PURPOSE: This policy was written to encourage communication between the parent, the child’s health care provider, and the child care provider to assure maximum safety in the giving of medication to the child who requires medication to be provided during the time the child is in child care.
INTENT: Assuring the health and safety of all children in our Center is a team effort by the child care provider, family, and health care provider. This is particularly true when medication is necessary to the child’s participation in child care. Therefore, an understanding of each of our responsibilities, policies, and procedures concerning medication administration is critical to meeting that goal.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES and PROCEDURES:
1. Whenever possible, it is best that medication is given at home. Dosing of medication can frequently be done so that the child receives medication prior to going to child care, and again when returning home and/or at bedtime. The parent/guardian is encouraged to discuss this possibility with the child’s health care provider.
2. The first dose of any medication should always be given at home and with sufficient time before the child returns to child care to observe the child’s response to the medication given. When a child is ill due to a communicable disease that requires medication as treatment, the health care provider may require that the child is on a particular medication for 24 hours before returning to child care. This is for the protection of the child who is ill as well as the other children in child care.
3. Medication will only be given when ordered by the child’s health care provider and with the written consent of the child’s parent/legal guardian. A “Permission to Give Medication in Child Care” form is attached to this policy and will hereafter be referred to as Permission Form. All information on the Permission Form must be completed before the medication can be given. Copies of this form can be duplicated or requested from the child care provider.
4. “As needed” medications may be given only when the child’s health care provider completes a Permission Form that lists specific reasons and times when such medication can be given.
5. Medications given in the Center will be administered by a staff member designated by the Center Director and will have been informed of the child’s health needs related to the medication and will have had training in the safe administration of medication.
6. Any prescription or over-the-counter medication brought to the child care center must be specific to the child who is to receive the medication, in its original container, have a child-resistant safety cap, and be labeled with the appropriate information as follows:
Prescription medication must have the original pharmacist label that includes the pharmacists phone number, the child’s full name, name of the health care provider prescribing the medication, name and expiration date of the medication, the date it was prescribed or updated, and dosage, route, frequency, and any special instructions for its administration and/or storage. It is suggested that the parent/guardian ask the pharmacist to provide the medication in two containers, one for home and one for use in child care.
Over-the-counter (OTC) medication must have the child’s full name on the container, and the manufacturer’s original label with dosage, route, frequency, and any special instructions for administration and storage, and expiration date must be clearly visible.
Any OTC without instructions for administration specific to the age of the child receiving the medication must have a completed Permission Form from the health care provider prior to being given in the child care center.
7. Examples of over-the-counter medications that may be given include:
Antihistamines
Decongestants
Non-aspirin fever reducers/pain relievers
Cough suppressants
Topical ointments, such as diaper cream or sunscreen
8. All medications will be stored:
Inaccessible to children
Separate from staff or household medications
Under proper temperature control
A small lockbox will be used in the refrigerator to hold medications requiring refrigeration.
