Starting childcare for a child with additional medical needs can be daunting but at Kids College we are highly trained in medical emergencies and management of special medical needs. We will work with your family and your medical experts to ensure each child’s needs are met and they are kept safe. This article covers special medical requirements like Anaphylaxis, allergies, food intolerance, celiac disease, asthma, gluten intolerance, cultural and religious needs.
Starting at childcare
Prior to your child commencing we will make a suitable time to meet with us to discuss your child’s medical history and needs and discuss any perceived high-risk times. A Management Plan that includes risk minimisation strategies will then be developed specifically to help meet your child’s need. We will need an emergency action plan for your child and any medications we might need. We will ensure our whole staffing team know what is required and is trained to deal with an emergency situation. We also talk with the children, in an age appropriate manner, to ensure they also understand the situation.
We speak with the family, gain advice from a doctor and ensure all our staffing team are appraised of what needs to occur, collecting medications and doctors’ plans, considering our plan of management for this need, displaying information and keeping medications needed easy to find and easy to use in one central location to all. Being reprepared with information and equipment and taking time to arm ourselves with the knowledge needed allows us to feel confident we can deal with any special needs in the manner needed without any confusion or panic setting in.
Please keep us informed about any changes to your child’s needs during the year. Emergency plans are to be revise at least annually and when conditions change.
Confidentiality
Whilst we do need to know family’s medical information this information will be kept in accordance with our confidentiality policy and not divulged to anyone unauthorised to have it. Only the direct contacts who need this information will be informed.
Any medical needs that relate to a serious health concern, such as anaphylaxis, allergy or asthma will be displayed in the kitchen where we make the food and in the children’s rooms where we serve the meals to ensure all of our staffing team have this very important medical information close at hand and are able to deal with any medical emergency appropriately according to our training and the doctors orders on the children’s medical plans.
Anaphylaxis
Anaphylaxis is the most severe form of allergic reaction and is potentially life threatening. It must be treated as a medical emergency, requiring immediate treatment and urgent medical attention
Anaphylaxis is a preventable and treatable event. Knowing the triggers is the first step in prevention. Children and caregivers need to be educated on how to avoid food allergens and/or other triggers.
However, because accidental exposure is a reality, children and caregivers need to be able to recognise symptoms of an anaphylaxis and be prepared to administer adrenaline according to the individual’s Action Plan for Anaphylaxis.
Adrenaline is the first line treatment for severe allergic reactions and can be administered via an auto-injector called the EpiPen®.
Our whole team at Kids College have all been trained in anaphylaxis management and we have extra Epipens and other equipment to deal with an emergency. We follow the ASCIA guidelines for prevention of anaphylaxis in schools, preschools and childcare.
https://anaphylaxis.ascia.org.au/
Allergy
Allergy occurs when a person’s immune system reacts to substances in the environment that are harmless for most people. These substances are known as allergens and are found in house dust mites, pets, pollen, insects, moulds, foods and some medicines.
A food allergy is an immune system response to a food protein that the body mistakenly believes is harmful. When the individual eats food containing that protein, the immune system releases massive amounts of chemicals, triggering symptoms that can affect a person’s breathing, gastrointestinal tract, skin and/or heart.
All our staffing team have been trained in allergy management.
Food intolerance
Many people think they are allergic to a food when in fact they are intolerant. Unlike food allergies, intolerances do not involve the body’s immune system. Slower in onset and not life threatening, food intolerance symptoms include headaches, bloating, wind, nausea, mouth ulcers or hives. Symptoms that occur several hours after a food is eaten are more often as a result of an intolerance or enzyme deficiency rather than a food allergy.
Gluten Intolerance
Gluten is a protein found primarily in wheat, barley and rye. If a person has a gluten intolerance, this protein can cause digestive problems such as gassiness, abdominal pain or diarrhea.
Gluten intolerance is sometimes confused with Celiac disease, or thought of as a food allergy. While avoiding particular foods is a treatment strategy for all three, these are not the same conditions.
Food intolerances such as gluten involve the digestive system. With a food allergy, the immune system overreacts to a particular food causing symptoms that are potentially serious or even live threatening. Celiac disease is an inherited autoimmune disorder that can damage the small intestine.
