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Healthy Childcare 6-2
February-March 2003

Sickness & Health: Zoonoses

What is Zoonoses? Any infectious disease that can be transmitted from animals, both wild and domestic, to humans.

What should I do if a child is bitten by an family pet? Any animal bite, whether by a dog, cat, hamster, or a wild animal, should be reported to a doctor or to public health officials immediately, and follow their recommendation.

Where do children get salmonella? Salmonella is a major infection that occurs in poultry, livestock, and in many other animals, particularly turtles.

Can children get ringworm from pets? Yes. Ringworm is a pesky skin condition caused by a fungus. The pets should be treated by the veterinarian while the human is taken to a people doctor.

Safety First: First Aid Training

Do all staff need first aid training? At least one person who has completed training in pediatric first aid must be in attendance wherever children are present. It is recommended that several, if not all, staff be trained.

Is CPR certification necessary? Training should include resuscitation skills such as management of blocked airways and rescue breathing but not necessarily Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). The need for cardiac resuscitation is rare in childcare settings, occurring only when children have specific problems such as cardiac arrhythmia or drowning.

What are some considerations when planning emergency procedures? Who/when to contact emergency help (911, other?); emergency contact information for each child; enough staff trained to cover all emergencies until help arrives; have a complete emergency first aid kit.

What about children with special needs? Develop emergency care plans that address specific needs of the individual; particularly for children who have health conditions such as severe food or insect allergies, asthma, diabetes, or hemophilia. Ensure that necessary supplies are included in the emergency kit and that transportation to the nearest medical facility and parental permission to transport are secured in advance.

Nutrition Action: Menu Planning

What are some benefits of menu planning? Planning menus a week in advance saves time, money, and energy and assures a better nutritional balance.

What foods are in the meat group? Any cooked, lean meat, poultry, or fish, and eggs, cooked dried beans, peanut butter, soy burger patty, soy chicken nuggets, and tofu.

How do foods in the milk group help the body? Milk and other dairy products are excellent sources of calcium, which is needed for strong bones, nerve and muscle function, and blood clotting.

How can I meet the recommended servings from the grain group? This group includes bread, rice or pasta, cooked cereal, ready to eat cereal, English muffin or bagel, flour or corn tortilla, pancakes, pita bread, rolls, crackers, or graham crackers.

Medicine Chest : Shaken Baby Syndrome

What is Shaken Baby Syndrome? SBS is head/brain injury caused by vigorous shaking of an infant or young child by the arms, legs, chest or shoulders. Resulting injuries are comparable to falling from a third story window.

Why is shaking a baby so dangerous? A baby's muscles are very under developed and give little or no support for the head. When someone shakes a baby, the head moves back and forth and the violent movement jars the baby's brain against the skull. This tears blood vessels and nerves in the brain, causing the brain to swell.

What are some of the results of SBS? SBS can cause mental retardation, autism, speech and learning disabilities, behavioral problems, cerebral palsy, paralysis, seizures, hearing loss, blindness, permanent vegetative state, or death.

Should you ever shake a baby, such as when choking? Shaking a baby is not first aid! Shaking does not help with breathing or choking, and will not calm a crying or fussy baby. NEVER shake a baby!

Staff Health: Physicals and Immunizations

Should all staff have regular physical examinations? Anyone working 40 hours per month or more in childcare should have a physical examination before starting employment, and then every two years.

Is TB still a concern? Every childcare worker should be screened for TB every two years.

What immunizations should adults have? Influenza, measles/mumps/rubella (MMR), tetanus/diphtheria (Td), Pertussis, Polio, Chickenpox, and Hepatitis.