Health, Illness, and Medication Procedure

First Step Daycare strives and is committed to provide children with a safe and healthy environment. First Step Daycare is responsible for ensuring all staff and children follow the health policies and guidelines set forth.We strongly recommend your child’s immunizations are up to date. 

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Should a child become ill or injured while at the facility, parents/guardians will be called. If parents are not at home, the emergency contact list will be used.For the well being of each child, we ask that you keep your child at home should he/she display any of the following symptoms:

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• Pain- any complaint of unexplained or undiagnosed pain or not feeling well.

• Temperature above normal

• Excessive coughing

• Sinus or nasal infection

• Contagious disease (chicken pox, measles, etc.)

• Skin disorders (ringworm, scabies, pink eye, lice, etc.)

• Vomiting (within the previous 24 hours)

• Excessive diarrhea 

• Respiratory difficulties 

• Any symptoms of COVID-19

Symptoms for COVID-19 are similar to other respiratory illnesses including the flu and common cold. The most common symptoms of COVID-19 include:  

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• Fever 

• Chills 

• Cough or worsening of chronic cough 

• Shortness of breath

• Sore throat 

• Runny nose 

• Loss of sense of smell or taste 

• Headache 

• Fatigue 

• Diarrhea 

• Loss of appetite 

• Nausea and vomiting 

• Muscle aches 

In the event that your child is sick:

 

• If the staff feels your child should not be at the daycare because of illness, you will be notified and are expected to have him/ her picked up as soon as possible. 

• A quiet place to rest is provided for ill children with extra care/ supervision while waiting to be picked up by parents

• Parents may be asked to confirm their child is free from symptoms before returning to the facility. This will ensure the control of contagious disease and well being of others in the facility.

• It is advised that you inform the daycare within 24 hours of diagnosis of a serious illness or contagious disease your child or any family members may have. In the event of a contagious disease, we will warn other families of a potential outbreak. (eg. Chicken pox)

• Please phone the center if your child will not attend due to illness, etc. 

• If medication is required to be administered, an administration of medication consent form is required to be signed by parents as given permission. Please give all medication to the caregiver on arrival. It is required that medication must be in the original container. We must follow the directions for use on the container unless alternate written instructions come from a physician.

• It is required that all medications other than emergency medication must be stored in a locked medical box. 

• Emergency medication (inhaler, epipen, ect) will be placed in a clear ziplock bag and pinned on the wall out of reach of children but available for easy access in the event of an emergency. 

• We practice the rules of health and hygiene provided by B.C Health Guide on a regular basis including staff, children and equipment. For example, washing hands before and after eating meals and snacks, after using the washroom, diaper changing, cleaning up bodily fluids, blowing nose, handling garbage, touching pets, etc. Cleaning and sanitizing washrooms, floors, tables, chairs, kitchenware, toys, children’s bedding and all other equipment on a regular basis to prevent spread of infectious diseases in our facility.