It isn’t a secret: your child is more likely to get sick at daycare than at home. Illness outbreaks attack your child’s immune system both in and out of the daycare, but the weak immunity your child has built up makes them all the more likely to contract a common cold on their first day with the slew of kids their own age. Here are five of the most common illnesses to look out for when your child enters their first day of daycare.
1. The Common Cold
Fever, chills, and a runny nose. Children catch the common cold up to ten times a year, maybe more if disinfectant for carpet and surfaces aren’t used. If it’s bacterial, quick use of antibiotics can help your child get better faster. If it’s viral, then you’ll need to let the sickness run its course.
2. The Flu
Sore throat, fever, chills, runny nose, headaches — these are just some of the symptoms one strain of the flu could cause. Even if a child is taken out of daycare when they start exhibiting symptoms, some strains of the flu virus can live on a surface for up to two days. It’s important to utilize disinfectants effectively and often to prevent cross contamination.
3. MRSA
Fever; red, swollen, and often painful areas on the skin, MRSA is increasingly common in active environments, especially in regard to activities like gymnastics and wrestling. One of the more serious ailments on this list, MRSA can infect both children and teenage athletes if equipment cleanliness isn’t up to par. If not treated properly, MRSA can lead to surgery, hospitalization, and even death. It is important for parents and teachers to clean carpets and cloths with disinfectant for carpets to limit the spread of infection and keep their athletes healthy.
4. Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease
Common cold symptoms, followed by rashes or blisters in the mouth and/or on the body. This common, yet scary disease has an incubation period, so at first, you might think you’re just dealing with a regular cold before the blisters appear. The scariest part is that you have to let the symptoms dissipate on its own — the virus will eventually work its way out of the child’s system, but it’s important to clean any and all surfaces that the child may have come into contact with and alert fellow parents at the daycare to watch out for the symptoms. It’s commonly spread between children directly, but kids often have trouble washing their hands — in fact, only 5% of the population washes their hands for the recommended 15 to 20 seconds. Teaching your child proper hygiene care is essential in stopping viruses from spreading.
5. Strep Throat
Fever, chills, sore throat, swollen neck glands. Strep throat is a type of bacterial infection that often makes it difficult to swallow. Antibiotics are needed to cure the illness, so taking great care to prevent the spread of infection is vital, especially as this illness is common among daycare-aged children. When children put toys in their mouths, the bodily fluids can contaminate the object, and further, other children. Cleaning toys and using disinfectant for carpets can help stop the spread of potentially dangerous bacterial infections. If left untreated, strep can cause serious damage to a child’s tonsils.
Luckily, facility cleanliness, including disinfectant for carpet, surface disinfectants, and proper handwashing practices can help ensure the safety and health of your child at daycare. Taking care to wipe down surfaces between meals and disinfecting carpets and cloths will help stop the billion colds that plague Americans each year.