Health Care Consultant

As required by the Department of Early Education and Care, our health care consultant approves and aids in developing the health care policies for the program. The health care consultant is responsible to approve the plan for first aid training for the staff and is available for consultations. The health care consultant will at no time examine a child, but will make recommendations as to when a child should be seen by a physician.

Emergency Health Care

Together We Grow has been consciously protected from potential injuries; however, even the safest homes still have accidents. Therefore, please be aware that all our teachers have been certified through the American Red Cross for Standard First Aid and CPR. We also have emergency telephone numbers for our healthcare consultant, poison control center, fire department, police department, ambulance/rescue and Boston’s Children’s Hospital posted at each telephone. In case of accidental injury, we will make an immediate attempt to contact a parent. If we cannot reach you, we will call the child’s physician. If an accident should warrant further assistance, the following procedures will be followed:
1) The Wellesley Police and Ambulance Service will be contacted.
2) The child will receive emergency medical care at the Boston’s Children Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston.
3) All medical information in your child’s file will travel with the staff member and the child to the hospital.

Until the arrival of a parent, the physician or ambulance, a staff member will take charge and make all decisions about the care of your child. We will maintain a parent’s signed Authorization and Consent Form agreeing to this provision. It is essential to you and to your child’s benefit that you keep the school up-to-date on your phone numbers, emergency numbers, and other pertinent information.

First Aid

The first aid kit is located on the top shelf of our entrance area. It contains adhesive tape, Band-Aids, gauze pads, gauze roller bandage, disposable latex gloves, instant cold pack, scissors, tweezers and a thermometer. Every three months the first aid kit is checked by a staff member to make sure equipment is adequately supplied. Since all of our teachers are certified in first aid, the staff member on the scene of the accident will administer first aid to the injured child.

Care of Mildly Ill Children

Since our program does not have separate facilities for long term care of sick children, we ask that parents be especially aware of impending illness. Your child will be cared for until you pick him/her up in a separate area (quiet corner). It is important that parents come promptly to pick up their child or their emergency back up person will be called.

Administration of Medication

Together We Grow will be administered only if:
1) Parents have received and understand Together We Grow’s policy.
2) Parents have authorized medication for their child.
3) Doctor has prescribed medication to your child, indicating child, dosage, times per day and how many days.
4) Doctor has written authorization, (may include label on medication).
5) Medication must be stored in original, labeled container with child’s name, drug’s name, directions of administrating and how to store container.
6) Written records will be maintained, time, date, dosage, name of staff and child. When medication is complete, the record will be placed in the child’s file.
7) Medication will be stored in refrigerator or in medication box in teacher’s room, out of the reach of children. Unused medication will be returned to parent.

For non-prescription medication the parents must provide a written authorization form from their physician, a signed statement listing the medication(s), dosage, and criteria for its use. This written statement shall be valid one year from the date it was signed.

All medications whether prescription or non-prescription must be accompanied by a signed authorization form from the parent before medication is administered. These authorization forms will be provided to parents.

Allergies

To protect your child from exposure to foods, medicine, chemicals, or other materials to which they are allergic, parents are responsible to list all known allergies on the appropriate registration form upon enrollment.

Managing Infectious Diseases

Your child’s health is a matter of major importance to us. Upon enrollment you will complete a health form signed by a physician. We require that all children have certain standard immunizations. It is crucial that we take all necessary precautions to maintain the health and safety of all the children in our care. We understand that it is difficult for a parent to leave or miss work; therefore, we suggest that alternative arrangements are made. No tuition credit will be given for an absence due to illness. Illnesses will be based on the following criteria:

1) Can the child participate in all activities?
2) Will the child’s illness impact negatively on other children in our care?
3) Is the child’s illness a public health risk?

KEEP YOUR CHILD AT HOME IF S/HE HAS:

• A temperature of 100 degrees or over (under the arm)
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea or loose stools inconsistent with usual bowel movements
• Any suspicious rash
• Colored nasal discharge (if transmission cannot be controlled)
• Any contagious illness
• Any symptoms requiring one-on-one care and/or causing severe discomfort
• Any illness accompanied by open, oozing bacterial infections and/or severe and bloody diarrhea
• Any open or oozing sores, bloody gums, and/or bloody feces will require a doctor’s note.

YOUR CHILD CAN RETURN UNDER THE FOLLOWING CIRCUMSTANCES

Your child must be kept home for 24 hours, without symptoms, before returning to the center. In case of contagious illness (or suspected contagious illness) a doctor’s note will be required before your child can return to school.

1) The child must be free from fever, vomiting, and diarrhea for 24 hours (without symptoms) prior to returning to school.
2) The child prescribed an antibiotic must take it for 24 hours.
3) The child no longer has a serious cold, but is left with minor nasal drip.
4) The child has been exposed to a communicable disease, but we have been notified.
5) The child has contracted a communicable disease, but we have been notified, the incubation period has expired, and a physician’s note has been obtained.
6) The child must be able to participate in all activities upon returning (including outdoor times).

Communicable Diseases

Parents will be notified in writing when any communicable disease has been introduced into the program.
A list of such diseases follows:

List of Communicable Diseases

Amebiasis	Campylobacter Enteritis
Chickenpox (and Shingles)	Clostridium Difficile Infection
Conjunctivitis	Coxsackie (Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease)
Croup	Cryptosporidiosis
Diphtheria	Enteroviral Infections
Diarrhea Caused by E.Coli	Erythema Infection (Fifth Disease)
Food Poison (if suspected exposure was at center)	Giardiasis
Haemophilus Influenza Invasive Disease	Hepatitis A
Impetigo	Influenza
Measles	Meningitis (bacterial, viral, other)
Meningococcal Infection	Mumps
Pediculosis (Lice)	Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
Pinworms	Pneumonia caused Mycoplasma Pneumonia
Polio	Rabies
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)	Ringworm
Rotavirus	Rubella (German Measles)
Salmonellas	Scabies
Shigellosis	Strep Throat
Tuberculosis	Yesiniosis