Childhood Illnesses & Wellbeing
When should I keep my child at home from nursery ?
During their time at the nursery, especially during the first 3-4 months, children will invariably fall ill. Rejecting or sending children home for illness will always be a last resort, but there are some scenarios where it may be unavoidable.
Our nursery is equipped and staffed to care for healthy children. The nursery will not accept children into care if they are:
- Not well enough to participate in normal activities or require special attention because of ill health.
- Have or develop an illness or symptoms which require an exclusion period as outlined below under ‘Exclusion Periods’.
Exclusion Periods
This guidance refers to public health exclusions to indicate the time period a child should not attend a setting to reduce the risk of transmission during the infectious stage.
There is an exclusion table with guidance on a wider range of infections (Link below).
If your child is prescribed anti biotics due to an illness they will have to be on the course for 48 hours before returning to nursery. If your child continues to require the medication when they return to nursery you will need to complete a medicine form with your nursery manager.
High fever/Temperature
Children with a high Temperature should be kept at home until it returns to normal.
The nursery will contact parents to collect their child if their temperature exceeds is 38°C or higher.
Sickness/Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea and vomiting are common in adults, children and babies. They're often caused by a stomach bug and should stop in a few days. If a child has 3 or more loose stools in a day, we determine it to be diarrhoea.
We follow NHS guidance and insist that the child is kept at home for 48 hours after their last episode of diarrhoea or vomiting.
Wellbeing
Well-being is a broad term that covers how you feel about yourself and your life. It encompasses the physical, emotional (and mental), social and spiritual areas of a person. Under the Early Years Foundations Stage (EYFS) this is covered in the children’s personal, social, emotional development and physical development. Both of which are prime areas of learning and development.