Infection Prevention and Control in Early Child Development - 2025 PDF

Infection Prevention & Control in Early Child Development Centers Presented by: Jen McCloud, RN Updated January 2025 What is Infection Prevention & Control?  Refers to a set of practices implemented to minimize the spread of infectious diseases among children and staff by promoting goo...

Infection Prevention & Control in Early Child Development Centers Presented by: Jen McCloud, RN Updated January 2025 What is Infection Prevention & Control?  Refers to a set of practices implemented to minimize the spread of infectious diseases among children and staff by promoting good hygiene, regular cleaning and disinfection of surfaces, proper handling of bodily fluids, and educating children and staff on practices like handwashing, cough etiquette, and staying home when sick; essentially, taking proactive measures to prevent the transmission of germs in a childcare environment.  Protects children and staff against illnesses.  People should have confidence in the cleanliness and hygiene of our facility and our care.  What are germs?  Tiny living organisms that can be found Most germs are harmless and everywhere in our environment. They even beneficial to our include: health. However, some germs  Viruses can cause infections and illnesses.  Bacteria  Parasites  Fungi  Germ Info continued…  Germs like and thrive in warm, moist  Bacteria can cause trouble too, as places. In some cases, that is a with cavities, urinary tract child or some other living being. infections, ear infections, or strep throat. Antibiotics are used to treat  Some germs can survive in an bacterial infections. inactive state on dry surfaces for quite a long time.  When viruses move into someone's body, they spread easily and can  Some survive hours, others can make a person sick. Viruses cause survive days and weeks. sicknesses like colds, illnesses like  They become active when they the flu, and very serious diseases come in contact with a moist surface like smallpox. again  How do Germs Spread? Airborne (remains in Indirect the air) Contact Fecal-oral (surfaces: (using the toys, Droplet restroom and doorknobs, (cough & not washing keyboards, Direct sneezes that hands after) sinks, faucets, Contact land on you or etc. (shaking a surface) hands)  Germ Transmission in Early CDC  Hands spread germs through direct and indirect  Air breathed in that contains contact by touching you or an object. airborne droplets from coughing/sneezing  A runny nose that drips onto toys or other handled items or gets wiped by a child’s arm, sleeve, or  Surfaces that have came in contact shirt. with mucus, saliva, vomit, blood, or urine.  Surfaces and items on or around diaper changing areas touched by staff’s hands (diapers, wipes, Fun fact: coughs and sneezes can cream, clothing) that had contact with urine or travel approximately 6 feet. feces. Factors that contribute to germ transmission  Crowding: More people in a space increases the likelihood of germ transmission.  Unhygienic behaviors: Germs can spread if people don't wash their hands or don't cover their coughs and sneezes  Susceptibility of young children: Young children are more likely to get sick because they are constantly touching their surroundings and other people. How Do We Reduce Germs? Break a chain in the Chain of Infection:  Keep the number of disease-causing germs that enter the body down to a level that the body can manage.  Make sure to use preventive care from health professionals.  Follow healthful practices such as good nutrition, exercise, and sleep to keep the body fit and able to resist disease.  Stay up-to-date on vaccines.  Break the Chain of Infection!  Handwashing: teach and reinforce handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Washing hands with soap and water effectively removes germs, dirt, and chemicals from hands. If soap and water are not readily available, using a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol can help staff and children avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others.  Circulation: Increase air ventilation reduces the concentration of germs in the air and on surfaces. Open doors and windows to bring in fresh air when safe. Using fans (child safe.) Using air purifiers.  Break the Chain of Infection continued..  Surfaces/objects: Clean and  Changing Areas for Diapers, disinfect: Clean and disinfect Disposable Pants, or Soiled surfaces and objects that are Underwear: Do not use the floor to touched often, like desks, change a child. Using the floor doorknobs, and toys. contaminates the floor and allows children who walk or crawl spread  Immunizations germs to other areas.  Staying home when ill  Daily self-screening and screening of children.  Oral hygiene  Respiratory Etiquette: cover (and teach to cover) cough and sneezes with a tissue or the inside of the elbow and wash hands after.  Immunizations: Vaccine Refusal  Children & adults who receive all  Some children and adults cannot recommended vaccines and screenings receive certain vaccines because of a have the best protection medical condition.  