More than just covid…
What has your term been like so far? For us it’s been a hard term…not only dealing/coping with covid and everything that brings - such as keeping up to date with the latest guidance, cleaning and sterilising toys and surfaces constantly - but we’ve also had the ‘common’ cold, hand foot and mouth and the dreaded diarrhoea and vomiting bug to contend with.
We know we have to err on the side of caution and therefore with every cough we think…is this a new cough? Is it continuous? Do we need to ask the parents to get the child PCR tested to be on the safe side? But we also know we are coming into the winter months and the ‘normal’ winter bugs are still around. This is where our practitioner instinct comes into play. We know what is normal for that child and we need to follow what we think is best to protect all the other children, staff and families that attend our setting. We know it can sometimes be inconvenient for parents to collect their child but we only call if the child is not well enough to be in setting.
We have kept many of our systems of control in place such as hand wash stations in the rooms and outside, taking the children’s temperatures when they arrive to work out a child’s ‘normal’ the first few weeks of term, as well as cleaning all toys at the end of each session. All of these are now standard practices, which help to reduce the ‘common’ illnesses we see in the winter months too. By being proactive and armed with knowledge, by updating our risk assessments and procedures, we can ensure we are ready for whatever winter ailments come our way!
Hand, foot and mouth
We have had cases of hand, foot and mouth in setting and it’s so frustrating that it is not excludable. First things first, we always notify our parents as we know it ‘could’ be dangerous at the beginning and end of pregnancy. We are covering all bases with our systems of control, and we just make sure the child is fully well in setting as it affects different children in different ways - but we do understand the frustration from some parents when they see a child in setting who has hand, foot and mouth. All we can do is make sure the child is well enough to stay in session and make sure we clean during, as well as at the end of each day.
Common symptoms of hand, foot and mouth
The first signs of hand, foot and mouth disease can be:
- · a sore throat
- · a high temperature
- · not wanting to eat
After a few days mouth ulcers and a rash will appear.
Find more info at: Hand, foot and mouth disease - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Common cold
We all know the winter months bring on coughs and colds, and this winter is no different apart from trying to distinguish between a ‘common’ cough and cold and covid. The symptoms of a cold are not too dissimilar to that of covid (for many children covid seems to present mainly like a cold rather than necessarily the three listed symptoms) which is making our job harder. We need to err on the side of caution and make sure we do what’s best for the children, staff and families of our setting. We hope most parents understand that if we call and ask them to collect their child it is because they are not well enough to be in setting. Additionally, we also ask parents to be completely honest and tell us if their child has had calpol before coming into setting as we can normally tell when it’s wearing off!
Some children struggle more in the colder months with coughs and may need an inhaler to help them. We make sure any child who has an inhaler has their own individual inhaler care plan that states when they need it and how many puffs etc. This is completed with the parent and signed. This is checked each half term (more if needed) and displayed for all staff to see.
Cold symptoms
They often come on gradually and can include:
- · a blocked or runny nose
- · a sore throat
- · headaches
- · muscle aches
- · coughs
- · sneezing
- · a raised temperature
- · pressure in your ears and face
- · loss of taste and smell
The symptoms are the same in adults and children. Sometimes symptoms last longer in children.
More information can be found here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/common-cold/
Vomiting and diarrhoea
We are always so strict and make sure we always stick to the 48 hour rule if a child has had any vomiting or diarrhoea. We all know how fast this spreads through children. Again, we hope by having our current systems of control in place these will help reduce the spread this winter.
More information can be found here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/diarrhoea-and-vomiting/
We recently found this poster and think it’s nice and simple to share with parents:
All childcare settings work so hard to make sure they are safe and secure for children to attend. We always go above and beyond as we have rigid risk assessments and policies and procedures to keep everyone as safe as possible. Every day is a new day, with new challenges to face, but we meet them with smiles on our faces knowing we have the best job in the world. We have made it through a very tough 18 months but we are still standing and ready for the next wave to ride.
When should we notify an illness?
The Statutory Framework for Early Years (EYFS) states that settings ‘must have a procedure, discussed with parents and/or carers, for responding to children who are ill or infectious, take necessary steps to prevent the spread of infection, and take appropriate action if children are ill.’ (EYFS Point 3.45)
It then refers providers to the Government publication: A practical guide for staff on managing cases of infectious diseases in schools and other childcare settings. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-protection-in-schools-and-other-childcare-facilities
This details prevention and control measures (Chapter 3: prevention and control) as well as the threshold of when illness is deemed an outbreak (chapter 4: what to do if you suspect an outbreak) and whom you should contact. It is therefore important that this document is referenced in your policy/procedure so that all staff and committee are aware of the need to follow it with regards to illness within the setting.
In addition to this there is The Spotty Book which is from Public Health England: https://www.england.nhs.uk/south/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2019/09/spotty-book-2019-.pdf
And of course don’t forget that you can always give us a ring at PATA for a quick chat to discuss your options!
