Sickness and Medicine

Medicine

We only accept prescribed medicines in our settings. If a prescription states that the medicine comes with a plan, we cannot accept the child into our care until we are provided with a copy of the plan. Parents must give written consent to allow us to administer any form of medicine. If a medicine requires technical or special knowledge, we reserve the right to delay the start date or suspend childcare until staff receive the appropriate training.

Subject to consent, we will administer paracetamol if a child develops a high temperature while with us. We reserve the right to refuse the administration of nursery paracetamol at any time.

We will follow the below procedure if we must administer nursery paracetamol:

• We will first try to bring the temperature down naturally.
• We will check our Medicine Consent Form.
• If written consent is already given;
• We will call the parents/carers to check if the child had any medicine within the last 24 hours or if there have been any changes to their health requirements.
• Parents will have the option to collect their child at this stage.
• We will administer the paracetamol and record it on the medication consent form.
• If the temperature does not go down within 30-60mins or if the child develops another high temperature within the next 4 hours, we will call to ask for the child to be collected for close home monitoring.
• We will add a note on the daily message sheets and email you a copy as soon as possible.
• If written consent is not already given
• If written consent is not given;
• We will call the parents/carers to ask for the child to be collected for close-home monitoring.
• We will add a note on the daily message sheets and email you a copy as soon as possible.
  

We do not give paracetamol for teething unless the child develops a high temperature, and we do not administer paracetamol during a pandemic or an outbreak.

Children are best cared for at home by their parents if they are unwell.

Sickness

We promote the good health of all children attending by maintaining high hygiene standards and reducing the chances of spreading infection. We inform all parents if a contagious infection is identified in the nursery to enable them to spot the early signs of this illness. In addition to other guidance, we consider the Infection Control in Schools and other Childcare Settings guidance, which sets out when and how long children need to be excluded from settings, when treatment/medication is required and where to get further advice from. 

We have the right to refuse admission to an unwell child; Please refer to our Sickness and Medicine Policy.

Rashes

We understand that children can develop rashes. We carefully check children throughout the day, and this includes checking their hair, nappies and skin. If we are unable to identify a rash or if we suspect that a rash is contagious or needs medical attention, we will call parents, asking them to immediately collect their child for medical attention. For the welfare of the other children and our staff, we reserve the right not to accept a child until a medical note is received from their doctor.

Sunscreen

To promote good health, we will always apply sun cream to all children, irrespective of their racial background. Parents can bring their unopened sun cream, which will be kept at the nursery. The nursery also supplies sun cream subject to parents’ consent.

We will apply sun cream:

• 30 mins before going outside on sunny days or as stated on the cream notice.
• We constantly monitor the UV level throughout the day. 
• On hot days, the children are not to be in direct sunlight between the hours of 11 am – 3 pm.
• Then every 2 hours unless otherwise mentioned on the sun cream notice, but more often should the children be sweating, swimming or playing in the water.

We reserve the right not to accept a child into our care if we cannot apply sun cream until advised by a medical professional.

Sleep and Rest Time

In our setting, we will not force children to stay awake or to sleep. We encourage the younger children to nap/rest if they are in for a full day. All children under three will be encouraged to nap after lunch, and older children will have quiet time. Any child who needs to sleep will be put down for a nap at any time of the day. Each child has their tray, and laundry is done regularly to avoid cross-contamination.

It is our policy not to wake children up. If a child is regularly having more than 2 hours of sleep, we will discuss the child’s routine at home with the parents. If children sleep for more than 3 hours, we will try to wake them up by calling their names gently. We do not keep a record of sleep times for children over 3. 

Accidents and Incidents

• In a case of a minor injury, we will:
• Administer first aid and monitor the child
• Add a brief note about the accident/incident on the message sheet or parent’s App.
• Complete the accident form as soon as possible
• Give parents advice and reassurance where required.
• As soon as possible, share the form via email to 1 of the email addresses held. Parents can create a shared email address if they both wish to receive notifications about accidents.
  

Staff will not give verbal feedback about accidents/incidents unless:

- The accident has just happened or happened in front of the parent

- We are experiencing technical issues and cannot share the form electronically

- If an accident form is not received within one working day, parents can request a copy by sending us an email or text message or by just giving us a call

• In a case of a severe injury, we will:
• Administer first aid and monitor the child
• Seek medical assistance
• Follow medical advice
• Immediately call the parents/carers and let them know about the injury.
• Immediately complete the accident form and share it with medical professionals and the parents.
• Record the accident/incident and follow our accident/incident policy and procedure regarding notifying Ofsted and the Local Authority.

• If it is an emergency, we may:
• Take the child to the hospital using the nursery car/minibus, a taxi or a staff member’s car where we believe that it is safe to do so
• Go with your child in the ambulance.
  

If it is not an emergency and were advised by a medical professional, we may:

• Call the parents/carers and ask them to take the child to the hospital
• Call the parents and ask them to collect the child for home monitoring

Following any injury, we ask:

- Parents to monitor their child at home in case an injury becomes more serious

- Parents to immediately seek medical advice if the child displays signs of a severe injury

- Parents to take their child to the hospital if they have a concern

At times we may ring you asking for you to collect your child for closer monitoring at home, even if it is a minor incident

• The signs of a serious/significant head injury may include:

Unconsciousness, Difficulty staying awake, Clear fluid leaking from nose or ears, Bleeding from one or both ears, Bruising behind one or both ears, Any sign of skull damage or a penetrating head injury, Difficulty speaking, Difficulty understanding what people say, Balance problems or Difficulty walking, Loss of power or sensation in part of the body, Vision problems: blurred or double vision, Having a seizure or fit, Memory loss (amnesia), A persistent headache, Vomiting since the injury, Irritability or unusual behaviour.

This is not a complete list. Please seek medical advice if you are worried about your child, even if they do not show signs of serious injury.

• What is a minor injury?

Minor injuries may include:

Bite, Small burn, Cuts, Scrapes, Scratches, Bruise, Swelling, Black eye, Splinters, Blisters, Bumps or Sprains

This is not a complete list. Please note that minor injuries can sometimes worsen, lead to severe complications, or become chronic if not treated.

We understand that minor injuries may not be so minor to you. So please speak to a medical professional if you are worried about your child’s injury.