Up-to-date immunizations &  Some states allow refusal because of documentation are required to attend religious or philosophical beliefs.  Vaccines strengthen the immune system.  Requires appropriate documentation Vaccinated individuals have decreased on file risk of infections, like influenza, measles, and chickenpox that can weaken the immune system, increasing the risk of other infections.  Cleaning is done with soap, water, and scrubbing. Cleaning removes germs, dirt, and impurities from surfaces. Cleaning alone can remove most types of harmful germs (like viruses, bacteria, parasites, or fungi) Sanitizing reduces the number of germs on surfaces to levels public health codes or regulations consider safe. Sanitizing is done with weaker bleach solutions or sanitizing sprays. Clean surfaces before you sanitize them. Sanitize surfaces that come in contact with children's mouths, such as infant feeding items and toys Disinfecting is done with stronger bleach solutions or other chemical products. These chemicals destroy any remaining germs on surfaces after cleaning. Clean surfaces before you disinfect them. Disinfect surfaces when someone is sick or at higher risk of getting sick. Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting Schedules Surfaces that need to be cleaned daily include:  Infant and toddler toys  Counter tops  Door knobs and cabinet door knobs  Drinking fountain  Napping blankets, if they’re shared  Toilets and sinks  Floors Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting Schedules Other daily cleaning tasks  Cleaning storage rooms that can arise include:  Defrosting the freezer  Wiping liquid spills and splashes  Cleaning out food trapped in the dishwasher  Dusting furniture/items  Scrubbing kitchen floors  Vacuuming both sides of your carpet or rugs  Emptying garbage cans  Opening the windows for clean air circulation  Cleaning the fridge Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting Schedules Surfaces that should be cleaned and sanitized after every use include:  Food prep areas  Potty chairs  Kitchen sinks  Isolation areas  Mouthed toys  Diapering spaces  High chairs (before and after meals)  Dining tables after meals  Dishes and utensils Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting Schedules Areas that require weekly cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting include:  Walls  Art rooms and art supplies  Refrigerators  Nap mats and blankets  Books and bookshelves  Trash cans  Older children’s toys  Cribs and bedding Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting Schedules While some surfaces need daily or weekly cleaning, some items are safe to clean monthly or quarterly. These surfaces include:  Shelves, closets, storage containers  Curtains, blinds, and windows (clean, wipe, and disinfect)  Furniture, windowsills, and  Plumbing (check for any leaks) baseboards (deep cleaning)  Clean carpets (twice a year)  Cleaning Chemicals we use: Sani-Cloth Germicidal Disposable CleanSmart Toy Disinfectant Spray Wipes  To sanitize hard, non-porous food  For use on hard, nonporous surfaces contact surfaces: spray on surface. Let only. To disinfect, wet surface thoroughly. Allow surface to remain wet for 2 minutes. stand for 60 seconds. Air dry, no rinsing Let air dry. A clean water rinse is required necessary. for food contact surfaces.  To disinfect hard, non-porous surfaces:  Wear protective gloves. spray on surface. Let stand for 10 minutes. Air dry, no rinsing necessary.  Avoid contact with skin. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after  Kills RSV; Flu; Colds; Strep; E. Coli; handling and before eating. Salmonella; +more  Kills multiple strands of bacteria, viruses, TB, Bloodborne Pathogens, and fungi.  No harsh chemicals.  Has harsh chemicals. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN  Specifics… * Machine washable cloth toys- Weekly * Dress-up clothes- Weekly * Play activity Centers- Weekly * Drinking Fountains- Daily * Computer Keyboards- After each use * Phones- After each use  Toilet & Diapering Areas: o Changing tables- After each use  Turn up the Frequency! Staff members should be more vigilant about practicing precaution routines when:  There are outbreaks of illness in a particular classroom or the whole facility or in the community  There is known contamination of surfaces by contact with bodily fluids like mucus, vomit, fecal material, wound or eye discharge, or blood.  There is visible soil/dirt.  There are recommendations by the health department or the CDC about the need to be more vigilant to control certain infectious diseases.  Routine Maintenance: Toys:  Toys that cannot be washed and, if mouthed, cannot be sanitized - should not be used.  Mouthed toys or toys contaminated by body secretions or excretions should be removed from play area until they are washed, rinsed, sanitized, and air-dried or washed in a dishwasher for hard- surfaced toys. Machine-wash for clothed toys.  Indoor toys should not be shared between groups of infants or toddlers unless they are washed and sanitized before using from one group to another. Mouthed Objects:  Teething toys and similar objects should be cleaned, and reusable parts should be sanitized between uses.  Pacifiers should not be shared.  Routine Maintenance continued.. Bedding, Personal Clothing, & Cribs:  Sleep equipment and bedding should be used only by one child and washed before use by another child.  Children who are noted for mild ill symptoms (coughing, sneezing) should be spaced at least 3 to 6 feet away from other children, when able. This spacing allows large coughed- out or sneezed droplets to fall to the floor rather than another child’s sleeping space. Toilets:  Privacy (locked door) for toileting should not be offered until most children in the group become capable of independent and proper toileting procedures (generally between 5-6)  Teachers/caregivers should ensure children follow proper toileting behaviors.  WYANDOTTE NATION CDC HEALTH PROTECTION AND DISEASE CONTROL POLICY:  W:\WN\Education\Childhood Nurse\Infection Control Guidelines.docx  Policy & Guidlines\HAND HYGIENE GUIDELINES.pdf  Plan of Care for ill Children:  Staff should notify the Nurse of a child with 3, or more, mild symptoms (runny nose, cough, ear pain/tugging/pulling, etc.) or any one concerning symptom (new rash, difficulty breathing, lethargic, etc.)  The Nurse will assess and analyze the health status and provide interventions, and collaborate care as necessary.  If child is to be sent home due to illness, the goal will be to keep the child separated from others when and if able.  The Nurse, or a designated staff, will notify parents/guardians.  Elements to Observe & Report:  Changes in behavior or appearance, such as sleepiness, or fatigue and decreased playfulness, or appetite.  Runny nose, cough, or breathing trouble (fast breathing, flaring nostrils, belly breathing)  New skin rashes or itchy skin or scalp  New bumps or bruises  Open sores or weeping skin rashes  Observe & Report continued..  Increased irritability; complains of pain or not feeling well.  Vomiting, diarrhea, or stomach ache  If child has received any medication at home or needs any special care during the day  If family reports that a family member has or has been exposed to a harmful communicable disease.  Signs of a fever, such as flushed appearance or shivering. For the most accurate and consistent reading throughout the Nurse will take temperatures using the same method and device.  The method chosen to take a child’s temperature depends on the skill of the person taking the temperature and the ability of the child to assist in the procedure.  Observe and Report continued…  To take a temperature, follow the instructions on the package for that specific thermometer to get the most accurate measurement.  Forehead (temporal) temperatures measures the heat waves coming off the temporal artery that runs across the forehead just below the skin. Used on any age.  Ear (tympanic) temperatures can be used on children 6 months of age and older. A correct temperature depends on pulling the ear back. Pull the ear up and back if child is over 1 year old. Then aim the tip of the ear probe between the opposite eye and ear.  The child’s activity level and sense of well-being are far more important than the temperature reading.  Any device used improperly will give inaccurate results.  Exclusion of Children Who are ill:  Teachers or staff should notify the Nurse if a student is too ill to participate in planned activities or require more care than can reasonably be provided without compromising care of the others in the group. The conditions or diagnosis for exclusion should meet all 3 of these criteria and will be determined by the Nurse, the Education Coordinator, and/or Education Director. 1. Transmissible from one person to another 2. Is particularly harmful, and 3. Has some evidence that exclusion might reduce the spread of illness Policy & Guidlines\Health Exclusion Policy..pdf  Promote & Support Wellness  Being well nourished supports the body’s immune system and resistance to infection.  Getting enough sleep and exercise supports brain development and physical and social-emotional wellness as well as the body’s immune system.  Health Education – teach children proper hygiene  Outdoor play safety for staff and children: Policy & Guidlines\Weather Policy for Staff.pdf  References:  Oklahoma Department of Human Services: Licensing Requirements for Child Care Programs. 340:110- 3-294  https://infectionpreventionandyou.org/settings-of-care/non-healthcare-setting/early-childhood-centers/  https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/prevention/Pages/Prevention-In-Child- Care-or-School.aspx  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/k-12-childcare-guidance.html  American Academy of Pediatrics: Managing Infectious Diseases in Child Care and Schools  https://www.cdc.gov/clean-hands/prevention/about-hand-hygiene-in-schools-and-early-care-and- education- settings.html#:~:text=CDC%20recommends%20washing%20hands%20with,who%20have%20difficulty %20following%20instructions.  https://www.cdc.gov/hygiene/about/how-to-clean-and-disinfect-early-care-and-education-settings.html