Toolkit for Integrating Healthy Physical and Mental
Development in Early Learning Guidelines
Health and Safety Topic #2: Illness (cough, cold, etc.)
Caring for Our Children (CFOC) Standards and Healthy Kids, Healthy Care Links [Tips for Parents]
Selected States' Early Learning Guidelines
State Assessment

CFOC Standard(s):

Situations that Require Handwashing-3.020

All staff, volunteers, and children shall follow the procedure in STANDARD 3.021 for handwashing at the following times:
  1. Upon arrival for the day or when moving from one child care group to another;

  2. Before and after:
    • Eating, handling food, or feeding a child;
    • Giving medication;
    • Playing in water that is used by more than one person.

  3. After:
    • Diapering;
    • Using the toilet or helping a child use a toilet;
    • Handling bodily fluid (mucus, blood, vomit), from sneezing, wiping and blowing noses, from mouths, or from sores;
    • Handling uncooked food, especially raw meat and poultry;
    • Handling pets and other animals;
    • Playing in sandboxes;
    • Cleaning or handling the garbage.

Handwashing Procedure-3.021

Children and staff members shall wash their hands using the following method:
  1. Check to be sure a clean, disposable paper (or single-use cloth) towel is available.
  2. Turn on warm water, no less than 60 degrees F and no more than 120 degrees F, to a comfortable temperature.
  3. Moisten hands with water and apply liquid soap to hands.
  4. Rub hands together vigorously until a soapy lather appears, and continue for at least 10 seconds. Rub areas between fingers, around nailbeds, under fingernails, jewelry, and back of hands.
  5. Rinse hands under running water, no less than 60 degrees F and no more than 120 degrees F, until they are free of soap and dirt. Leave the water running while drying hands.
  6. Dry hands with the clean, disposable paper or single use cloth towel.
  7. If taps do not shut off automatically, turn taps off with a disposable paper or single use cloth towel.
  8. Throw the disposable paper towel into a lined trash container; or place single-use cloth towels in the laundry hamper; or hang individually labeled cloth towels to dry. Use hand lotion to prevent chapping of hands, if desired.

Training and Monitoring for Handwashing-3.023

The facility shall ensure that staff members and children who are developmentally able to learn personal hygiene are instructed in, and monitored on, the use of running water, soap, and single-use or disposable towels in handwashing, as specified in STANDARD 3.021.

Procedures for Nasal Secretions-3.024

Staff members and children shall blow or wipe their noses with disposable, one-use tissues and then discard them in a plastic-lined, covered, hands-free trash container. After blowing the nose, they shall wash their hands, as specified in STANDARD 3.021 and STANDARD 3.022.

Routine Frequency of Cleaning and Sanitation-3.028

The routine frequency of cleaning and sanitation in the facility shall be as indicated in the table below. This frequency shall be increased from baseline routine frequencies whenever there are outbreaks of illness, there is known contamination, visible soil, or when recommended by the health department to control certain infectious diseases. All surfaces, furnishings, and equipment that are not in good repair or that have been contaminated by body fluids shall be taken out of service until they are repaired, cleaned, and, if contaminated, sanitized effectively.

HKHC Link(s):

Sick Children: When Should Children Stay Home?

Child- and Program-Focused Example
Pennsylvania Early Learning Standards for Infants and Toddlers (p.69)

Personal-Social-Emotional Indicator:
Self Control/Self Regulation
Recognize and repeat disease prevention skills demonstrated by caregivers.
Examples
The toddler will:
Show adult that needs a tissue for nose or intermittently cover the mouth when coughing.
Supportive Practices
The teacher will:
Give infant/toddler a tissue. Allow to practice alone and then assist. Explain why the tissue is needed.


Child- and Program-Focused Example
Alaska's Early Learning Guidelines (p.42)


Domain 1: Physical Health, Well-Being, and Motor Development
Sub-Domain: Health and Personal Care
Daily Living Skills
Goal: Children demonstrate personal health and hygiene skills.
Birth to 18 months

Some Indicators for Children:
  • Washes and dries hands, with assistance
  • Indicates needs and wants such as hunger or a dirty diaper
Some Strategies for Caregivers:
  • Establish on-going and regular medical and dental homes for child and make sure child receives routine preventative care
  • Make sure child receives all age-appropriate immunizations
  • Talk with child about what you're doing when bathing, diapering, dressing, and cleaning
  • Establish hygiene routines and model them (e.g., washing hands before eating, brushing teeth)
  • Understand and recognize typical signs of illness or discomfort in child and respond appropriately, seeking assistance as needed (e.g. teething, earache, diaper rash, diarrhea)

For references to the state early learning guidelines used see State Early Learning Guidelines Used in Examples
Illness (cough, cold, etc.) Content:

Content absent

Content to be strengthened

Content approaches CFOC
Action Plan
     


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