Illness Policy

No one enjoys being sick. While we ensure our learning environments are clean and sanitized on a daily basis, it is inevitable that your child will get sick as their immune system is still developing. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you have an alternate child care plan for days when your child is not feeling well and will be unable to attend school and/or daycare.

For the health and safety of our children, families, and staff, we require that the Willowstone Academy Early Childhood Education (ECE) Department’s Illness Policy be followed by all families and caregivers. Children who are not feeling well enough to participate in all aspects of the scheduled programming, including our daily outdoor time, should not attend school and/or daycare. Children who are not able to fully participate in the program and/or are presenting with one or more of the following symptoms are not to attend:

• Lethargy, uncharacteristic irritability, or persistent crying.
• Pain – any complaints of unexpected or undiagnosed pain that would prohibit your child from participating in all aspects of the program
• Continuous nasal discharge and/or persistent sneezing that cannot be managed independently by the child
• An acute cold which may or may not be accompanied by a runny nose and eyes, fever, coughing and/or sore throat.
  • Only once the child’s temperature (under 37C), well-being and energy have returned to normal, the child is able to return to school and/or daycare. Please note, a person who catches a cold can spread it to others for 24 hours  before symptoms appear, and about five days after the cold symptoms (above) begin.
• Difficulty breathing, such as wheezing, or a persistent cough happening at least 5-6 times per hour.
• Fever (100.5F or 38.1C) using the ear method.
  • Your child may return to school and/or daycare when their temperature has remained at 37C (98.6F) for at least 24 hrs without the aid of medications.
• Sore throat or trouble swallowing.
• Unexplained nausea or vomiting.
  • Your child may return to school and/or daycare 24 hours after their last episode of unexplained vomiting or when their nausea has subsided.
• Unexplained diarrhea or loose stool (may or may not be combined with nausea, vomiting or stomach cramps).
  • These symptoms may indicate a bacterial or viral gastrointestinal infection which is very easily passed from one child/staff member to another via the fecal-oral route. The child should be kept home for at least 24 hrs or until they are symptom free.
• Infected skin or eyes and/or an undiagnosed rash.
  • A doctor must examine undiagnosed skin irritations, and provide written medical clearance prior to a child’s return to the program. Conjunctivitis (pink eye) is very contagious and must be treated and the eyes clear before the child may return to school and/or daycare.
• Earaches and Infections.
  • Untreated ear infections can lead to hearing loss and may be potentially infectious. We require children to see a doctor for direction and request that children stay home for a minimum of 24 hours with or without antibiotic medications. This allows for the child to be monitored and assessed. Children may return to school and/or daycare when symptoms (such as a fever and/or ear tugging) have subsided.
• Lice or Nits.
  • Children with lice or nits will be sent home immediately to prevent a spread from occurring. Your child may return to school and/or daycare once they have been treated with an effective lice treatment and all lice and nits have been combed or picked out of hair. Follow up shampooing must be administered to complete treatment.
• Children with a known or suspected communicable disease.
  • Communicable diseases must be reported to staff as soon as they are diagnosed. The duration of the child’s treatment and exclusion from child care will depend on Interior Health’s Communicable Disease recommendations. Examples of a Communicable Disease include, but are not limited to:
    • Chicken Pox
    • COVID-19
    • Fifth Disease (Slap Cheek)
    • Hand/Foot/Mouth Disease
    • Herpes
    • Impetigo
    • Influenza
    • Measles
    • Meningococcal Meningitis
    • Mononucleosis
    • Mumps
    • Pertussis
    • Pink Eye
    • Roseola Infantum
    • Rubella
    • Rubeola
    • RSV
    • Shingles
    • Streptococcal
    • Gastrointestinal Infections i.e. Campylobacter, E.coli, Pinworms, Salmonellosis, Cryptosporidiosis, Giardiasis, H.U.S.
    • Skin conditions and infestations i.e. Lice, Ringworm, Scabies, Swimmer’s Itch.

In the event that a child begins to develop early signs and symptoms of an illness while in our care, the parent will be notified in order to make alternate work arrangements to allow for the early pick up of their child and/or arrange for a doctor’s appointment.

If a child becomes unable to participate in the scheduled programming and/or becomes seriously ill, the parent will be required to come immediately to pick up their child. If we are unable to reach the parent, the child’s emergency contacts will be called. If the emergency contacts are unavailable and the staff feel that it is an emergency, an ambulance will be called. Please know that while an ill child is in our care, our staff will do their best to keep the child as calm and comfortable as possible until they are picked up.

A link to our “Stay at Home Guide” for COViD-19 can be found here.