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If you have any health articles or health information, please send them to Rhonda and we will get them added to the site as soon as possible. If you are taking an article from a website please give credit to the site it came from and the author's name who wrote the article.
"Warning" Syrup of Ipecac
It is recommended to call 911 as well as the poison control. the poison control have a flip pad to tell them exactly what to do, what to ask etc. DO NOT administer Syrup Of Ipecac without specific directions & instructions form the poison control center. They will ask what was taken, aprox. how much, when, how much the child weighs, how much was in the container, how much now, any signs of lethargy, eyes constricting or dilating, etc. Keep calm, answer all questions honestly & completely. They are not there to judge & criticize you & just because you call does not make you a bad provider or parent, accidents do happen & that is what they are there for.
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Head Lice Handout for Parents
Dear Parent or Guardian,
This letter is to inform you that head lice have been discovered in your child's classroom/childcare. The parents of the infected children have been notified and the children are being treated. Treated cases are no longer infectious. Lice are easily spread, but if you will check your child's head and all other household member, these parasites can be detected early and controlled. Head lice spread quickly, so I would like to make you aware of the following:
What are head lice?
Head lice are very small, less than 1/8 inch long, tan colored insects that live on the human head. They live and lay their eggs, called nits, close to the scalp. The nits are tiny and are gray, white or brown. The nits are firmly cemented to the hair shaft.
Who can get head lice?
Anyone can get head lice. They are not a sign of being dirty and do not reflect poorly upon parents. Head lice are a common problem any place where there are groups of children, such as child care settings and schools.
What are the symptoms of head lice?
Itching and scratching of the scalp and neck are usually the first sign that head lice are present. The areas most often affected are behind the ears and the back of the neck. If lice or nits are found on the head of one person in a household, the heads of all household members should be checked. look for crawling lice in the hair near the scalp and nits glued to the hair shafts. They are usually found within 1/2 inch of the scalp.
When do the symptoms appear?
It may take two to three weeks before the intense itching is noticed.
How are head lice spread
Head lice are passed from person to person by direct contact, on shared personal items (combs, brushes, hats, scarves, sports headgear, jackets and other clothing) or by contact with infested bedding, furniture, or carpeting. Head lice do not fly or jump. They crawl and can fall off the head. Lice do not usually live longer than 48 hours off the head. They only lay their eggs while on the head. It is unlikely that the nits will hatch into insects after they have fallen off the head. Lice do not spread to pets, and you cannot get them from pets.
What is the treatment for head lice
Lice control products come in the form of shampoos, creme rinses and lotions. Some products are available over the counter from a drug store and some are only available by prescription. If you are on medical assistance, contact your physician for a prescription. Contact a physician before using any lice control product on an infant, or a woman who is pregnant or breast feeding. It is recommended that the hair first be washed with a shampoo that does not contain a conditioner or creme rinse. Baby shampoo and Prell are two good examples. The head should be rinses as usual. Some products are to be used on a dry head, others on a head that is damp. Only those people with actual lice or nits should be treated, because use of these products will not prevent someone from getting head lice.
Follow the directions carefully. The directions are not the same for every product. The lice don't always die immediately. It might take up to 24 hours. If live lice are seen two days after treatment, retreat with a different brand. It is recommended that all nits be removed as part of the treatment. A special fine toothed comb is usually included with the product, or can be purchased separately. However, many people feel that the most effective way to remove nits is with fingernails. There are also nit loosening products that you can use after the lice treatment shampoo. Be sure to clean your fingernails thoroughly with hot soapy water and scrape under them if you used them to remove nits. After the hair is dry, recheck the head for any nits left over and remove them. After treatment, check the head ever day for several days.
How can the spread of head lice be controlled?
Combs, brushes, and similar items should be soaked for at least 10 minutes in hot (30 degrees) soapy water or a lice control product solution, then scrubbed with an old toothbrush that you can throw out. Recently worn clothing, including hats, scarves, jackets, pajamas, etc., should be washed in hot water and dried in a hot drier for an least 20 minutes before being worn again. Items which cannot be washed should be dry cleaned, or sealed in plastic bags for two weeks. Items such as sports headgear, headphones, stuffed animals and pillow should also be bagged and stored for 2 weeks. Clean floors and thoroughly vacuum carpets, furniture, mattresses and the seats of cars. The use of lice killing sprays is not recommended.
How can the spread of head lice be prevented?
Check children's heads frequently throughout the year. Especially if they are in child care of school. Avoid sharing items for hair care, clothing, hats, sports headgear towels, and bedding. Avoid sharing lockers. If jackets are hung on hooks close together, tell your kids to stick their hats in the jacket sleeve, not on a shelf by the other kids hats.
When can kids with head lice return to school/daycare?
Students can return to school 24 hours after head lice treatment.
If you have any other questions at all, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
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Hand Washing Facts and Activities
Facts
*Bacteria may reproduce as often as every 1/2 hour.
