Health Alert

HEALTH ALERT – FIFTH DISEASE

Your child may have been exposed to Fifth Disease.  Fifth disease is a common childhood viral illness. It may start with a fever and bright red rash on the cheeks looking like “slapped cheeks.” Several days later a blotchy, lacey-like rash spreads to the extremities. Once this rash appears the child is no longer contagious and may return to the program. This is normally a mild, self limiting illness for children.  Both the center and parents have to be diligent with teaching the children to use tissues and practice frequent hand washing to prevent the spread of Fifth Disease.

  Pregnant women should be aware of the risks involved with this disease. If you a pregnant and your child have been exposed to Fifth Disease contact your physician for information and follow up care.

Most adults were exposed in childhood and are immune. In adults, the disease usually presents with fever, swollen glands and arthritis especially of the wrists, knees and hands, and not necessarily with a rash. It is spread the same way colds are, by coughing, sneezing, saliva, and mucus.

Generally, no treatment is needed except comfort measures. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) may be given for fever or joint pain. Do not give aspirin or products containing aspirin (salicylates, acetylsalicylate) to children with a fever or viral illness. This may increase their risk for Reye’s syndrome. 

If you have questions, please contact the director or your healthcare provider.

HEALTH ALERT – FIFTH DISEASE

Your child may have been exposed to Fifth Disease.  Fifth disease is a common childhood viral illness. It may start with a fever and bright red rash on the cheeks looking like “slapped cheeks.” Several days later a blotchy, lacey-like rash spreads to the extremities. Once this rash appears the child is no longer contagious and may return to the program. This is normally a mild, self limiting illness for children.  Both the center and parents have to be diligent with teaching the children to use tissues and practice frequent hand washing to prevent the spread of Fifth Disease.

  Pregnant women should be aware of the risks involved with this disease. If you a pregnant and your child have been exposed to Fifth Disease contact your physician for information and follow up care.

Most adults were exposed in childhood and are immune. In adults, the disease usually presents with fever, swollen glands and arthritis especially of the wrists, knees and hands, and not necessarily with a rash. It is spread the same way colds are, by coughing, sneezing, saliva, and mucus.

Generally, no treatment is needed except comfort measures. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) may be given for fever or joint pain. Do not give aspirin or products containing aspirin (salicylates, acetylsalicylate) to children with a fever or viral illness. This may increase their risk for Reye’s syndrome. 

If you have questions, please contact the director or your healthcare provider.

Policy

Tara Williss

03/11/2012

Suspected Child Abuse

·         Oklahoma Law will be implemented and is located in the Licensing Requirements for Child Care Centers page 83 Supplement II and is attached to this policy.

·         Supplement II outlines physical abuse, mental injury, sexual abuse, neglect and threatened harm.

·         Oklahoma statutes define child abuse as harm or threatened harm to a child’s health or welfare by a person responsible for the child. This includes non – accidental physical or mental injury, sexual abuse or neglect (10 O.S Section 7102).

·         Any suspected child abuse is to be reported to the child abuse hotline at 1-800-522-3511. This is a confidential 24 hour a day number.

·         You are not required by law but should give reasonable consideration to report any suspected child abuse to administration in a confidential meeting as timely as possible once a suspicion of child abuse is identified. No other discussions of suspected child abuse are allowed to be discussed outside of confidential meetings with administration.

WHAT IS CHILD ABUSE?

What is the law?

Oklahoma statutes define child abuse as harm or threatened harm to a child’s health,

safety or welfare by a person responsible for the child. This includes non-accidental

physical or mental injury, sexual abuse, or neglect (Title 10, Section 7102).

·         Physical abuse is non-accidental physical injury to a child.

·         Mental Injury is an injury to a child’s psychological growth and development. It is caused by chronic pattern of behaviors, such as belittling, humiliating and ridiculing a child.

·         Sexual abuse, in general terms, includes any sexual activity between an adult and a child for the purpose of sexually stimulating the adult, the child, or others. Sexual abuse may also be committed by a person under the age of 18 when that person is either significantly older than the victim or is in a position of power or control over the child.

·         Neglect is the failure of a parent or caretaker to provide a child with basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter, medical care, protection and supervision.

·         Threatened harm means a substantial risk of harm to the child. It may include acts or expressions of intent to inflict actual harm presently or in the future.

Who must report?

Every person, private citizen or professional, who has reason to believe that a child has

been abused, is mandated by law to promptly report suspected abuse. Failure to do so is a misdemeanor. A person making a report, in good faith, is immune from civil or criminal liability. The name of the reporter is kept confidential.

When to report?

A report should be made when there is a reasonable cause to believe that a child has

been abused or neglected or is in danger of being abused. A report of suspected abuse is a request for an investigation. Investigation of child abuse reports is the responsibility of Child Welfare workers and, when a crime may have been committed, law enforcement officials.

If other incidents of abuse occur after the initial report has been made, another report should be made.

April New Letter

THE OCEAN IN APRIL

TEACHERS

Research and bring to the monthly planning meeting any ocean ideas or activities including the supply list to our monthly planning meeting on 03/14/2012.

