The Brookline Early Education Program. About BEEP . 617.713.5471
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BEEP Health Policy
Children should be kept at home unless well enough to participate fully in all aspects of the program, including both indoor and outdoor play. If on a given morning your child's condition is questionable, discuss this with the teacher, leave a number where you can be reached, and be ready to pick up your child if needed.
ILLNESS
For the sake of the child's comfort and the health of other children, please keep your child home under any of the following conditions:
* signs of a fresh cold with an excess of coughing and/or sneezing
* fever over 100 degrees
* vomiting
* diarrhea
* untreated infection, e.g. strep throat, ear infection infectious rashes
If your child has an infection that requires antibiotics, return to school should be delayed until after the temperature is normal and antibiotics have been administered for at least 24 hours. If your child has diarrhea and/or vomiting, return to school should be delayed for 24 hours after vomiting or diarrhea ceases. If your child is home with a "strep" throat or a communicable disease (such as conjunctivitis), please let the teacher know. The teacher will inform the other parents. Keeping a child at home for one or two days at the beginning of an illness can often prevent a longer absence later.
GUIDELINES FOR DEALING WITH SPECIFIC SYMPTOMS AND DISEASES
Diarrhea: Keep at home until stool returns to normal. This is a sign of intestinal infection and it is contagious.
Sore Throat: A child with a continuous sore throat should be checked for strep infection. Symptoms of strep throat are red, sore throat, fever, severe headache, and/or rashes. Strep infection can be present without evidence of fever. Children with strep may return to the program 24 hours after beginning antibiotic medication and if they can maintain their usual level of activity. Parents should notify the school of infection so that other parents will be informed of the exposure.
Colds: Keep home during first stage of severe symptoms. These include yellow nasal discharge, runny eyes, fever and persistent cough.
Conjunctivitis: Very contagious eye irritation. Symptoms are redness of eye lining, swelling and pus in the eyes. Antibiotic must be administered for 24 hours before return. Parents should notify school immediately so others can be informed of the exposure.
Fever: Any child with a fever of 100 must not attend school and must be free of fever for 24 hours before returning to school and exhibits ability to maintain normal levels of activity.
Vomiting: Children with intestinal flu or active vomiting for any reason must remain at home until the vomiting has stopped and the child resumes normal eating habits and is able to maintain normal level of activity. This usually occurs 24 hours after vomiting ceases.
Chicken Pox: This is very contagious and appears as small, round yellowish blisters on front and back of torso. Child should be kept home for one week from initial outbreak and 24 hours from when last pox scabbed over. Parents should notify school immediately so that others can be informed of the exposure.
Impetigo: This is a highly contagious skin infection characterized by crusted sores and a red rash. It often appears on the face. Treatment is usually a topical antibiotic and child may return to school after 24 hours on medication.
Ticks: A parent will be called if a tick is found on the child. If a parent cannot be located, the pediatrician will be called for further instructions.
Pediculosis (Head Lice): Lice are small insects about the size of a sesame seed, which are highly communicable among children. As they move quickly and shy away from light, diagnosis is most often made on the basis of finding nits (eggs). Nits are tiny yellowish-white oval specks attached to hair shafts, which do not blow away. Children seen scratching their head frequently will be examined in school. If signs of infestation are found:
1. The parent will be called to take the child home for treatment by shampoo (prescribed by physician or pharmacist) and a nit comb.
2. Other family members should be examined.
3. When treatments are complete, the child must be checked for any remaining nits.
4. The child should be re-treated in 7-10 days, if there is evidence of new nits or newly hatched lice.
5. The teachers will continue to check periodically and will contact parents if any further infestations are found.
PLAN FOR INFECTION CONTROL
Signs for hand washing procedures are posted in or near each bathroom and classroom sink. Antibacterial soap is located in dispensers in each bathroom and classroom. In addition, all children are continually reminded by staff to wash hands after toileting and before snack time. Disposable paper towels are used to dry hands. Bleach and water solution is used to disinfect countertops, tabletops and sink areas. Tables and surfaces are disinfected daily. Priority attention is given to keeping toys, play areas, food and sink areas clean and sanitized.
EMERGENCY MESSAGES
If your child becomes sick or if there is an emergency at school, the teacher will call you. This is an important reason to make sure that the teacher always has your current home and work telephone numbers. If you cannot be reached, one of your "emergency people" will be expected to pick up your child and provide care until you return home. Please make sure that the people on your emergency list understand this responsibility. Until the parent or caregiver arrives, the child will be kept comfortable in the nurse's office with a familiar staff person, or in a quiet area of the classroom away from classmates.
MEDICINE
Ordinarily, medicine will not be administered by staff. The only exceptions to this policy will be in rare individual cases where a physician's prescription indicates that the medicine is necessary during school hours and the parents have signed a consent form in advance with a doctor's written instructions on administration of such medication. We also need a doctor's note on file to administer inhalers or epi pens. No aspirin or other non-prescriptive medicines will be administered by staff.
SUNSCREEN
Sunscreen should be applied at home, if possible, especially for children attending a morning program. Sunscreen may be applied at school with written parental authorization, especially for children attending extended day. Please label the sunscreen / sunblock with your child's name and give it to the teacher so he/she can store it in a secure location.
Mission Statement - Brookline Early Education Program
It is the mission of the early childhood programs of the Public Schools of Brookline to provide an inclusive environment where all children from ages three to five can learn social competency, develop cognitive motor and language skills and expand their understanding of themselves and the world in which they live.
