Children will be sent home if they are showing any of the following signs and symptoms of illness:

1. Temperature over 100.0 degrees (99.0 axillary method) or higher
2. Temperature of 99.0 axillary (under arm method) plus one of the following:
a) severe cold with yellow-green discharge
b) cough
c) sore throat
d) sneezing
e) swollen glands
f) skin rash
3. Red watery, or draining eye(s)
4. Drainage from ear(s)
5. Lice
6. Skin lesions, e.g., impetigo, coxsackie, ringworm, scabies
7. Vomiting
8. Diarrhea (two or more loose, watery stools per day)
9. Fainting or seizures, or general sign of listlessness such asweakness, drowsiness, flushed face, headache, or stiff neck
10. Fever with any specific sign and symptoms of a communicable disease to which the child has been exposed.

If your child becomes ill at school you will be notified and your child will be isolated in the front office until you or someone is able to come pick them up. During this time we will make sure your child is as comfortable as possible and provide whatever care is necessary.

Families should keep their children at home if they are displaying any of the above signs or symptoms of illness or if you feel your child is too ill to play outside or participate in regular class activities. If your child requires one-on-one care they should remain home. Children may not come back to the center until they are fever free without medication, diarrhea free, and have not vomited in 24 continuous hours. We will assume if a child is well enough to return to the program he is well enough to participate in all activities including outdoor play.

The center will follow all Health Department guidelines regarding communicable diseases and their incubation periods. No exceptions will be made.

As unpleasant as it sounds, biting does occur in group environments.  Predominantly seen in the toddler and twos classrooms, biting is a developmentally appropriate and expected behavior. Biting is used by children for a variety of reasons.  For some it is due to frustration or anger, some for lack of communication skills, and still others due to physical changes such as teething.  At Googols we try to work with the child and their family until they are through the phase.  This too shall pass!  It is very difficult to be the parent of the child being bitten.  It is equally difficult to be the parent of a biting child.

Some of the techniques we utilize are separating one child from another child, 'shadowing' a child (keeping him or her next to a teacher all day), reading books about biting, creating social stories for individual children, using ‘chewelry’ (wearable teething jewelry) and of course, verbal discussion, such as 'teeth are not for biting', 'biting hurts', 'we need to use soft touches with our friends', and 'only food should go in our mouths'.  When biting happens, teachers will respond to the biter and the bite-ee: the biter will be told firmly, but not angrily, that biting hurts and is not okay.  For the bite-ee, the area is washed with soap and water, and an incident report will be written. The biter may be invited to offer the bite-ee an ice pack to ‘show care for’ the other child. Biting does appear to be a cyclical thing which may occur in a classroom for a period and then run its course. At Googols we do not have a 3 strikes-you’re-out policy.