Prepare ideas and your room décor for the OCEAN IN APRIL THEME. Please utilize the storage closet supplies before creating your supply list.

ACTIVITIES FOR THE OCEAN IN APRIL

Fact: Our world is covered by more ocean water than by land, yet only a small portion of that water is available for use. Enlarge and reproduce a world map. Write the name of each ocean in the correct spot on the map and help children say each ocean name. Show the children how much of the world is covered by the ocean. Each classroom will receive a nice globe on a stand as a classroom gift for the month.

SO SALTY!
Read to children I Wonder Why the Sea is Salty: and other questions about the oceans. Read other ocean books that you have researched.

WHY DOES THE SALT EGG FLOAT? With the children perform this experiment. Fill two jars with water and add 3 to 4 tablespoons of kosher salt to one jar. Label the jar "Salt Water." Place a hard-boiled egg into each jar and compare what happens. Continue adding salt to the salt water until the egg floats in the middle of the jar. (Adding salt to the water makes the water denser than the egg, which allows the water to hold up the egg.)

SEEING SEA STARS
Provide each child an opportunity to use a star-shaped cookie cutter to cut a star from a slice of whole wheat bread. Help children spread their stars with all fruit spread, students can enjoy a tasty sea star snack!
Draw a sea star shape onto a sheet of blue paper, one for each child. Instruct children to apply glue onto the inside of the sea star shape. Then let them sprinkle dry oatmeal onto the glue. When the glue dries, shake off excess oatmeal and invite children to draw seaweed and little fish on their blue oceans.

STUDYING SAND
Fill a large plastic jar with small rocks, shells, sand, and water. Tightly screw on the jar's lid. Encourage children to shake the jar as you explain that sand is formed over many years as rocks grind against each other and against shells.

WHAT MAKES WAVES?
Explain simply that wind blowing across the water is what makes waves occur. Demonstrate this by filling a shallow pan with 2-3 inches of water. Next place a table fan about 1 foot from the narrowest side of the pan. Let the fan blow at a low speed and let children predict what will happen. Ask: Were there waves? Did the water bunch up at the far end of the pan? Try speeding up the fan. Discuss the connection between wind and waves.

UNDER THE SEA
Provide picture books about the ocean world and the animals that live there. Invite each child to research the books to find his/her favorite ocean animal. Encourage each child to think about why he/she chose the animal. Next, invite children to draw pictures of their chosen animals and help them cut out the animals. Each child can then hold up his/her animal, tell its name, and why he/she chose it. Finally, hang pictures against a backdrop of green and blue crepe paper to complete your classroom underwater scene.

GLOBAL TOSS

Toss the blow up globe to the children sitting in a circle, whoever catches the globe gets to move to the center and re toss the globe. When the children catch the globes have them look where their hands are. Keep track of how many times they land in the ocean or on land.

OCEANS AND POLLUTION

Fill a wading pool with sand and have a trash can sitting beside the pool. Bury paper fish, plants, and other ocean animals that the children have created prior to this activity. Also bury trash, spice it up a little with an old shoe or other unique item that the kids would think is funny.  Have the children sit around the pool and trash can. The children will take turns digging out trash and ocean life from the sand. Have the children throw the trash in the trash can. This will be an outside activity. We will save the wading pool and add some potting soil so that the kids can plant rose rock in the pool for the summer.   

WHAT DO WE EAT THAT COMES FROM THE OCEAN

Gather various foods such as fish, shrimp and ice cream and explain how these foods originate from the ocean or have ingredients that come from the ocean. Show raw, processed, etc.  Have a scoop of ice cream for each of the children and allow them to choose a topping of their choice for an ice cream sundae afternoon snack.

 OCEAN FLOWERS

Show the children various ocean flowers and display the flowers where the children can see them. Have the children create their own ocean flowers with finger paint mixed with white glue and display them for the children. We will provide you with a high quality card stock for the activity. Please take very good care of these flowers. We will save the flowers and place them in frames for Mother’s Day.

Teachers and support staff, thank you for all your caring and hard work. GOG BLESS

What Dressing for Success Looks Like

Dressing for success should always present a professional image towards all customers and other professionals that you will have contact or potential contact with. Clothing should be clean, in good condition and wrinkle free. The clothing worn for work should cover all body areas including the back and abdomen area as well as fit properly.  Clothing worn to work should be free of sayings, brands or sports teams.  Casual business attire should be the gauge for many non physical contact type of employment such as office positions. Other positions such as early child care educators that have physical contact and lots of movement with small children can have a dress code that deviates slightly.  The general attire should be Dockers type pants or another form of pants, skirts or dress that is modest.  Skirts or dresses should not rise much above the knee or have high cut slits. Shirts should be modest in coverage including cleavage and with sleeves. Shoes can vary based on the type of work environment and the season. Thongs should not be worn. Hair, makeup and cologne should be conservative. Personal hygiene and manners need to reflect consideration of co workers and the customers they serve.