|
Many parents have questions about the
effects of early education and child care on their child's
health and safety. Read more about the health risks
and benefits of child care and:
Remember, quality is one of the most
important factors in determining whether a child care
program will be benefitial to your child. Read more
about what a quality child care program should look
like in this Parents'
Guide to Choosing Safe and Healthy Child Care.
Also available
in Spanish.
Infection
Infectious diseases among children in
out-of-home child care settings has drawn considerable
attention from researchers and the media.
Research has shown that:
- Children who regularly participate in groups of
six or more have a higher incidence of infections
compared with children in smaller groups.
- Because of their close proximity and sharing of
toys, food, and other objects, children in groups
are prone to infectious disease outbreaks.
The good news:
- More than 90% of infections in children who are
in large groups are mild infections that are common
in the larger community.
- The effect of large group attendance on illness
is most dramatic in the first year of birth and the
first year of child care attendance. The effect decreases
in the second, and disappears by the end of the third
year of attendance, or by age three if children have
been attending since infancy. This is thought to be
caused by increased immunity of children who have
attended child care.
- Recent studies have shown that children who participated
in child care were less likely to experience respiratory
illnesses and asthma in the early school years than
children who were not exposed to group care during
early childhood.
- Proven methods for decreasing illness in group settings
are: hand washing, surface/toy sanitizing, and immunization.
- Learn more about hand washing and cleanliness
here.
Injuries
- Children in center-based care have fewer injuries
during the hours they are at the center than do children
who receive care only at home. However, children who
are enrolled in centers suffer more injuries during
the hours they are at home than do children who are
cared for only at home.
- This observation may be due to the level of
supervision during the hours that they are at
home, or more risk-taking behavior by children
who are making the transition from one environment
to another.
- Children in family child care homes have a higher
incidence of injury while in the out-of-home setting
than either children in child care or those cared
for only in their own homes.
Aronson S, Shope T. Improving the Health and Safety
of Children in Nonparental Early Education and Child
Care. Pediatrics in Review. 2005;26:86-95
|
