Sick Children

Children should not be left at nursery if they are unwell. Should a child have an infectious disease, such as an eye/ear infection or sickness and diarrhoea, they should not return to nursery until they have been clear for at least 48 hours. It is vital that we follow the advice given to us by Birmingham Community Healthcare and exclude such children until they are well, to protect them as well as the other children in the nursery. Illnesses of this nature can be contagious and it is unfair to expose other children to the risk of an infection. It is important that children are not subjected to the rigours of the nursery day, which requires socialising with other children and being part of a group setting, when they have first become ill and require antibiotics.  Our policy, therefore, is to exclude children on antibiotics for the first 48 hours of the course. The following procedures will be followed should you child become sick at nursery:

• If children appear unwell during the day – have a temperature, sickness, diarrhoea or pains, particularly in the head or stomach – practitioner calls the parents and asks them to collect the child, or send a known carer to collect on their behalf.
• If a child has a temperature, they are kept cool, by removing top clothing, sponging their heads with cool water, but kept away from draughts.
• Temperature is taken
• In extreme cases of emergency the child should be taken to the nearest hospital and the parent informed.
• Parents are asked to take their child to the doctor before returning them to nursery; the nursery can refuse admittance to children who have a temperature, sickness and diarrhoea or a contagious infection or disease.
• Where children have been prescribed antibiotics, parents are asked to keep them at home for 48 hours before returning to nursery
• After diarrhoea, parents are asked to keep children home for 48 hours or until a formed stool is passed
• The setting has a list of excludable diseases and current exclusion times.
• The setting has a list of notifiable diseases and contacts the local Environmental Health Department in the event of outbreak.

HIV/AIDS procedure

• HIV virus, like other viruses such as Hepatitis, (A, B and C) are spread through body fluids. Hygiene precautions for dealing with body fluids are the same for all children and adults.
• Single use vinyl gloves and aprons are worn when changing children’s nappies, pants and clothing that are soiled with blood, urine, faeces or vomit.
• Protective rubber gloves are used for cleaning/sluicing clothing after changing.
• Soiled clothing is rinsed and either bagged for parents to collect or laundered in the nursery.
• Spills of blood, urine, faeces or vomit are cleared using mild disinfectant solution and mops, cloths used are disposed of with the clinical waste.
• Tables and other furniture or toys affected by blood, urine, faeces or vomit are cleaned using a disinfectant.
• Baby toys for mouthing are kept clean and plastic toys cleaned in sterilising solution regularly.
• Children do not share tooth bushes which are also soaked in sterilising solution weekly

Nits and head lice

• Nits and head lice are not an excludable condition, although in exceptional cases a parent may be asked to keep the child away until the infestation has cleared.
• On identifying cases of head lice, all parents are informed and asked to treat their child and all the family if they are found to have head lice.

The nursery has the right to refuse admission to a child who is unwell. If your child becomes ill whilst at nursery, you will be contacted immediately and asked to collect your child as soon as possible.

Updated April 2019