Summer may seem like an odd time of the year for a new crop of illnesses to strike children in daycare-the kids are outside in the clean air and also are getting more exercise than in the winter months. But every year it seems that a new illness makes its way through local daycare centers. In fact, earlier this June three possible cases of mumps were recorded in a Vancouver center, as well as the usual crops of stomach flu, fever and other sickness.
One reason why sickness is prone to spreading at this time is because summer is traditionally the time of the year when students enter a new center-the older may be on vacation from school, or parents of children who will be entering a new school are looking for a center that is more convenient. As these new children enter a center they bring with them a new pool of germs that other kids are unprepared to deal with, and thereby increase the risk of infection.
Another issue may be the lessened perception of a need for hygiene. In the winter, runny noses are a reminder of the need for constant hand washing in small children, but this is often more to do with the effects of the cold and indoor dry air than an actual illness. In the summer, until a child shows prominent symptoms, he or she can spread the germs more easily. Daycare providers are often less vigilant about washing hands before snacks and meals if they are enjoying a picnic outside under a tree, while inside they would make every child wash their hands.
It is also true that disease is spread to children that attend daycare from places other than daycare itself. Summer is a hectic time for many families-filled with summer reading programs at the local library, swimming in a neighborhood pool, sports camps, and simply playing at a friend's house. These children may acquire germs which they and their daycare friends have no acquired immunity to- and thus be unable to fight off.
While many parents may breathe a sigh of relief that the winter months are over and their kids can get exercise outside, teachers and parents still need to be aware of the continued need to enforce hygiene rules and guard against unwanted germs.
Look For:
Childhood Sicknesses: What are some common illnesses in children in daycare? When is my child too ill to go to school?
Part 3: Coming Soon What should parents do if their child is sick, and what can parents do to prevent their child from illness in such a concentrated environment?
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