* Every year, an estimated 40 million Americans get
sick from germs on dirty hands.
* Antibacterial soaps remove 97 percent of bacteria on hands,
while regular soaps remove 95 percent.
* Hand washing is the single most important way to prevent
the spread of infection
Hand Washing Don'ts
* DON'T use a single damp cloth to wash a group of children's hands.
* DON'T use a standing basin of water to rinse hands
* DON'T use a common hand towel. Always use disposable towels.
* DON'T use sponges or non-disposable cloths unless you wash them
regularly, adding chlorine bleach to the wash water. Remember
that germs thrive on moist surfaces
Activities to do at home
* Post a chart by the sink to let your children mark every time they wash their hands.
* Set goals for the number of times that your children are to wash their hands daily.
*Offer a reward when your children meet the goal for several days in a row.
* Put petroleum jelly and nutmeg on the child's hands and ask them to wash away the
"germs" this can be fun and educational
* Make up a song to sing while you and your child wash your hands together
* Help your child make a poster describing the right way to wash your hands.
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Flu-Haitian Creole
Date:
Dear Parent or Guardian,
The peak of the cold and flu season is upon us. To prevent widespread flu in the school, we recommend that your child stay home from school if experiencing flu or cold symptoms. To decide whether or not to send your child to school, please consider the following guidelines.
Consider keeping your child at home for an extra day of rest and observation if he or she has any of the following symptoms:
Very stuffy or runny nose and/or a cough
Mild sore throat (no fever, no known exposure to strep)
Headache
Mild stomach ache
Definitely keep your child at home for treatment and observation if he or she has any of these symptoms:
Fever (greater than 100 degrees by mouth and your child may return to school only after his or her temperature has been consistently below 100 degrees, by mouth, for a minimum of 24 hours)
Vomiting (even once)
Diarrhea
Chills
General malaise or feelings of fatigue, discomfort, weakness or muscle aches
Frequent congested (wet) or croupy cough
Lots of nasal congestion with frequent blowing of nose
To help prevent the flu and other colds, teach your children good hygiene habits:
Wash hands frequently.
Do not touch eyes, nose or mouth.
Cover mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing, use a paper tissue, throw it away and then wash hands.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Thank you in advance for helping make this year at daycare “X” as healthy as possible.
Sincerely,
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"The Germy Potato Experiment"
Peel two potatoes of approx. the same size and rinse both in cool water.
Talk to your class about the germs that are carried on our hands each
day. Pass one potato around the circle allowing each child to hold it. Then
have the last child place it in a Zip-loc type storage bag. Then allow
the children to wash their hands with soap and pass the second potato.
Place the 2nd potato in the same type of bag. Watch what happens over
the next several weeks. The difference will amaze.
*Warning: DO NOT open the "germy" bag. What grows is quite
questionable!
Cut a large circle of flesh colored paper. Have the students turn it into a
self-portrait with colored paper (eyes, mouth, hair, etc). Cut a hand out of
flesh colored paper and glue on a tissue. Glue the wrist part so it covers
the mouth. Put on paper and include the following poem:
Whenever I cough and go achoo,
I cover my mouth,
it's the right thing to do!
I am going to put glitter on my hand and tell the children that these are germs. I am
then going to shake one child's hand and we will see how much glitter will
transfer and we will do this again. As we are doing this I will be talking
about germs and discussing the topic with the children. I am going to follow
this up with a book about germs. Then I am planning on doing a retelling
on "How to Wash Your Hands" and talk about proper handwashing procedures.
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Co-Sleeping and Safety
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Backseat Buddies
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Tornado Warning !
Living in Oklahoma don’t be caught unprepared for tornado season. Practice your tornado drills on a regular basis with your children. Talk to them about what to do and what they can expect to hear and do during their drill. You don’t want to scare them and get them in a panic but you must be honest and stay calm. Their safety and their lives can depends on it.
Have an emergency bag or tote stored in your safe place. You should have the following items in your bag or tote.
1. Flashlight
2. Battery powered radio
3. Cell phone (fully charged)
4. Emergency telephone numbers for parents
5. Blanket or blankets
6. Take your purse and have your check book and credit cards with you just in case of emergency.
7. If you are fortunate and have a cellar, make sure they are free of standing water, and sprayed for bugs on a regular basis. Store extra diapers, formula, juice boxes and snacks for the children and yourself. Include a jug of water and extra batteries for your flashlight and radio.
8. Dolls or stuffed animals to comfort the children. You may want to store puzzles and games in case you have to wait for someone to get you. You hope something like this never happens but the more prepared you are the less likely you will panic or that the kids will panic.
Make sure that you have talked about your emergency procedures with each of your daycare parents. They need to know exactly where you will be and what actions you will be taking. Make sure that each of them have your cell phone number. And it’s crucial that know where they will be and what they will be doing as well. Make sure you have their current cell phone numbers as well.
Be prepared and be safe !
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