Medical Information

Administration of Medication

Medication will only be administered in the service if;

• relevant details are filled in by parents on a Medication form
• Medications are in their original container/packaging, clearly labelled with the child’s name and dosage. Prescription Medicine must have the child’s name and dosage prescribed by a doctor on it.
• Premeasured dosages of medication will not be given to children at the service.

Under no circumstances are medications to be left in a child’s bag or in a place accessible to children. All medications must be handed to a staff member and collected at the end of the day.

Medications are administered by room staff and are co-checked and signed by a second staff member.

Medical conditions include, but are not limited to asthma, diabetes or a diagnosis that a child is at risk of anaphylaxis. Parents are required to provide a written management plan from their GP in regards to anaphylaxis and asthma. Staff will consult with families regularly about the ongoing support of children with medical conditions, ensuring that any changes to the child’s allergens or condition are updated and noted in the action plan for that child.

No child who has been prescribed an adrenaline auto-injection device is permitted to attend the service without the device.

If no written Asthma Action Plan is available the Asthma First Aid Plan will be followed immediately.

Medication Forms

It is the parent’s/guardian’s responsibility to hand medications to a staff member and to record medications to be given during the day on the medication form. This includes recording of ointments or creams, reason for medication, last dosage given, including time and expiry date of medication.

Medication must be collected and the Medication form signed by parent/guardian at the end of each day.

Vaccinations

Parents are required to provide early childhood education and care services with proof that their child is immunised, or that they hold a valid exemption for their child. Proof must be in the form of an ACIR statement (sent to parents each time a child is immunised) or be the appropriate exemption documentation. Service providers are prohibited from enrolling a child unless they have documentation from the child’s parents showing that either:

• the child is fully vaccinated for their age; or
• the child is on a recognised vaccination catch-up schedule; or
• the child has a medical contraindication to vaccination; or
• the parent has a conscientious objection to vaccination

In some cases a mix of these documents may be provided. For example, a child may have a combination of up-to-date vaccinations for their age together with an exemption for a medical contraindication to one particular vaccine. Service providers may receive the required information from parents or, where a child is transferring from another service, from the service provider of the service where the child was previously enrolled.

As vaccinations are updated families are required to provide the service with current immunisation printout.

Exclusion Periods

The following is a list of the most common infectious diseases and their exclusion periods:

Condition	Exclusion of Cases
Campylobacter	Exclude until diarrhoea has ceased.
Chicken Pox	Exclude until fully recovered or at least five days after the eruption first appears. Note that some remaining scabs are not a reason for continued exclusion.
Conjunctivitis	Exclude until discharge from eye has ceased.
Diarrhoea	Exclude until 48hrs after diarrhoea has ceased.
Diphtheria	Exclude until medical certificate of recovery is received following at least 2 negative throat swabs; the first not less than 24 hours after finishing a course of antibiotics and the other 48 hours later.
Glandular Fever	Exclusion is not necessary.
Hepatitis A	Exclude until medical certificate of recovery is received, but not before 7 days after the onset of jaundice or illness.
Hepatitis B	Exclusion is not necessary.
Human Immuno Deficiency Virus	Exclusion is not necessary unless child has a (HIV AIDS Virus) secondary infection.
Impetigo	Exclude until treatment has commenced. Sores on exposed surfaces must be covered with water-tight dressing.
Leprosy	Exclude until approval to return has been given by health authority.
Measles	Exclude for at least 4 days after onset of rash.
Meningitis	Exclude until well
Meningococcal Infection	Exclude until well.
Mumps	Exclude for 9 days or until swelling goes down.
Poliomyelitis	Exclude for at least 14 days from onset. Readmit after receiving medical certificate of recovery.
Ringworm, Scabies, Head lice, Trachoma	Readmit the day after appropriate treatment has commenced.
Rubella (German measles)	Exclude until fully recovered or at least 4 days after the onset of rash.
Streptococcal Infection (Including Scarlet fever)	Exclude until the child has received antibiotics treatment for at least 24 hours and the child feels well.
Tuberculosis	Exclude until medical certificate from an appropriate health authority is received.
Whooping Cough	Exclude the child for 5 days after starting an antibiotic treatment.