Newsletter – October 2020 – Prepare
Fall is a melancholy time of year for many…the flowers start to wither, the trees lose their leaves, the sun retires a little earlier each night. It’s also a good time to slow down and take stock of what we have learned in the past year and prepare for the future with our new found knowledge. Of all the lessons learned this year, being prepared is one that lands at the top of my list. While there are certain things we have no control over (like a pandemic), there are many things we can manage through diligent planning.
Let’s face it: 2020 has been a year of demonstrating flexibility with an unforeseeable future. There was no way any of us could have been prepared for what 2020 presented. It seems though, we all have bonded together through our resiliency as we keep forging ahead. This month we wanted to focus on preparedness and share helpful resources and reminders to help you feel more prepared for when seasons change.
As always, we are humbled by the opportunity to work with you. You are a part of the backbone of our society and deserve gratitude and praise for all you do for the children and families in your community.
With gratitude,
Molly Orlando, RN
Co-Owner – Child Health Connection
Prepare for Illnesses: Is it Allergies, Cold, Flu, or COVID-19?
It’s the start of cold and flu season again. Mix in COVID-19, seasonal allergies (including wildfire smoke), and it’s even more difficult to determine what is causing the symptoms. National Jewish Health has recently released some helpful information and tips regarding common symptoms and their causality. We hope you find it helpful as you prepare for the cold and flu season. But don’t hesitate to contact your local health department or CCHC if you have concerns or questions regarding COVID-19 or other illnesses in your program.
National Jewish Health Resource
Prepare Your First Aid Kits
Now is a good time to look at your first aid kits to make sure they are well-stocked. Take some time this month to update, clean out, and upgrade your first aid kit.
Attached is a list of recommended items to help you prepare for any first aid emergency in the child care setting:
Prepare Staff for Medical Emergencies
Yearly training and delegation for emergency medication administration is very important. Additionally, we recommend review of your medical emergency plans on a regular basis to keep ECE staff feeling confident in their skills. One way to keep the information fresh is to discuss medical emergency preparedness during your monthly staff meetings. The following are important topics to review:
- ACTIVE CARE PLANS: Review the active care plans for the children enrolled in the program. What are the child’s triggers for an asthma attack? What allergens cause an anaphylaxis reaction for a particular child? What are typical signs of an oncoming seizure for the child with seizure disorder?
- EVERYONE ON THE SAME PAGE: What rooms are the children in that have a care plan or special health need? Do staff know who is trained and delegated to administer emergency medications? Are staff aware of the child’s triggers and/or allergens to avoid?
- EMERGENCY PLAN IN ACTION: Review each person’s role in an emergency. Who is delegated to administer the EpiPen or asthma inhaler? Who calls 911 and the parent? Who helps to manage the other kids during the emergency?
- FIRST AID REVIEW: Review how to give emergency assistance for seizures, choking, CPR, or head trauma etc. and perform basic first aid.
Your CCHC can help you prepare for these discussions with your staff. Let us know how we can help!
CDC Updates on How COVID-19 Spreads
The CDC had recently updated information regarding how COVID-19 spreads. Feel free to read over this new data.
A few things to note from the report: The SARS-CoV2 virus “can sometimes be spread by airborne transmission,” but is “most commonly spreads during close contact.”
CDPHE has updated the Cases and Outbreak Guidance for Schools and Child Care effective October 5, 2020! Here are the new links below.
CDPHE Updated Case Out Break Guidance – October 2020
At Home Symptom Screening Tool
Child/Staff Feels Unwell After Arriving to School
Return to Learn: Guidance Following Positive COVID-19
Prepare for Colder Months Ahead
Fall reminds us that colder weather is around the corner so now is the time to create a drop-off and pick-up plan for the winter months. Let your CCHC help you brainstorm ideas. We have the opportunity to see how other programs manage pick-up and drop-off successfully and would be happy to share others’ successes with you.
New Invoicing System
In order to serve you better, we are changing some of our systems. Therefore, invoicing and other administrative communication will look different in the coming months. Please be sure to inform your administrative staff so they are not caught off guard by the changes. If you have any questions about our new systems, feel free to email us at admin@childhealthconnection.com.
