Illness occurs when your body is unhealthy for a period of time, preventing you from working normally. Whether a parent or child is sick, illness is very likely to spread and hard to control at times, especially with children. Oftentimes, children are unaware that they are spreading germs and can get other children sick, very quickly and uncontrollably. However, there are tips and tricks that you can put into practice to help eliminate the spread of illness in your home childcare.

Why Do Illness Spread So Fast at a Childcare Centre?

There are several reasons as to why illness spreads incredibly quickly in a childcare setting. Children are at a higher risk of being infected because their immune systems are not fully developed. They frequently place toys and items into their mouths which increases the opportunity for germs and illness to spread from one child to another. Children have also not developed strong hygienic practices, they are unaware to cover their noses and mouths when sneezing or how to properly wash their hands. Implementing proper infection prevention and control measures in your childcare setting is the simplest and most effective way to prevent infections from occurring.

Separate Designated Sinks

It is important to have separate sinks that are designated for specific use. Have a sink for hand-washing, one for food preparation, and another for diapering/toileting. The designated sink for hand-washing should be used frequently. It is necessary to disinfect the hand-washing sink often. The purpose of having a separate sink for food preparation is to make sure that when you are preparing food and cleaning up, it is done in one area to prevent the cross-contamination of germs. Lastly, have a sink, mainly in or near the washroom and designate it to diapering and toilet use to limit the risk of any traces of bodily fluids elsewhere.

Gloves

It is not necessary to wear gloves to complete every cleaning task or sanitize, but there are times when gloves are important and should be worn. Wearing gloves help lower the risks of transferring germs between children and lowers any chance of illness. Always wear gloves when you are handling body fluids, such as urine, soiled clothing, and bedding. Single-use gloves should be worn when diapering or toileting children. Disposable plastic gloves allow for a fast clean up of a bleeding nose, accidents on a carpet, and for changing a diaper. However, using gloves does not replace frequent hand washing.

Safely Store and Prepare Breast Milk and Formula

It is important to ensure you wash your hands before and after preparing formula milk bottles. Make sure the bottles are washed and sterilized before and after each use. Make sure to have proper labels on breastfeeding bottles, especially if more than one child in your care is bottle-fed. Label the bottle with the date, time, and child’s name. Once bottles are opened, they only last for an hour and cannot be re-refrigerated after. Being organized and having a proper system can help enforce safety.

Food Preparation

Similarly to the preparation and storing of breast milk, food preparation is equally as important. Make sure your hands are cleaned thoroughly before you begin any type of food preparation. Ensure that any hair or facial hair is pulled back or covered up. Clean and sanitize the area you are going to use to prep food. Depending on what you are preparing, the food safety guidelines will vary but need to be enforced to eliminate the process of cross-contamination. Once you have finished the food preparation, take the same guidelines for cleaning up.

Have a Clear Sick Child Policy

No matter how much you prepare, germs do still spread and children are bound to get sick at one point or another. This is why it is important to have a policy regarding sick children. It is imperative that sick children stay home in order to limit the further spread of germs, and this policy should be enforced every time. Having a policy clearly stated, and making sure parents are aware, can help eliminate the spread of illness germs in your home. If you allow children who are sick into your home, it increases the risk of getting other children sick. If a child has any of the following symptoms present they should be sent home or stay home:

• Vomiting

• Diarrhea

• Bad pains

• Non-stop Coughing

• Sore Throat

Illness in your home childcare centre can be hard to control, so it is important that you get ahead and make sure that you are actively eliminating the spread of germs. We hope that the tips and tricks we provided is a foundation for your cleaning & safety procedures. The more germs you can eliminate, the less chance of illness in your home childcare centre.