Health & Safety
Your child’s health and safety is our first priority. Addressing your child’s health needs ensures they can focus on learning.
Illness Policy
Please notify the center if your child is ill and unable to attend. If your child has any of the following symptoms, you must wait 24 hours after the symptoms have subsided without the aid of medication before returning them to the center:
- A fever above:
- 101 degrees or higher taken orally (not used for children under 4 years of age)
- 102 degrees taken rectally
- 100 degrees or higher taken axillary (armpit)*
- *In keeping with current medical practice, when the temperature is taken axillary (armpit), add one degree to ensure the device is registering internal body temperature and not external temperature.
- Diarrhea, vomiting or rash of unknown origin
- Cold or other illness causing breathing difficulties or other limiting symptoms which prevents the child from participating comfortably in activities
- Positive reaction to tuberculin skin test (a further evaluation will be required)
- Ringworm — treatment and doctor’s statement required to return
- Conjunctivitis (pink eye) — treatment and doctor’s statement required to return
After a serious illness or surgery, please provide a doctor’s release note stating that your child is in good health and can safely return to the center. Also, be sure the doctor includes any restrictions in their note.
If your child becomes ill during the day, Day Early Learning will call you so you can immediately make arrangements to pick up your child. If the illness is a communicable disease, your child will be supervised in a place away from others until your arrival. Please keep up-to-date contact information for all authorized emergency contacts.
Medication Policy
Per Indiana State Licensing regulations, Day Early Learning team members may not administer medicine unless the prescribed medicine is in the original bottle with your child’s name and current date, or you present a doctor’s prescription bearing your child’s name and current date.
All medication must be given to a team member upon arrival at the center and will be stored out of reach from children. No medications should be left in cubbies.
Prescription Medication
Prescription medication must be in the original container with a child safety cap and have the original pharmacy label with the child’s full name and date clearly marked on the prescription.
Non-prescription Medication
Over-the-counter medication must have a doctor’s note indicating dosage and times. All individual non-prescription medicine orders must be renewed annually for children under 2 years of age and every two years for children over the age of 2.
Preventive Products
Preventive products such as sunscreens, insect repellent, non-medicated powder, petroleum jelly and ointment can be administered with the parent’s written approval. Ask your teacher or a member of your school leadership team for the ointment form.
Medication Administration
Team members trained by our nurse practitioners will administer medications once the doctor’s prescription is provided. Please bring all medications to the office, so they are logged and administered in accordance with all rules and guidelines. All medications are stored in a locked cabinet or refrigerator when required.
Day Early Learning has designed the medication policy below to ensure medication is given at appropriate times. Parents are encouraged to give medication at home whenever possible.
Medication Dosage Frequency | Recommendation |
|---|---|
Once a day | Administered at home |
Twice a day | Administered at home |
Three times a day (every 8 hours) | Two doses administered at home and one dose administered at the center at 3 p.m. |
Four times a day (every 6 hours) | Three doses administered at home and one dose administered at the center at noon |
Day Early Learning will honor exceptions to this policy for children on asthma treatments and other specific medication as prescribed by health care professionals. If you have any questions or concerns, please talk with a member of your school leadership team.
Infant Sleep
Infants sleep according to their needs. Cribs and crib bedding are provided by the center and are laundered daily. Day Early Learning complies with the following safe sleep practices:
- All cribs meet the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) crib safety regulations.
- Children under the age of 12 months use sleep sacks instead of blankets in their cribs.
- Swaddling is not permitted.
- All medical needs for sleeping aids (i.e. wedge) must be submitted to our licensing consultant before any device will be permitted.
Diapering
Children’s diapers will be checked every two hours and changed in a two-hour interval, or more frequently if soiled. Please provide an unopened pack of diapers and wipes for your child. Cloth diapers may also be provided by the parent but must follow NAEYC health guidelines and policies. A copy of these guidelines can be obtained from a member of your school leadership team upon request.
Potty Training
Potty training is generally introduced in our 2-year-old classroom, depending on the developmental readiness of each child. Teachers work with parents to establish a plan for consistency in training at school and at home. Please feel free to discuss your wishes with your child’s teachers.
Clothing
- Please dress your child in play clothes, so they can participate freely in daily activities. Additionally, please keep two extra sets of clothing in your child’s cubby at all times.
- Flip flops and slide-in shoes leave feet open to injury. Due to this safety risk, they are not permitted. All children, with the exception of infants, are required to wear closed-toed shoes year round.
- Children go outside twice a day so be sure to dress your child for the weather. Be sure to provide hats, gloves and heavy coats during the winter; rain jackets and boots for rainy days; and sun hats and sunscreen during the summer.
- Bibs are provided for infants during mealtimes. Smocks are also provided for children during art and other messy activities.
- During the summer, children participate in weekly splash days outside. Children will need a swimsuit, closed-toed water shoes and a towel to participate.
Outdoor Policy
We provide time twice a day for your child to play in an outdoor play environment. Children are required to spend at least 60 minutes playing outside each day — 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the afternoon — per Indiana State Licensing requirements.
If the wind chill temperature is below 25 degrees, the heat index is above 90 degrees or the severity of the weather poses a safety hazard, children will have time for physical activity indoors.
Please dress your child for the weather. Closed-toed shoes are required year-round. Your child will participate in scheduled outdoor activities unless you provide a doctor’s note for a specific period of time.
Immunization Records
Indiana State Board of Health regulations require Day Early Learning to keep up-to-date medical and immunization records on all children enrolled.
A physical examination must be performed, signed and dated by a physician or nurse practitioner within 12 months prior to enrollment or within 30 days after enrollment. If your child is under 24 months of age, an annual physical is required.
In order to keep medical and immunization records current, Day Early Learning requests that you obtain a copy of your child’s immunization record each time you go to the doctor for a well child visit.
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Day Early Learning encourages you to establish a relationship with your child’s primary health care provider for your child’s health care. However, Day Early Learning does have a certified pediatric nurse practitioner available. Our nurse provides clinics as needed for routine physical examinations and immunizations for those who qualify. Our nurse can evaluate your child’s health problem(s) if you request this service. Day Early Learning also provides, when available, free vision, dental and lead screenings.
Injuries/Emergencies
If a child has any kind of injury, the teacher will contact the parents after attending to the child. If medical attention is needed for any injury, parents are notified immediately, and the licensing consultant must be notified within one hour of the incident.
Day Early Learning team members are trained in first aid, including pediatric CPR, and can respond on site in the event of an emergency.
In the event of a life-threatening emergency, an ambulance will be called, and Day Early Learning team members will accompany your child to the hospital. Day Early Learning will also take your child’s medical records to the hospital so that medical personnel will have the most current immunization records. You or your emergency contact person will be notified promptly as well. A required Release of Liability Statement and Consent Form is provided to all parents.
Emergency Contact
In an emergency, Day Early Learning must be able to contact you, or a person designated by you, who can assume responsibility for your child. Please provide the center with the name, address and telephone number of three emergency contacts in addition to the primary parent or guardian contact. Please notify a member of your school leadership team if you move, change employment or have a change of authorized emergency contacts.
Insurance
If your child has an accident while under Day Early Learning’s supervision, accident insurance coverage, which is provided as part of your enrollment with Day Early Learning, is in effect. Day Early Learning will supply accident insurance forms to be completed by the attending physician and filed with the insurance company by the Early Learning Indiana team. This accident insurance is supplemental to your personal insurance policy and will pay expenses not covered by your insurance.
Evacuations
In the event of an emergency at one of our centers, there are established evacuation locations for each center. Team members will be assisting the children and unable to answer the phones. During this time, you can reach the Early Learning Indiana administrative office at 317.636.9197 ext. 0.
Reporting Abuse & Neglect
Indiana law requires child care center team members to report suspected child abuse or neglect. Please ask a member of your school leadership team for the guidelines.
In accordance with Indiana state law, if a team member of Day Early Learning is accused of child abuse or neglect of a child in our program, that team member will be temporarily relieved of duty pending an investigation. If the allegations are substantiated, the team member will be terminated from employment with Day Early Learning. If the allegations cannot be substantiated with evidence, the team member may be returned to full duty status. In these rare cases, parents whose children are directly affected will be notified immediately.
