How to prevent the spread of communicable diseases

Hand washing is the most important way to prevent the spread of communicable diseases. Use soap, warm water and disposable paper towels. Wash your hands frequently and teach children to wash their hands, too. Hand washing reduces the number of microorganisms on hands that can spread communicable diseases.

Open the window to let the fresh air in! Well-ventilated rooms help reduce the numbers of airborne germs inside. Airing out the rooms is important, even in the winter. When it’s cold outside, we spend the majority of time inside. Respiratory diseases easily spread from coughs and sneezes. Opening the window at least once a day lets the germs out and fresh air in.

Follow a good housekeeping schedule and disinfect in the proper way. Make sure that the floors, walls and bathrooms are clean! Clean and disinfect toys at least weekly. Disinfect the food preparation surfaces, eating surfaces and diapering tables. The simplest way to disinfect a surface includes three steps. The first step is to clean the surface with soap and thoroughly rinse with clean water. The second step is to spray or wipe the surface with a solution of 1/4 cup of household bleach in one gallon of water. The final step is to let the surface air dry in order to give the disinfectant time to work. Be careful not to use this solution on surfaces that could be damaged, such as carpets. This preparation is inexpensive and kills bacteria, viruses and most parasites. If you prefer to use a commercial disinfectant, you may. It is important, however, to measure the amount of disinfectant according to the directions on the bottle to get the necessary concentration needed to disinfect.

Require that children are up to date on immunizations. An immunization schedule is in the back of this booklet. Check immunization records and update them regularly. Do your part to help eliminate vaccine-preventable diseases. Remember, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Do not share personal items among children and keep their belongings separate. Do not allow children to share belongings such as hair brushes, food, clothing, hats, pacifiers or other items. Separate children’s coats, hats, and bedding items.

Separate children by using space wisely. Maintain distance between sleeping areas, mats, cribs or cots. Keep children in groups and consistently assign caregivers to the same group. Keep diapered and toilet-trained children separate to prevent spread of diarrheal diseases.

Exclude sick children and staff. The Exclusion Policies as outlined in the Child Day Care Rules have been included. Sending a sick child home with his/her parent helps to prevent the other children from becoming ill with a communicable disease.