Health Policies

Below are some sections regarding MCH’s health policies from the family handbook including infectious illnesses, OTC & prescription medication, lice, and air quality.

Preventive Health Measures 

Colds, flu, chicken pox, mumps, measles, conjunctivitis ("pink eye"), strep throat, and impetigo are contagious in their early stages, even before symptoms are apparent, and for at least two days after symptoms appear. They may spread quickly to other children (and their families) and also to the MCH staff. Most contagious diseases are spread by inhaling aerosolized droplets (from coughs and sneezes) or by hand (touching an infected surface, then touching one's own nose or mouth).

Please be alert to the early signs of illness, including fever, lethargy, and loss of appetite, irritability, and inability to cope. Do not bring your child to school if they show early signs of illness. If your child contracts a contagious illness, please phone or email the School. When the School receives notification of a contagious illness present at the School, we advise all parents so that they can watch for signs of illness. However, your child’s name will not be disclosed.

Any child who appears ill upon arrival at school or who becomes ill during the day will be sent home promptly at the discretion of the Director and the staff. This includes (but is not limited to) children with the following conditions:

  • Illness that interferes with the child's ability to fully participate in regular activities.

  • Illness resulting in the need for greater care than staff can provide.

  • Fever 100 F or greater.

  • Rash with fever or behavioral changes.

  • Diarrhea or vomiting (more than two occurrences in 24 hours or any occurrence at school).

Children must be free of these conditions (without symptom reducing medication) for at least 24 hours before returning to school. Children with contagious illnesses requiring antibiotics must be kept home from school until they are no longer contagious (usually 24 hours after medication begins). Staff members also observe these exclusion guidelines for their own illnesses. 

Be sure there is a parent or other authorized adult who is available to pick up your child at school immediately in case of illness or injury. The child will wait in the Administrator’s office for their parent or other authorized adult. 

Prescription Medications

Prescription medication shall be administered in accordance with the label directions as prescribed by the child's physician. Medication will be administered only if it is in its original container with a prescription label attached. The child’s name and physician-recommended dosage must be on the label. If the child’s physician prescribes a change in dosage, a new label must be provided to MCH. A consent form (form LIC 9221) must be completed by the child's parent/legal guardian and delivered to an MCH administrator who will place it in the medication binder located in the front office. The form will remain in the binder for as long as MCH is directed to administer the medication and will then be relocated into the child’s permanent file.

 

Non-Prescription Medications

Over-the-counter (OTC) medications will be administered only if the medication is in its original container and only as directed by the child’s parent/legal guardian. For ongoing medication administration beyond a single dose, a consent form (LIC 9221) must be completed by the child's parent/legal guardian and delivered to an MCH administrator who will place it in the medication binder in the front office. The form will remain in the binder only as long as the child needs the OTC medication. When the medication is no longer needed, the form will be relocated to the child's file.

Inhaled Medications (aka Inhalers, Nebulizers, Breathing Treatment)

MCH will comply with specific written instructions from the child's physician, which include:

  • Indications for administering the medication.

  • Potential side effects and expected response.

  • Dose-form and amount to be administered as per the prescription.

  • Actions to be taken in the event of side effects or incomplete treatment response.

  • Instructions for proper storage of the medication.

  • The telephone number and address of the child's physician.

The form LIC 9166 (Nebulizer Care Consent/Verification — Child Care Facilities) may be used to document authorization from the child's parent/legal guardian, as well as verification of written instructions for administering the inhaled medication.

All MCH faculty and staff receive periodic formal training/certificates in pediatric first aid including instruction in administering inhaled medication to children with respiratory needs. This training includes, but is not limited to, training in the general use of nebulizer equipment and inhalers and:

  • How to clean the equipment and properly store inhaled medications.

  • How a child should respond to inhaled medications.

  • What to do in case of emergency.

  • How to identify side effects of the medication.

  • When to notify a parent or legal guardian or physician.

For a specified child, faculty/staff who administer inhaled medications have been instructed to administer inhaled medication by the child's parent/legal guardian. All nebulizer tubing, masks, inhaler chambers and inhaler masks will be returned to the parent after each daily use for sanitization and cleaning. The parent will be required to return the clean devices to the School on the child's next day of attendance. 

EpiPen/EpiPen Jr

All children with an EpiPen/Jr will be included on an "allergy list" located in each classroom and the front office. EpiPens/Jr will only be administered as prescribed by a physician and solely in the case of emergency. Such emergencies may result from insect stings or bites, foods, drugs or other allergens, as well as from idiopathic or exercise-induced anaphylaxis. If an EpiPen/Jr is administered on a child, MCH staff will first contact 911 and the parents/authorized caregiver (in that order) immediately following the treatment.

The following applies to the use of the EpiPen/Jr:

  • Use in accordance with the directions and as prescribed by a physician.

  • Keep ready for use at all times.

  • Protect from exposure to light and extreme heat.

  • Note the expiration date on the unit and replace the unit prior to that date.

  • Replace any auto-injector if the solution is discolored or contains a precipitate.

Head Lice Policy 

Head lice can be difficult to identify especially when a child is infested with eggs (nits) rather than live insects. On occasion children determined to be lice-free by their school on one day can have a full-blown infestation within two days. This is why MCH does not conduct periodic head lice screenings. More effective are regular, frequent screenings (every other day) by parents. 

But if a child at MCH shows signs of a potential infestation (excessive head scratching) we will screen the child for head lice. If the child is determined to have head lice, all children in the School will be screened as well. 

If your child is discovered to have head lice we will contact you and instruct you to pick up your child for treatment at home. Children are welcome to return to school the next day assuming that they have been treated successfully; prior to entering the classroom children must be examined by the School Director.

In the event that MCH has a case of lice, all families will be notified via email. Teachers will remove all moveable, upholstered items from the classroom and place them in bags for one week. Rugs will be thoroughly vacuumed nightly. As an extra precaution, all sleep rolls and loveys will be sent home with children each night for cleaning and thorough drying (high heat for at least 20 minutes). This practice will continue until the weekend as head lice cannot survive more than two days without a human host.

Air Quality Policy

In California we are fighting recurring, aggressive wildfire seasons. Children’s lungs are still developing and they breathe more air compared to their body mass than adults. At a baseline level considered unhealthy for healthy adults, Air.Gov indicates that healthy children may experience serious health effects at the same level. 

Depending on your family’s particular safety needs in comparing home to school, we ask that you use your best discretion for where your child will be safest when we remain open, especially when the levels are Orange.

To see our live air quality levels, please use this link, or find us on the Purple Air map from any search engine.