Rainbows is thrilled to have the expertise in-house that a Registered Nurse offers, as the children, families, and staff of Rainbows benefit.
Kathleen “Kat” Sauber, RN, received her Bachelors of Science in Nursing from Wichita State University. Before joining Rainbows, she was an RN at Wesley Medical Center on the Labor and Delivery Unit.
In the blog below, Nurse Kat answers some common questions she often receives from parents.
When should I take my child to the doctor?
General guidelines for when you should take your child to the doctor include a fever of 103 degrees F or greater or 101 degrees F for more than 72 hours, trouble swallowing or breathing, coughing up a lot of mucus, and pain that doesn’t go away with time, including earache, sore throat, severe headache, or stomach ache. Eye discharge that is thick in one or both eyes that causes the eyelids to stick or does not improve throughout the day should also be looked at by a doctor, as well as any rash with fever or behavior change. Additionally, vomiting or diarrhea that is ongoing (think 2 or more in 24 hours) should also be checked out, as children can become dehydrated very quickly. The best advice I can give is to trust your gut. When it comes to your child’s health, you know your child better than anyone else. If something feels off, take them in.
When should I keep my child home?
At Rainbows, we follow the KDHE recommendations for determining who can and cannot stay at school, with a few added specifications.
You can find the KDHE information here:
https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/886/CCL-037-Guidelines-for-Exclusion-PDF
Our main goal is to prevent the spread of illness, so any child or staff with an illness that poses the risk of spreading to others is asked to stay home until it is resolved or a healthcare provider determines the illness is non-communicable. These guidelines also include any illness that prevents the child from participating comfortably in facility activities.
A summary of these guidelines includes an acute behavior change indicating illness, a fever (100 degrees F taken under the armpit or 101 degrees F taken by mouth) with other symptoms of illness, uncontrolled diarrhea (Rainbows’ policy is 3 or more times during the day), vomiting, abdominal pain for more than two hours or intermittent pain (sore throat, earache, stomach ache) with a fever or other symptoms, mouth sores with drooling, rash with a fever or behavior change, pink or red eyes or eyelids with white or yellow eye discharge, untreated scabies or lice, untreated tuberculosis, and known contagious diseases while they are still communicable, including chicken pox, streptococcal pharyngitis, rubella, pertussis, mumps, measles, and hepatitis A.
When can my child return to child care after being sick?
Any child with an illness that poses the risk of spreading to others is asked to stay home until it is resolved or a healthcare provider determines the illness is non-communicable. When a child does not feel well, they will rest better and therefore recover more quickly, if they remain at home getting the extra love and care they need. If the child was sent home with a fever, the child should be fever free for 48 hours without the aid of Tylenol or ibuprofen before returning to daycare. If the child has been hospitalized or had a surgical procedure, a note from the doctor stating the child may return to their regular activities is also required before return.
The health and safety of our children, families and staff are always a top priority at Rainbows.
