12/01/2015
Dreamy Days’ Illness Policy
Dreamy Days Child Care and Learning Center is a “well child” care facility. The following illness
policy will be strictly enforced for the health, well-being, and safety of all concerned.
The health of every child is very important to the staff of Dreamy Days Child Care and Learning
Center. By monitoring each child’s health status, the staff is able to maintain a better
environment for the entire group. If a child arrives to the Center showing clear signs of ill
health, the child will not be permitted to stay. Children who are ill cannot be appropriately
cared for in a child care /preschool setting. A child that is unable to participate in all center
activities, due to illness, should not be in attendance. The Dreamy Days’ staff understands
that it may be difficult to make arrangements with employers to cover shifts when a child may
be too ill to attend the Center, however, keeping your child home when he/she is showing
signs of illness will benefit all other children and staff at Dreamy Days as well as your child.
All parents are asked to report all diagnosed illnesses to the Center. Reporting illnesses helps
to advise other parents of children that may be showing the same symptoms. The Center will
also need to be informed of all medications that a child may be taking for a particular illness.
(antibiotics, oral steroids, breathing treatments) Sometimes, certain medicines can alter the
way a child may act normally, so it is good to know beforehand of the probability.
Below are some examples of health symptoms that require exclusion from the Center
Illnesses are not limited to this list and the Exclusion section is to be used as a guide.
Ultimately final decisions can be left to the discretion of the Center Director/Designee:
Illness/Symptom :
Exclude from Center until:
Fever of unknown origin (100ᵒ oral/axillary or 101ᵒ rectal)
Fever free for 24 hours without medicine
Common Cold/Bronchitis
Fever free for 24 hours without medicine
Diarrhea (more than two loose stools in a 24 hour period
or one contained and one uncontained loose stool
in a 24 hour period)
Diarrhea free for 24 hours without medicine
Rash that has not been diagnosed
Rash clears up or rash is cleared by child’s
doctor with a release in writing with a return
date.
Vomiting- more than once in 24 hours
Vomit free for 24 hours without medicine
Pink eye/Conjunctivitis with white or yellow
discharge. (viral or bacterial)
48 hours after prescribed medicine has
been started and eye leakage has subsided.
Redness/Irritation of eye that has not been
diagnosed.
Eye is cleared up or eye is cleared by
child’s doctor in writing with a return date.
Mouth sores with drooling or
Hand, foot , mouth diagnosis
Excessive drooling has stopped and Child’s
physician has cleared child to return on a specific
date in writing and fever free for 24 hours
without medicine.
Impetigo
48 hours on medicine and skin lesions must be
crusted over and not seeping.
“Staph” Infections (including
Boils)
48 hours on antibiotics and must be covered
if not fully healed. (If in diaper area, must be
covered with something in addition to diaper)
RSV- Highly Contagious
Child must have a doctor’s release in writing
to return.
Pneumonia/Walking Pneumonia
Child must have a doctor’s release in writing
to return.
Croup (Highly contagious) or Persistent cough
No fever for 24 hours without medicine and
No constant coughing.
Ringworm
Child must have a doctor’s release in writing
to return and it should be covered while at
the center.
“Strep” Throat/Tonsilitis
Fever- free and on Antibiotics for 24-hours
and must have a doctor’s release in
writing to return.
Ear Infection
Fever-free for 24 hours and Pain free
Sinus Infection
Fever-free for 24 hours and 24 hours on
antibiotics before returning.
Fifth’s Disease
Must have a doctor’s release in writing to return
Scabies
After treatment has been completed and
doctor’s release in writing to return.
Chicken Pox
Until all sores have dried and crusted over
(usually 6 days)
Flu
Fever-Free for 24 hour period and with a
doctor’s release in writing.
Lice
24 hours after treatment has started and child is
nit free.
Measles
After 4 days of onset of rash and doctor’s
release in writing to return.
Rubella
After 6 days of onset of rash and doctor’s
release in writing to return.
Fever Blister/Herpes Simplex
Sore(s) must be crusted over and no longer oozing
and doctor’s note with a return date.
Mumps
After 9 days of onset of parotid gland swelling
and doctor’s note with a return date.
Tuberculosis
Until child’s doctor states in writing that the
child is on appropriate therapy and can attend
child care.
Pertussis (whooping cough)
After 5 days of appropriate antibiotic treatment
and doctor’s release in writing return date.
Surgery Procedures requiring
Anesthesia (Tonsilectomy, Adenoidectomy,
Tubes in or out of Ears, etc.)
Must have a doctor’s release in writing with a
return date.
Pinworms
Under treatment of child’s doctor and will
need a doctor’s release in writing with a return
date
Roseola
Must be fever free for 24 hours without the use
medication. Once the roseola rash shows up child
child is no longer contagious.