Diapering and handwashing procedures - updated

Information taken from Caring for Our Children: The National and Safety Performance Standards for Out-of-Home Care,

3rd edition, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Public Health Association, and National Resource

Center for Health and Safety in Childcare (2011).

DIAPERING AND HANDWASHING

Diapering Procedure

1. Before beginning the diapering procedure, clean your hands by using proper hand hygiene (handwashing or use of hand sanitizer according to directions).

2. To minimize contamination, prepare for diapering by getting out all of the supplies needed for the diaper change and placing them near, but not on, the diapering surface, for example:

 Enough wipes for the diaper change, including cleaning the child’s bottom and wiping the teacher’s and child’s hands before putting on the clean diaper (wipes must be taken out of their container)

 A clean diaper

 A plastic bag for soiled clothes and a set of clean clothes (if soiled clothing is anticipated)

 Non-porous gloves (if used)

 A dab of diaper cream on a disposable paper towel (if used)

 Changing table paper (if used) to cover the table from the child’s shoulders to feet (in case it becomes soiled and must be folded over to create a clean surface during the change)

3. Place the child on diapering table. Remove clothing to access diaper. If soiled, place clothes into a plastic bag.

4. Remove soiled diaper and place into a lined, covered, hands-free trash container.

5. Use wipes to clean child’s bottom from front to back (one wipe per swipe) and throw away into trash container. The diaper can also be left open under the child during the cleaning step and then discarded with the soiled wipes before continuing with Step 6. If gloves are used, they must be discarded at this time.

6. Use a wipe to remove soil from your hands and throw into trash container.

7. Use another wipe to remove soil from child’s hands and throw into trash container.

8. Put on clean diaper and redress the child.

9. Wash the child’s hands following the proper handwashing procedure (use of hand sanitizer is also acceptable for children 2 and older). Return the child to the play area without touching any other surfaces.

10. Clean the diapering surface by spraying it with a soapy water solution and drying with a paper towel or by wiping it with a water-saturated paper towel or wipe.

11. Disinfect the diapering surface by spraying it with disinfectant-strength bleach-water solution (½ – ¾ cup bleach per gallon of water) and wait at least 2 minutes before wiping (or allow to air dry). Another EPA approved disinfectant, used according to directions, can be used instead of bleach and water.

12. Clean your hands by using proper hand hygiene (handwashing or use of hand sanitizer according to directions)

Handwashing Procedure

1. Moisten hands with water and use liquid soap.

2. Rub hands together away from the flow of water for 20 seconds.

3. Rinse hands free of soap under running water.

4. Dry hands with a clean, disposable paper towel or air dry with a blower.

5. Turn off faucet using paper towel.

6. Throw the used paper towel into a hands-free trashcan.

Learning e-Newsletter - Creating Healthy, Sustainable Infant and Toddler Gardens

Learning e-Newsletter - Creating Healthy, Sustainable Infant and Toddler Gardens

New Additional Notes for ECERS-R, ITERS-R and FCCERS-R

New Additional Notes for all the Environment Rating Scale Tools have been published on the website: http://www.ersi.info/.

Creating Healthy, Sustainable Infant and Toddler GardensFrom the 2012 newsletter of White Hutchinson Leisure and Learning Group

Educating parents and caregivers about the importance of healthy and sustainable infant and toddler gardens is imperative. Getting infants and toddlers outdoors should be a daily activity but what are some of the unique considerations of creating gardens for children this young?


Infants and toddlers experience the natural environment differently than adults or preschool children. Adults typically see nature as a background for what they are doing. Children and infant/toddlers experience nature not as a background for events but as a stimulus for experiences. The world of nature is not a scene or even a landscape but just a sensory experience. Infants and toddlers will want to interact with their outdoor environment. Plants speak to all the senses of infants and toddlers.
Because infant and toddler’s have developing neurological systems it is very important that everything in the garden be non-toxic and healthy. Babies put their hands in their mouths 30-50 times per hour so they are more vulnerable to environmental toxins. Besides, they spend their time on the ground where chemicals are commonly used, either on the lawn or on surfacing materials made of chemicals. I have heard teachers obsess over the choking dangers of natural engineered wood fiber but at the same time put down another type of surfacing without looking at the health risks involved for children this young.