Celiac Disease
Celiac disease is a chronic digestive disorder resulting from an immune reaction to gliadin, a gluten protein found in wheat, barley, rye, and sometimes oats. It involves inflammation and destruction of the inner lining of the small intestine and can lead to the malabsorption of minerals and nutrients.
https://www.coeliac.org.au/uploads/65701/ufiles/Brochures/CDBrochureweb.pdf
Cultural or religious needs
Why some people follow special diets. Nowadays many people have dietary concerns because of health problems, like diabetes, celiac disease, or cardiovascular disease; religious or cultural reasons; or they are trying to improve their overall fitness and well-being by eating food that is healthier for them. Cultural and religious needs. Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jewish or any other religious or cultural needs please come talk to us in the office so we can arrange that for you.
Vegan
Veganism is defined as a way of living that attempts to exclude all forms of animal exploitation and cruelty, whether for food, clothing or any other purpose.
https://www.vegansociety.com/go-vegan/definition-veganism
Vegetarian
The vegetarian diet involves abstaining from eating meat, fish and poultry. People often adopt a vegetarian diet for religious or personal reasons, as well as ethical issues, such as animal rights.
https://www.vegsoc.org/info-hub/definition/
Eczema
Atopic dermatitis, also known as atopic eczema or eczema, is a chronic, itchy skin condition that is very common in children but may occur at any age. It is the most common form of dermatitis. It affects 15-20% of children but only 1-2% of adults.
Atopic dermatitis usually occurs in people who have an atopic tendency. This means they have inherited the tendency to allergic disorders and may develop any or all of three closely linked conditions; atopic dermatitis, asthma or allergic rhinitis (hayfever). Often these conditions run within families with a close relative also affected. A family history of these conditions is useful in diagnosing atopic dermatitis in infants.
It arises because of a combination of genetic and environmental factors. The primary problem is a defective skin barrier function making the skin more susceptible to damage from irritants such as soap, changes in the weather and temperature, and other non-specific triggers.
Atopic dermatitis patterns usually change with increasing age. For more information go to https://allergyfacts.org.au/resources/help-sheets/atopic-dermatitis-eczema
Asthma
Kids College is an Asthma Aware childcare. Asthma is a long-term lung condition. People with asthma have sensitive airways in their lungs which react to triggers, causing a ‘flare-up’. In a flare-up, the muscles around the airway squeeze tight, the airways swell and become narrow and there is more mucus. These things make it harder to breathe.
An asthma flare-up can come on slowly (over hours, days or even weeks) or very quickly (over minutes). A sudden or severe asthma flare-up is sometimes called an asthma attack.
One in nine people in Australia has asthma. It affects people of all ages. Some people get asthma when they are young; others when they are older.
Asthma cannot be cured, but for most people it can be well controlled by following a daily management plan and the use of a preventor and a reliever.
All our staff have been trained in Asthma management.
For more information go to www.national asthma.org.au
Kids College Philosophy quote
‘We have stringent hygiene, health, nutrition, maintenance, safety and protection standards. We take our duty of care very seriously and will safeguard the safety and wellbeing of our children at all times as a matter of utmost priority.’
National Quality Standards
2.2.1 Supervision. At all times, reasonable precautions and adequate supervision ensure children are protected from harm and hazard.
2.1.2 Health practices and procedures. Effective illness and injury management and hygiene practices are promoted and implemented.
2.2.2 Incident and emergency management. Plans to effectively manage incidents and emergencies are developed in consultation with relevant authorities, practiced and implemented.
Kids College family
At Kids College we work each day embedding our values and philosophy into each facet of what we do. We continually improve our practices by critically reflecting and engaging in meaningful relationships with our community and for this we need your support and input. Please let us know if you have any comments, queries or recommendations.
Make sure to follow Kids College Childcare on facebook, watch for our regular emails and keep an eye on our Kids College website. Join our Kids College family community and share in our vision of creating the very best childcare where children experience love, laughter and learning every day. You can reach us on Jennifer@kidscollege.com.au
With love, laughter and learning from your friends in the
‘village it takes to raise a child’
Teacher Jen and the Kids College Childcare family
