Caring for children who are ill

What to do until parents pick them up

If children or youth in your facility develop flu-like symptoms:

• call their parents and ask them to pick up their child
• isolate ill children/youth from others until their parents can pick them up
• teach them to cough and sneeze into their sleeve instead of their hands
• promote good hand hygiene
• give plenty of fluids to help prevent dehydration

If a child or youth experience severe symptoms such as shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, or high fever, please make sure they are seen by a health care provider immediately or go to a hospital.

Children may resume their normal activities when they no longer have a fever and are feeling well.

Monitoring and reporting absenteeism

To help monitor the spread of the pH1N1 virus, Ottawa Public Health asks that schools and childcare facilities take the following measures concerning absenteeism:

• Parents notify you of the reason for their child’s absence when they have respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms (e.g., fever, cough, shortness of breath, diarrhea and vomiting)
• If more than 10 per cent of the children/youth and staff in a facility are ill with respiratory symptoms, the person in charge of the facility is asked to notify Ottawa Public Health’s Outbreak reporting line by calling 613-580-6744 ext. 26325.

Does my child have the flu?

Use of this tool can help you to find out if your child has flu like illness and if you should seek emergency care, medical assessment with your family physician or provide care at home.