Any type of surfacing including rubberized, plastic grass and certainly the product called “pour in place”, should be tested for lead content prior to it’s use with young children. The vendor should have this information on file in the form of a third party lead testing certificate. They should also have a Materials Data Safety Sheet (MSDS) as this is a requirement for workplace and product safety for those who are installing this product. This sheet will provide the chemical content of the product; it’s toxicity and its health affect on humans. Please read the sheet!!! If a worker has to wear a respirator to install any type of product, do you really want infants and toddlers with developing neurological systems to be on this product at all? If your vendor cannot provide this information on any product you are planning on purchasing, my advice would be to find another vendor who can. Infants and toddlers are relying on us to protect their health and we can never be too safe.

Another health consideration that I have seen with very young children is the use of plastic or artificial grass. While it might seem cool to have green grass during the drought of the summer please remember that plastic grass does have some risks besides possibly containing lead. Sports owners and landscape architects can tell you that a sunny day can turn a lush oasis into a dangerously hot surface. I have been told that lawn temperatures on some artificial grass can be as high as 30-50%F above the air temperature. I am also told that this fake grass can take a surprising amount of maintenance according to landscape architects who have installed it. It has to be hosed down or odors are contained in the grass and if it gets too dirty you may find yourself back to weeding.

Plants used with infants and toddlers should all be checked for toxicity of all plant parts. Some plants have poisonous leaves, some poisonous bark, and some poisonous roots. Check several different sources for plant toxicity. Also look at the safety aspects of the plant materials-are there any parts that could become choking hazards, any parts that can poke/protrude? Select native plants for your area so that they are low maintenance. Use a variety of textures and colors. If you choose to use blooming or scented plants, put them where children this young cannot interact with bees.

Listed below are some tips to use on designing play gardens for infants and toddlers:

Check your soil for any contaminants including lead content

Use plants to separate play spaces and provide a sense of enclosure

Use large shade trees to provide instant protection from the sun

Use plants to create privacy or to screen toxins from the air

Use plants and equipment that are scaled down for infants and toddlers

Provide for varying level changes but you will need ADA access if children using the yard are over two years old

Consider storage and maintenance as part of your design criteria

Follow all safety and licensing requirements

Designing your infant/toddler garden is complex so care should be taken to find the right person to assist you with the design. Good design will not only help the children feel ready to play but can support both the staff’s and parent’s needs.

While you might not be able to implement every suggestion in this article on maintaining healthy outdoor environments for infants and toddlers, every one can do something to help safeguard infant and toddler’s health. Start small and make a few changes and be sure to educate parents along the way. Parents also need support in better understanding how to make their home gardens or outdoor play space healthier for their child.

The Right Way to Teach Math

In his article, "Math in Early Childhood," which forms the basis for the Exchange Out of the Box Training Kit by the same name, Francis Wardle talks about the right way and the wrong way to teach math to preschoolers...


"Studies show that children who play with unit blocks in early childhood do better in algebra in middle school. But it’s important to note that the outcome of playing in the block area is not demonstrated until middle school! Math standards during the early years will automatically focus on low level, rote skills: memorization, repetition, and adult views of math knowledge. What makes this most destructive is that young children are operating within Piaget’s preoperational stage, which means they cannot think logically. Thus, bureaucrats creating standards and assessment often include things that children this age simply cannot even do....

"Math knowledge and dispositions are not created in a vacuum. Math is about manipulating things: objects, shapes, concepts, and relationships; reproducing and documenting the world; and constructing, building, and estimating. The Reggio Emilia philosophy and the Project Approach understand this clearly. Thus, we must provide a myriad of opportunities for young children to have direct, concrete experiences in the real world. What is the value of discussing the speed of light if you don’t understand light? Seeing snow accumulate day after day is a real way to understanding increase in quantity. Carrying a large boulder teaches about mass; swinging on a rope about force, angles, and speed. Field trips, extensive classroom projects, exploration in nature, extensive use of the playground, observing the weath er, etc., must all be central to our math curricula."

Nutrition

Have you heard? The Federal Government has published new nutrition guideines at this link: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/.
Sample meal and snack patterns for children can be found at this link:
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/healthy-eating-tips/sample-menus-recipes/sample-meal-snack-patterns.html

The Outdoor Classroom

The outdoors can be a wonderful learning environment for young children, particularly in our favorable climate in Florida. Much more than gross motor activities, the outdoors can be used for nature/science, dramatic play, art, block play, sand/water play, even reading/storytelling.

The excerpt attached here may give you some ideas to pursue:

http://www.redleafpress.org/assets/clientdocs/social_media/CultivatingOutdoorClassrooms.pdf