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Managing children with allergies or who are sick or infectious

***In relation to the Coronavirus outbreak 2020, specific policies, procedures and risk assessments are in place, and work alongside this policy***

We provide care for children and promote health through identifying allergies and preventing contact with the allergenic substance and through preventing cross infection of viruses and bacterial infections.

ALLERGIES

• When parents start their children at the setting they are asked if their child has any known allergies. This is recorded on the registration form.
• If a child has an allergy, a health care plan is completed to detail the following:
• The allergen (i.e. the substance, material or living creature the child is allergic to such as nuts, eggs, bee stings, cats etc).
• The nature of the allergic reactions e.g. anaphylactic shock reaction, including rash, reddening of skin, swelling, breathing problems etc.
• What to do in case of allergic reactions, any medication used and how it is to be used (e.g. Epipen).
• Control measures – such as how the child can be prevented from contact with the allergen.
• Review date (every 6 months as a minimum).
• This form is kept in the Health Care Plans
• Where special medication needs to be administered in the event of an allergic reaction, training to do so will be sought from a qualified health professional or parent/carer where applicable.
• No nuts or nut products are used within the setting.

Insurance requirements for children with allergies and disabilities

• The insurance will automatically include children with any disability or allergy but certain procedures must be strictly adhered to as set out below. For children with life threatening conditions, or requiring invasive treatments; written confirmation from our insurance provider will be obtained to extend the insurance.

In any case that medication is required to manage an allergy, the Administering Medications policy will be followed

Life saving medication and invasive treatments – adrenaline injections (Epipens) for anaphylactic shock reactions (caused by allergies to nuts, eggs etc) or invasive treatments such as rectal administration of Diazepam (for epilepsy).

• The setting must have:
• a letter from the child’s GP/consultant stating the child’s condition and what medication if any is to be administered
• written consent from the parent or guardian allowing staff to administer medication
• Epipen training carried out within Paediatric First Aid courses, which all staff complete. If the medication being administered requires further training -training in the administration of such medication should be carried out by the child’s GP, a district nurse, children’s nurse specialist or a community paediatric nurse, or other qualified person.
• The setting’s insurance company will be notified – check
• The setting must have the parents or guardians prior written consent for this to occur. This consent must be kept on file.

CHILDREN WHO ARE SICK OR INFECTIOUS

In relation to the Coronavirus outbreak 2020, specific policies, procedures and risk assessments are in place, and work alongside this policy

• If children appear unwell during the day – have a temperature, sickness, diarrhoea or pains, particularly in the head or stomach – staff will call the parents and ask them to collect the child, or send a known carer to collect on their behalf.
• If a child has a temperature, they are kept cool and any jumpers or jackets are removed.
• In extreme cases of emergency an ambulance will be called and the parent informed.
• The setting can refuse admittance to children who have a temperature, sickness and diarrhoea or a contagious infection or disease.
• Where children have been prescribed antibiotics, parents are asked to keep them at home for 48 hours before returning to the setting to ensure there are no adverse reactions.
• After diarrhoea and/or sickness, parents/carers are asked to keep children home for 48 hours.
• The setting has a list of excludable diseases and current exclusion times taken from the Department of Health guidance on exclusion periods. The full list is displayed at main entrances and a summary of common childhood illnesses such as measles and their exclusion periods is given as part of the prospectus.

NOTIFIABLE DISEASES

• If a child or adult is diagnosed with a notifiable disease under the Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations 1988, the GP will report this to the Health Protection Agency.
• When the setting becomes aware, or is formally informed of the notifiable disease, the manager/acting manager informs Ofsted and acts on any advice given by the Health Protection Agency.

HIV/AIDS/Hepatitis procedure

• HIV virus, like other viruses such as Hepatitis, (A, B and C) are spread through body fluids. Hygiene precautions for dealing with body fluids are the same for all children and adults.
• Single use vinyl gloves and aprons are worn when changing children’s nappies, pants and clothing that are soiled with blood, urine, faeces or vomit.
• Soiled clothing is bagged for parents to collect.
• Spills of blood, urine, faeces or vomit are cleared using mild disinfectant solution and cloths used are disposed of by double bagging and placing in waste.
• Tables and other furniture, furnishings or toys affected by blood, urine, faeces or vomit are cleaned using a disinfectant.

Head lice

• Head lice are not an excludable condition, although parents will be asked to keep their child away until the infestation has cleared or treated.
• On identifying cases of head lice, all parents are informed and asked to treat their child and advise them to treat all the family if they are found to have head lice.

Further guidance

Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions (2015)

EYFS (2020)