INFECTION CONTROL Chapter 3

Spreading Disease Young children are very vulnerable to the spread of diseases because they haven’t built up immunities The potential spread of disease in child care goes up as the number of children and staff increases

Controlling the Spread of Disease Controlling the spread of disease is a major responsibility for any child care provider If we understand the 4 ways germs that cause illness are spread we can set up preventive measures: (see p 87) Respiratory tract: cough, sneeze, talk –The most common –Secretions go through air to toys, food, doorknobs, etc –Prevention: cough into elbow

Controlling Spread of Disease, cont’d Fecal-oral: from bowel movement to hands to mouth –Prevention: sanitary practices See p 102 Direct Contact: –Secretions (urine, saliva, mucus) to toys, etc –Parasites to clothing, bedding –Prevention: hygiene--keeping clean See p 102

Controlling Spread of Disease cont’d Blood Contact: biting, nose bleed, cuts –Universal sanitary practices

Exclusion to Control the Spread of Disease –Excluding children from care is not very effective. Most diseases can be spread (transmitted) for up to several days before symptoms appear

Immunizations Immunizations (vaccinations) help prevent communicable diseases. EX mumps, chicken pox, measles, whopping cough US ranks 69th in the world in immunization rate for children Whopping cough, measles, etc are resurging at an alarming rate See p 89 for immunization schedule

Immunizations in CA Child care professionals report immunization rates among their enrolled children every Fall During intake process we can educate parents about the importance of immunization in preventing disease

Failure to Immunize Some parents do not immunize for medical or religious reasons. These parents must sign a waiver.These students are particularly vulnerable. Ex if someone in the community visits an area with a high incidence of communicable disease Controversy: do preservatives cause Autism?

Hygiene and Sanitation Cleanliness (hygiene) and sanitation are important in preventing the spread of disease in a child care environment Cleanliness: everyday absence of dirt and germs Sanitation: killing germs that spread disease

Universal Sanitary Practices Help prevent the spread of disease (viruses, bacteria, parasites) USP are practiced in the following areas: –Hand washing –Diapering –Toilet and potty seat –Disinfecting surfaces

Hand Washing The single most important thing a care giver can do on site to prevent illness See table p 92 Hand Washing and Diapering will be covered in student demonstrations

Toilet and Potty Seat Toilets must be sanitized daily; more often if a child has diarrhea Both child and assisting care taker should wash hands Potty chairs are hard to clean and sanitize, and should be avoided, if possible. They must be cleaned after EACH use! See p 95

Cleaning and Disinfecting Agents 1. Cleaning: all purpose liquid cleaners 2. Sanitizing: Soap, detergent, abrasive cleaners remove bacteria to decrease spread of disease 3. Disinfecting: Bleach and water solution used to eliminate germs. Different strength solutions for General cleaning p 96), OR Contamination by BM, blood, vomit, urine (p 98). Bleach loses its potency rapidly so solution should be mixed DAILY

Hygiene Practices Dress-up things must be laundered frequently with bleach solution Hats should be sprayed with disinfectant Bedding should in individualized, labeled and stored in a plastic bag

Head Lice Once head lice enter your school they are easily spread hard to eliminate often “return” require exclusion (when nits or lice are present) See p 98-99

Environmental Disease Control Water table: Standing water breeds germs (and mosquitoes) See p 100 Play Dough: breeding ground for germs See p 101 Air: Warm, stagnant air breeds germs. The more people in the space for a longer time, the more germs will breed.

Implications Care givers should educate AND model infectious disease control tactics for the children, other staff, and families EX hand washing techniques (agar experiment) Cultural Sensitivity: especially around immunizations Supervision: Additional task: report required illnesses to CA Health Dept.