Kids are being hit hard by the flu strain, and that has local daycare centers stepping up efforts to protect children. Small Steps in Springettsbury Township, York County sent out a memo to staff this week urging them to take extra precautions to help keep the flu from spreading. Staff members are being asked to wash the kids hands frequently, sanitize toys and nap maps and wipe off all surfaces after use. ” A couple of children have had like upper respiratory infections, bronchitis, so we are trying to gear up for the flu season which may be soon starting or has started,” says Kathy Sweeney, General Manager of Small Steps Daycare. “Hand washing is the number one and doing extra sanitizing of the toys and their nap mats and we also ask the parents to take their nap items home, wash them and bring them back in on Monday. If any of the children put the toys in their mouth we try to make sure that they are put in a bin and then sanitized.”
“If the children are running a temperature of 101 or higher , if they have severe diarrhea bouts, or if they are throwing up we call the parents. We also ask then to for those symptoms if the symptoms are free before they return to daycare.”