3.6.4.3: Notification of the Facility About Infectious Disease or Other Problems by Parents/Guardians

Upon registration of each child, the facility should inform parents/guardians that they must notify the facility within twenty-four hours after their child or any member of the immediate household has developed a known or suspected infectious or vaccine-preventable disease (1). When a child has a disease that may require exclusion, the parents/guardians should inform the facility of the diagnosis. 

The facility should encourage parents/guardians to inform the caregivers/teachers of any other problems which may affect the child’s behavior.

RATIONALE

This requirement will facilitate prompt reporting of disease and enable the caregiver/teacher to provide better care. Disease surveillance and reporting to local health authorities is crucial to preventing and controlling diseases in the child care setting (2,3). The major purpose of surveillance is to allow early detection of disease and prompt implementation of control measures. If it is known that the child attends another center or facility, all facilities should be informed (for example, if the child attends a Head Start program and a child care program that are separate–then both need to be notified and the notification of local health authority should name both facilities).

Ascertaining whether a child who is ill is attending a facility is important when evaluating childhood illnesses (2,3). Ascertaining whether an adult with illness is working in a facility or is a parent/guardian of a child attending a facility is important when considering infectious diseases that are more commonly manifest in adults. Cases of illness in family member such as infections of the gastrointestinal tract (with diarrhea), or infections of the liver may necessitate questioning about possible illness in the child attending child care. Information concerning infectious disease in a child care attendee, staff member, or household contact should be communicated to public health authorities, to the child care director, and to the child’s parents/guardians.

TYPE OF FACILITY

Center, Early Head Start, Head Start, Large Family Child Care Home, Small Family Child Care Home

RELATED STANDARDS

3.6.1.1 Inclusion/Exclusion/Dismissal of Ill Children

REFERENCES

1. Pennsylvania chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Model Child Care Health Polices. Aronson SS, ed. 5^th ed. Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics; 2014.
   
2. Kimberlin, D.W., Brady, M.T., Jackson, M.A., Long, S.S., eds. 2015. Children in out-of-home child care. In: Red book: 2015 report to the committee of infectious diseases.  30^th Ed. Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics.
   
3. Aronson, S. S., T. R. Shope, eds. 2017. Managing infectious diseases in child care and schools: A quick reference guide, 4^th Edition. Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics.