IdahoSTARS Hot Topics

IdahoSTARS has defined a Specialization as a formal recognition of individuals who work with young children and families in child care. A Specialization recognizes a combination of requirements including training, reflection and practical experiences. The first two Specializations being offered are Strengthening Families Through Early Care and Education and Child Care Director/Administrator.

Scholarships and a $300 completion award for Specializations will be available for all PDS Registry participants eligible for training and academic scholarships. Directors who are not eligible for PDS incentives (category C) will be eligible for the Specialization $300 completion award.

Visit Child Care Provider Specializations for more information.

Never leave your child alone in a car, even for a minute! June 2010 has been the deadliest on record in the United States from children dying in cars during warm to hot weather. On a typical summer day, the temperature inside a car (even with the windows rolled down) can quickly rise above 120 to 140 degrees. Even on a mild summer day, the temperature inside a car can get above 100 degrees. At these temperatures, children are at great risk for overheating, which can lead to a high fever, dehydration, heat stroke, and even death.

Know the Facts

Heat is much more dangerous to children and infants than it is to adults. Because of their size, infants and children are at great risk to quickly becoming overheated when left in the car during warm weather. Their core body temperature rises 3 times faster than an adult’s temperature rises.

How to Prevent Tragedy

Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle, even for a minute. It only takes a few minutes for a car to become a death trap for a defenseless child. Educate child care staff and families of the grave risks.

Tips to keep children safe:

• Never leave a child alone in a car, even if the windows are down under any circumstances (run a quick errand, child is sleeping, etc.)
• If you see a child left alone in a hot car call 9-1-1. A 9-1-1 operator will advise you on how to proceed depending on the situation.
• Keep car doors and trunks locked at all times, even in the garage and driveways. For many children, a car looks like a fun place to play or hide. Many of the recent cases have involved children who climbed inside an unlocked car on a hot day and could not get out.
• Never leave your car keys where children can get them.
• Teach children not to play in or around cars.
• Make sure all children leave the vehicle when you reach your destination.
• Do not overlook a sleeping child or infant.

* Tips adapted from Kids and Cars and National Safe Kids Campaign

Children and Summer Heat: Child care providers and families need to know the dangers of overheating or hyperthermia, which can lead to heat exhaustion and heat stroke and even death.

Danger of Overheating or Hyperthermia

Overheating or hyperthermia is when the body temperature is elevated due to absorbing more heat than it can dissipate. Overheating or Hyperthermia can lead to heat exhaustion or heat stroke, both are potentially deadly conditions.

Heat Exhaustion

Signs and symptoms may include:

• Heavy sweating
• Cold, pale, clammy skin
• Fussy
• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Headache
• Dizziness and/or fainting
• Rapid shallow breathing
• Rapid, weak pulse
• Elevating temperature above 101.6 or higher

What to Do:

• Move child to cool place
• Provide water or preferably Pedialyte or a sports drink only if the child is alert and willing to drink
• Keep child resting and hydrated with fluids
• Remove clothing
• Sponge bathe with cool water (not ice water)
• If symptoms continue or worsen over the next 30 minutes seek immediate medical attention
• Untreated heat exhaustion can progress into Heat Stroke

Heat Stroke

Signs and symptoms may include:

• Rectal temperature of 102 °F or higher
• Red, hot, dry skin
• Rapid, strong pulse,
• Throbbing headache
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Dizziness
• Confusion
• Unconsciousness
• Possible brain damage

What to Do:

• Have someone call 9-1-1 while you begin to cool the child
• Move child to cool place
• Remove clothing
• Get cool water on the child’s skin either by immersing her in a bathtub or shower, giving a sponge bath, or spraying her with a garden hose. In low humidity, wrap the child in a cool, wet sheet
• Aim a fan or air conditioner at her
• Do not give the child anything to drink. In her condition she could accidentially inhale the liquid into her lungs, causing aspiration pneumonia
• If the emergency medical system is delayed, call the emergency room for additional instructions
• Heatstroke victims sometimes begin to twitch uncontrollably with a seizure. Make sure that the child does not injure himself on furniture. Pad it or move it away. Never try to insert a spoon or other object in his mouth to prevent him from swallowing his tongue. Just turn his head to the side as soon as you are able to do so. Turn his head to the side if he is vomiting

Tips in preventing overheating and hyperthermia for child care staff and families

• Deadly heat stroke is preventable. There is no reason children have to die this way.
• Never, ever leave a child alone in a vehicle.
• Do not overdress a child in hot weather
• Drink up, stay hydrated. Always have water or sports drinks within arm reach
• Have a medical emergency plan in place
• Plan who will provide emergency first aid
• Plan who will call 9-1-1
• Decide how parents will be notified in the event of an emergency
• Have child care staff trained to provide pediatric first aid and pediatric CPR? (see American Heart Association).
• Obtain training for all staff and maintain skills through practice. Keep records of classes taken and keep all staff current.

*Information was adapted from CDC

California declares whooping cough (pertussis) outbreak to be epidemic on June 6, 2010. Whooping cough is very contagious and can cause serious illness, especially in infants who are too young to be fully vaccinated. Families and Child Care Providers are advised to use caution around infants and young children as a means of protecting them from the harmful bacteria (pertussis) that causes whooping cough.

How pertussis spreads: People usually spread the disease by coughing or sneezing while in close contact with others, who then breathe in the pertussis bacteria.

How to preventing pertussis: Infants and young children need to get their recommended five shots on time. Adolescent and adult vaccination is also important, especially for families with new infants.

Read more information about whooping cough (pertussis) symptoms, how pertussis is spread, and how to best prevent pertussis.

Facility Health and Safety

How to Correctly Use Bleach
Use correct concentrations for varying surfaces.

Sanitizing bleach solution concentrations:

1. For Food Contact Surfaces (table tops, counters, dishes, and utensils) mix no more than 1 TB of bleach to 1 gallon of water. Stronger solutions are considered toxic for ingestion.
2. For All other surfaces, such as, sinks, door knobs, phones, diaper changing equipment, and toys (that set overnight before reuse) mix ¼ cup of bleach to 1 gallon of water.
3. For Blood Spill mix 3 oz. or 6 tablespoons per quart of water.

When Sanitizing with Bleach, Always:

• Keep out of reach children
• Clean surfaces with soap and water, then sanitize with correct bleach concentrate
• Mix solutions daily
• Label all containers with concentration strength
• Always read the label and mix properly, just like with other sanitizers
• Only use non-scented bleach

Why Use Bleach?
There are numerous advantages to using bleach (Sodium Hypochlorite) over other products for sanitization.

• It is the least expensive option
• It can easily be purchased at your grocery store
• Needs to be kept out of reach of children, but does not need to be stored in locked cabinet like other household products

Use of Sanitizers and Disinfectants

Only use hospital or commercial grade products except for bleach which should have 5.5% to 6% Sodium Hypochlorite as the active ingredient 

Read the Label.
Most non-bleach products kill only 1-3 “germ” types and are not useful in a childcare setting. Be careful when using any chemicals, make sure to learn:

• What the product is supposed to do
• Precautions and what to avoid
• Guidelines for mixing
• Know emergency treatment for ingestions or contact with eyes or mucous membranes.

Basic use and safety information is available on the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for each product and should be kept in a notebook for all staff to access for each chemical product in your facility. More information on the MSDS sheets for products can be found at the Consumer Product Safety Commission website.

Use of 2nd floors and basements for childcare must meet Idaho Fire code. This includes required exits with correct size and locations, as well, as safe escape to ground level. Childcare Providers need to consult with the Fire Marshall for approval of multi-level childcare facilities.

Hand air dryers are not acceptable for use in childcare facilities per licensing code.

Hands must be dried with paper towel per national standards. The friction offers the opportunity for removal of “germs” missed during washing. Proper hand washing technique includes using the paper towel for turning off the faucet and opening the bathroom door.

Parents and Child Care Providers

• CDC: Resources for Child Care Programs, Parents and Caregivers, K-12 Schools, Colleges and Universities, Day and Residential Camps, Pregnant Women, and General Information
• flu.gov: Know What to Do About the Flu Webcast – Parents And Child Care Providers: Watch the continuously playing video archive of the September 9, 2009 webcast
• CDC: Preparing for the flu: A Communication Toolkit for Child Care and Early Childhood Programs
• NACCRRA: Swine Flu (H1N1) and Child Care: Resources to Help You Prepare for, Plan and Respond to a Possible Outbreak
• Flu.gov: Elmo Flu PSAs - Videos featuring Elmo talking about kids practicing washing hands and sneezing into their elbows.
• South Central Public Health District: H1N1 Swine Influenza brochure (Adobe PDF) and H1N1 Influenze Porcina brochure (Adobe PDF)
• South Central Public Health District: Recommend Scalable and Incremental School Dismissal and Childcare Facility Closure in Affected Communities (Adobe PDF)
• Today@Idaho: Expert Offers Effective Hand-Washing Method to Help Young Children Avoid H1N1 Flu
  

Idaho Health Districts

Region 1: Panhandle Health District: Emergency info
Region 2: Idaho North Central District Health Department: H1N1 Information
Region 3: Southwest District Health
Region 4: Central District Health Department: Disease du jour
Region 5: South Central Public Health District
Region 6: Southeastern District Health Department: H1N1
Region 7: Eastern Idaho Public Health District: H1N1

Idaho State Resources

Health and Welfare: Idaho H1N1 Information
State Department of Education: Idaho H1N1 Information for School Personnel

National and World Resources

Beginning January 1, 2010 child care providers must complete and submit a Reflective Evaluation by logging in on the IdahoSTARS Training Calendar to receive training hours. This online evaluation must be completed two to four weeks after attending a training. Your training hours will automatically be added to your IdahoSTARS Training Transcript and a certificate of completion will be mailed once you have completed the requirement for the training. Go to the Provider Resources page for more information on the IdahoSTARS Training Process.  

Note: Please contact the IdahoSTARS Training Office at 211 or 1-800-926-2588 if you are receiving an error message or cannot complete the Reflective Evaluation on-line.

Child Care Aware Parent Network offers free webinars for busy parents, grandparents and professionals. Each webinar is presented by a child care expert to give you information about child care and other topics.

Join Child Care Aware Parent Network (CCAPN) to access upcoming and past webinars.

Upcoming Webinars

What Parents Need to Know About Over-the-Counter Medicine Safety
Date: Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Presenter: Mimi Pappas, Director of Communications & Outreach for Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA)

Past Webinars

Resources to Promote Healthy Nutritional Development and Physically Active Kids (presented 6/15/2010)
Is Your Child Care Program Prepared for Emergencies? (presented 5/12/2010)
Will You Know High-Quality Child Care When You See It? (presented 3/23/2010)
Child Care Centers At The Center of Your Community (presented 2/16/2010)
H1N1: Keeping Your Child Healthy at Home and in Child Care (presented 1/12/2010)
What Every Parent Needs to Know About Child Care in America (but Might be Afraid to Ask) (presented 11/9/2009)
For the Love of Literacy: Six Critical Pre-Reading Skills for Preschool Children (presented 10/13/2009)
Child Care, Family, and Work/Life Balance: Share it All. Have it All! (presented 9/29/2009)
Will You Know High-Quality Child Care When You See It? How to Assess Child Care Settings
Brain Development: You Can Easily Make a Positive Difference! (presented 8/5/2009)
“My Body Belongs to Me!” Keeping Your Child Safe from Sexual Abuse: An Expert’s Advice(presented 8/25/2009)

Beginning January 1, 2010, online registration will be available for child care providers to register for IdahoSTARS approved training. Visit the IdahoSTARS Training Calendar and select the training you wish to attend.

Sample Documents are available on the Provider Resource page to help with documentation for ICCP payments.
Providers are encouraged to adapt any of the sample documents or use their own documents as long as the ICCP criterion is met.

The New Push For Quality Child Care

This article features information on the high cost of quality child care and provides national and world wide statistics on child care.