet diapers a day.

How long will formula stay fresh? Discard prepared bottles with formula after 24 hours. Open containers of ready-to-feed or concentrated formula should be discarded after 48 hours.

When should a baby start eating solid food? The baby should be able to sit up with support, hold his or her neck steady and move the head from side to side. This usually happens between four-six months.

Medicine Chest: Clean Floors Facts

How often should floors be cleaned? Hard floors (vinyl, tile, and wood) should be cleaned and sanitized daily as well as any time they are soiled by spills or body fluids. Carpet should be vacuumed daily.

Can I clean floors with vinegar? Vinegar may help as a cleaning agent, but it does not kill germs. You still need to sanitize (disinfect) floors with fresh bleach solution or an acceptable commercial disinfectant.

Can I have carpet in childcare? Carpet is colorful, comfortable, generally easy to maintain, and is often the most economical choice for floor covering. However, carpets and rugs trap soil and potentially contaminated materials, and they are difficult to clean and sanitize. Therefore, they should not be used in toilet rooms, diaper changing areas, or areas where food handling occurs.

What is the best way to clean carpet? No single method is superior. The most common ways to clean carpet are steam cleaning, shampooing, foam cleaning, and dry (absorbent compound) cleaning.

Health and You: Health Insurance

What are HMOs? HMOs-health maintenance organizations-are prepaid health plans in which patients receive care from a specified group of doctors, clinics, or hospitals. The HMO receives a fixed fee for your covered medical care.

What kind of insurance gives the most choice of doctors? Fee-for-service insurance. You can choose any doctor and go to any hospital in any part of the country. However, the insurer only pays for part of your doctor and hospital bills.

What is a PPO? PPOs-preferred provider organizations-allow you to see any doctor anytime, but seeing a "preferred provider" who is part of the plan's network is often considerably cheaper.