Illness
In fairness to the child, to other children and to the teachers, we do not expect a sick child to attend school.  If your child has vomited or has had diarrhea within the last 24 hours or has a temperature of 100 Degrees F, please do not send them to school.  Every day each child will be given a brief health check.  All absences should be reported by phoning the Preschool office.

A child who becomes ill during the day will be isolated, and the parent or guardian will be notified.  For this reason, emergency numbers are required to reach the parents.

Heritage Preschool does not administer medicine (unless it is allergy related and is to be used in the event of an allergic reaction), vitamins, or special diets.  Please note this includes sunscreen.  Apply sunscreen to your child prior to school, as we will be playing outside during good weather.

Please note any allergies on the enrollment forms, plus personally notify your child’s teacher. Children with severe allergies that require medications in the event of an allergic reaction must have a Request To Administer Medication Form on file with administration instructions.  Medication (e.g. Epi-pen) needs to be left with the teacher.

First aid supplies are on-hand and readily available at the school.  Staff members are trained in first aid and CPR, and a telephone is always available in case of emergency.

Should an emergency arise, an attempt will be made to contact the child’s parents.  In the event of being unable to contact the parents, the other emergency persons will be contacted.  All parents are required to complete an Emergency Transportation Form, which will be kept on file at the school.

Communicable Disease Policy
The staff is trained to recognize the common signs of communicable disease or other illness.  Each child will be given a brief health check each day as he or she enters the group.  A child with any of the following signs or symptoms of illness shall be immediately isolated and discharged to his or her parent or guardian.  A staff member with any of the symptoms listed below will also be dismissed until the symptoms are no longer present for 24 hours.  A communicable disease chart is located on the back of the Preschool office door.
  1. Temperature of at least 100 Degrees Fahrenheit when in combination with any other sign or symptom of illness
  2. Diarrhea (three or more abnormally loose stools within a twenty-four hour period)
  3. Severe coughing, causing the child to become red or blue in the face or to make a         whooping sound
  4. Difficult or rapid breathing
  5. Yellowish skin or eyes
  6. Redness of the eye, obvious discharge, matted eyelashes, burning, itching
  7. Untreated, infected skin patches, unusual spots or rashes
  8. Unusually dark urine and/or gray or white stool
  9. Stiff neck with an elevated temperature.
  10. Evidence of untreated lice, scabies, or other parasitic infestations
  11. Sore throat or difficulty in swallowing
  12. Vomiting more than one time, or when accompanied by any other sign or symptom of      illness


The above listing is based on the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services licensing guidelines.

A child isolated due to suspected communicable disease shall be:
  1. Cared for in a room not being used for other types of care.
  2. Within sight of an adult at all times.
  3. Made comfortable.
  4. Observed carefully for a worsening condition.
  5. Discharged to a parent or guardian.

When a communicable disease is evident, a sign will be posted on the Preschool room door for all parents to see.  A child must be free of all symptoms for 24 hours before returning to school.

A child who is mildly ill shall not be cared for at the Preschool.  The child’s parent or guardian will be called and the child dismissed until healthy.

 Staff members are required to take a course in the recognition of communicable disease.  The training certificates will be kept on file in the Preschool office.  The “Child Day Care Center Communicable Disease Chart” will be posted inside the Preschool office.