To Keep Our Nursery A Healthy Place
Many babies and toddlers receive care in church nurseries. A small child who is exposed to a fever or infection at church may become sick during the week. Since the Church is to minister to all who come to Christ, it's important to carefully protect the health of babies and nursery workers. To help reduce the spread of contagious diseases, we must follow these guidelines.
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Accept only healthy children in the nursery.Don't accept children with any of the following symptoms—rectal fever of 101.5, vomiting, diarrhea, runny nose with cloudy or green mucous, or chicken pox sores that have not dried. Return children with contagious infections to their parents.
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Wash your hands often.Contaminated hands pass along contagious diseases more than any other means. When you first arrive in the nursery, wash your hands. Also wash your hands after changing a diaper, after wiping a child's nose, after treating bleeding injuries, and before serving snacks. If no sink is available, clean your hands with disinfectant wet wipes.
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Cover or disinfect diaper-changing areas.After changing a diaper, wipe the changing area with a disinfectant* or cover the area with a clean piece of paper. Body fluids and wastes can pass many infections.
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Dispose of soiled diapers in covered containers or tied plastic trash bags.
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Before placing a baby in a crib that has been used by another child, disinfect the rails and mattress and change the linen.
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Wipe noses as needed.Use a fresh tissue each time. Toss soiled tissues in a covered wastebasket.
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Disinfect toys.If a child mouths a toy, set it aside until it can be cleaned, disinfected, and air-dried.
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Leave the nursery clean for the next service.At the end of the session, disinfect toys, furniture, and equipment. Remove dirty sheets and blankets from cribs.
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Children with open skin lesions or other open wounds should not be admitted unless the wound is suitably bandaged.
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Open wounds suffered during church activities must be immediately bandaged by attendants wearing rubber gloves.
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Objects in the nursery that may cause open wounds should be removed.
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All children must be closely monitored to protect against any contact that may create a risk of transmission of disease.
* To make an inexpensive disinfectant, mix one-tablespoon bleach with one quart water.
