Questions and Answers!
Your Training Resource

October-November 2004, Issue 7-6

In Sickness & Health: Ill Children in Childcare

Are the diseases that affect children in childcare generally the same diseases affecting other children in the community? Yes. So children can be exposed to disease anywhere they go.

Is it necessary to quarantine a child who becomes ill while in childcare? Not usually.

What should I do if a child appears to have a serious illness or injury? Summon emergency help; call 911.

The child doesn’t feel well, but the parent says he is not contagious. Should he be sent home? Send a child home if he has an illness that requires so much of a caregiver’s time that the other children cannot be cared for properly.

Safety First: Preschool Playtime

If you could have only one toy, what would it be? Wooden blocks are a top choice.

What are the safety issues with blocks? Watch for rough edges or splinters.

Is sand play safe? Yes, but you must have clean sand (no debris, rocks, etc.), and children should wash hands before and after playing in sand.

Can dress-up clothes spread disease? Hats can spread head lice or ringworm. All clothes should be laundered frequently.

Nutrition Action: Safe Cooking with Children

What are some activities that preschool children can do (list 3)? They can help select menus, shop with you for the ingredients, carry unbreakable supplies, rinse fruits, break bread into servings, scrub vegetables, dip foods, tear lettuce, shuck corn, break broccoli into pieces, peel bananas and oranges, mash bananas or potatoes, pour liquids, mix and stir batter by hand, spread butter and other soft food, knead and roll dough, string beans, beat eggs, snap fresh peas, shake mixtures in covered containers, measure ingredients with spoons and cups, create table decorations, set the table, serve food, and help clean up!

Is it okay to taste foods while preparing them? Children (and adults) should never taste or eat any food or batter containing raw eggs or undercooked meat.

What foods may present choking hazards? Avoid sticky, slippery, round, and hard to chew foods, such as popcorn, hard candy, spoonfuls of peanut butter, marshmallows, nuts, seeds, peanuts, fish with bones, raw peas, whole grapes, raw carrot pieces or whole, ice cubes, dried fruit, large chunks of meat, or hot dogs.

Can children use knives or sharp objects? Some older children may use these objectives, but only with one-on-one adult supervision.

Medicine Chest: Pests, Pesticides, and Children’s Health

Do bugs carry disease? Flies can spread bacterial disease; roaches can trigger asthma or allergy attacks.

Why are pesticides so dangerous for children? Children’s bodies are still developing. Also, children are more likely to encounter pesticides because of crawling and hand-to-mouth activities.

How can mice get into a building? Mice can enter through a 1/4 inch gap or a hole the size of a dime.

Where do pests hide? Pests hide in clutter, stacks of paper or cardboard, empty boxes, areas beneath shelves, any inaccessible areas.

Staff Health: Daily Exercise and Fitness Activities

What is “physical activity?” It is all the movements we go through during the day; activities of daily living.

What is “exercise?” Exercise means following a specific routine while being active, such as swimming, bicycling, or walking on a treadmill.

What is “fitness?” Fitness describes how agile, flexible, strong, stable, and healthy an individual is; it is determined by measuring vital signs like blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

How much daily activity is recommended? At least 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity.