2 Ways To Keep Your Child Healthy In Daycare

Nothing is worse than dealing with a stuffed-up, fussy child in the middle of the night when you know you have a big meeting the next morning. Unfortunately, if you rely on daycare, you might have to endure more than your fair share of sick kiddos. In fact, research has shown that kids who attend daycare before age 2-½ experience more respiratory illnesses and ear infections than children who stay home with their parents. Fortunately, you might be able to fend off bugs by taking a few preventative measures. Here are two ways to keep your child healthy in daycare, so that you don't have to miss as much work:

1: Check Into The Sick Policy

After you find a great daycare at a site like http://www.miniapplemontessori.com, you might make the mistake of assuming employees would naturally quarantine or send home sick kids. Unfortunately, every daycare center has different rules regarding care for ill children.

Some centers are more sick-kid friendly than others, in order to allow working parents to get to their meetings. On the other hand, some centers have strict guidelines in place to minimize the spread of illness. You might be required to keep your child home if they are unusually tired, or have a cough, rash, or runny nose.

To keep your child well, take the time to understand the policies of your daycare center. Ask childcare employees how they check for sick kids, and what they do if they spot a problem. Is there an on-site nurse? Are sick children taken to a separate place until their parents arrive to retrieve them? If your daycare center has a protocol for handling ill little ones, your child is more likely to stay happy and healthy.

2: Teach Your Child Not to Touch their Face

As your kid works away on puzzles and plays games with his peers, he is rapidly accumulating loads of grimy germs. Unfortunately, when your child eats, sucks his thumb, or rubs his eyes, he might be depositing those germs directly into his mucous membranes where they can be absorbed by his little body. In a matter of days, your little guy could be sick with a bad cold or flu.

However, if you can teach your child not to touch their face, you might be able to keep them well. Here are a few ways you might be able to train your child to keep their hands away from their face and mouth:

• Make It A Game: After you give your child a brief lesson on the importance of keeping their hands away from their mouth and eyes, demonstrate with a little game. Consider covering your child's hands with non-toxic finger paints and giving your kid a reward if they can make it a set period of time without getting paint on their face.  
• Keep Hair Away From Faces: As kids brush their hair away from their face, they might be leaving behind a trail of germs. To fend off problems, choose hairstyles that keep your kid's hair out of their face. For girls, opt for ponytails, headbands, or barrettes that keep bangs in check. For boys, keep their hair short and well-groomed.  
• Get Regular Dental Exams: If your kid's teeth hurt, their hands are more likely to end up in their mouths. Dentists recommend taking your children to the dentist by the time they are one, and then visiting every six months after your kid turns two. Regular checkups might help your child's teeth to stay comfortable, so that they don't suck on their fingers.

After your child is in the habit of keeping their hands away from their face, reward them when you notice they are following the rules.

Paying attention to the details might help you to keep your child well, so that you can get more done.