COMMUNICABLE Disease in child care

1. COMMUNICABLE Disease in child care Prepared by MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SENIOR SERVICES CENTER FOR LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH CHILD CARE HEALTH CONSULTATION PROGRAM

2. As child care providers, there are a number of things you do that keep your kids safe and healthy: Cribs Car seats Outlet covers Cabinet locks… …Are just a few

3. But there are other ways that you can protect the children in your care that may not be so obvious…This workshop is about keeping children healthy and safe from contagious diseases

4. COMMUNICABLE DISEASES IN CHILD CARE

5. INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICABLE DISEASE PREVENTION

6. INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICABLE DISEASE PREVENTION • YOUNG CHILDREN AND THE ADULTS WHO CARE FOR THEM ARE OFTEN AFFECTED BY COMMUNICABLE DISEASES • GOOD INFORMATION AND PRACTICES CAN HELP KEEP CHILDREN IN CHILD CARE HEALTHY • THE SAME PRACTICES CAN HELP YOU AS A CARE GIVER STAY HEALTHY

7. Training objectives • Participants will understand the risks of communicable diseases in child care settings • Participants will be able to describe the four main ways that diseases are spread

8. Training objectives (continued) • Participants will discuss behaviors and conditions that contribute to the spread of diseases • Participants will recognize common communicable diseases in the child care environment • Participants will describe basic ways to prevent and control communicable diseases

9. Illness in child care--why are children at risk? • Children’s immunity is not fully developed • Children in out-of-home care often are sick more frequently and for longer (exposed to bugs they aren’t exposed to at home) • Larger numbers of children are in close contact for longer periods of time • Their activities increase opportunity for disease transmission • They are not reliable hand-washers

10. Illness in child care—why are children at risk? DISCUSSION: Talk with the person next to you for a few minutes. Come up with 3-4 examples of behaviors or activities you have seen children do, that increase the sharing of germs.

12. Illness in child care—staff and others at risk • Hands are contaminated while diapering and assisting with toilet training • Staff are exposed to respiratory illnesses through coughing and sneezing • Children share their infections with their families (parents and siblings) and communities • Illness is costly to parents and their employers CHILD CARE STAFF PARENTS, SIBLINGS, COMMUNITIES

14. COMMUNICABLE DISEASES—WHAT ARE THEY? • Spread from one person to another by germs that are microscopic • Only a few germs on a hand, sink or toy can cause disease

15. HOW DO GERMS SPREAD? RESPIRATORY TRANSMISSION • Coughing • Sneezing • Runny noses

16. RESPIRATORY TRANSMISSION • When a germ passes from the lungs, throat, or nose of one person to another person • The most common infections in child care • Children in child care average 10-12 colds a year

17. Examples of respiratory diseases • Common cold • Influenza • Many vaccine-preventable diseases (measles, mumps, chickenpox, pertussis) • Tuberculosis • Strep throat

18. How do germs spread— from the intestinal tract Intestinal tract (germs are swallowed) • Called “fecal-oral transmission” • Germs pass in stool • Hands are contaminated with stool • Surfaces are contaminated • Food is contaminated • Happens when contaminated hands touch objects such as food, utensils, or toys that someone else puts into their mouth. • Hands can be contaminated during toileting, or by touching objects contaminated by stool.

20. Examples of fecal-oral diseases • Shigella • Giardia • Salmonella • E. coli O157:H7 • Hepatitis A

21. How do germs spread—through secretions Contact with infected secretions (urine, saliva, blood ) Can occur when secretions or other body fluid such as blood from an infected person enters open skin or mucous membranes, like a child’s mouth, nose or eye.

22. Examples of diseases transmitted by secretions or blood • Cytomegalovirus* • Hand, foot and mouth disease* • Hepatitis B • Hepatitis C • Herpes simplex* • HIV Infection / AIDS * most common in childcare settings

23. How do germs spread—direct contact Direct contact • Germs are spread by direct contact with an infected person’s skin or body fluids

24. Examples of diseases spread by direct contact • Chickenpox (varicella) • Impetigo • Head Lice (pediculosis)-Not a disease but an infestation. • Ringworm • Staph infections including MRSA (methicillin-resistant staph)

25. You can’t always tell… • Diseases are sneaky! • Many people with a disease show symptoms (coughing, sneezing, diarrhea) BUT… • People who don’t show symptoms of being sick can still spread diseases. Some diseases are transmitted before the person has symptoms—up to several days before they know they are sick… • Some who are infected never have symptoms, but they can still spread the disease • People can pass on a disease even without getting it themselves (e.g., from unwashed hands or a dirty tissue)

26. How can you prevent diseases from spreading? • DISCUSSION: Form groups of three, and briefly talk about things you do in your child care setting to keep germs from spreading.

27. Disease prevention techniques: Always follow prevention procedures, not just when a person is sick. Here are the 5 most important ways to prevent disease: • Good handwashingis the most important thing (for you and the children) • Use sanitary methods when diapering and toileting • Teach and use the best procedure for containing coughs and sneezes • Follow proper food preparation and handling procedures • Maintain sanitary conditions in the child care home or center

28. In addition to the “top 5” • Understand the causes of diseases and how they spread • Call for consultation when you have questions or need help • Report certain significant diseases to your local public health department • Take special measures (when recommended) to control outbreaks of disease

29. Questions and information • If you have questions or need advice on a communicable disease, or how to clean or prevent communicable diseases, contact: • Or call 1-800-392-0272 to report a communicable disease

30. references • Infection Control in the Child Care Center & Preschool, Edited by Leigh Grossman Donowitz • Managing Infectious Diseases in Child Care & Schools, American Academy of Pediatrics, Editors Susan S. Aronson, MD, FAAP & Timothy R. Shope, MD, MPH, FAAP

31. Thank you!