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At Scallywags Nursery, the health and wellbeing of every child is at the heart of everything we do. As we move into the summer months, we often see seasonal illnesses circulating through early years settings, and recently many families will have heard about cases of chickenpox and other childhood illnesses.
While it can be worrying when children become unwell, itโs important to remember that developing immune systems are constantly learning and growing. By working together, nurseries and families can help children build healthy habits that support their wellbeing all year round.
๐ณ ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ข๐๐๐ฑ๐ผ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฃ๐น๐ฎ๐
At Scallywags, we are passionate about outdoor learning and Forest School experiences. While no activity can prevent illness entirely, spending time outdoors has many benefits for childrenโs overall health and wellbeing.
Fresh air, physical activity, exposure to nature, and opportunities to explore different environments all contribute to:
- Improved physical health
- Better sleep patterns
- Reduced stress and anxiety
- Increased physical activity
- Enhanced emotional wellbeing
Unlike indoor environments where germs can spread more easily in confined spaces, outdoor play provides children with more space to move, explore and learn naturally.
Whether children are hunting for minibeasts, splashing in puddles, climbing logs, or simply enjoying a walk in the fresh air, these experiences support healthy development while encouraging a lifelong love of being outdoors.
๐ค ๐ช๐ต๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ถ๐น๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐น๐น
As parents, we know how difficult it can be when your child is poorly. Sometimes children may seem well enough in the morning only for symptoms to worsen later in the day.
When children are unwell, the best place for them is usually at home where they can rest, recover, and receive one-to-one care and comfort.
Children should not attend nursery if they:
- Have a temperature
- Are vomiting or have diarrhoea
- Have an infectious illness
- Are clearly uncomfortable or unwell
- Have started a new prescribed medication within the previous 48 hours
Following NHS guidance, children must remain away from nursery for 48 hours after the last episode of sickness or diarrhoea.
While we understand that childcare arrangements can be challenging, these exclusion periods play a vital role in reducing the spread of illness and protecting other children, families and staff.
๐งผ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐น๐น๐ป๐ฒ๐๐
Young children are naturally curious and learn through close interaction, so germs can spread quickly within early years environments.
At Scallywags, we take hygiene seriously by:
- Encouraging regular handwashing throughout the day
- Cleaning toys and resources regularly
- Sanitising surfaces and equipment
- Monitoring children for signs of illness
- Following infection control procedures
- Promoting good respiratory hygiene
We also encourage children to learn simple self-care skills such as washing hands after using the toilet, before eating, and after outdoor play.
๐ก ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ฝ
Preventing illness is very much a partnership between nursery and home.
You can help by:
โ๏ธ Encouraging regular handwashing
โ๏ธ Teaching children to โcatch it, bin it, kill itโ when sneezing or coughing
โ๏ธ Keeping vaccinations up to date
โ๏ธ Ensuring children get plenty of sleep
โ๏ธ Providing a balanced diet rich in fruit and vegetables
โ๏ธ Keeping children at home when they are unwell
โ๏ธ Informing nursery of any infectious illnesses as soon as possible
Small actions make a big difference in helping to protect our whole nursery community.
๐ ๐จ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฝ๐ผ๐
Chickenpox is a common childhood illness that spreads very easily.
Symptoms can include:
- An itchy rash that develops into fluid-filled spots
- A temperature
- Tiredness
- Loss of appetite
If your child develops chickenpox, they should remain at home until all spots have crusted over, which is usually around five days after the rash appears.
Please let us know if your child has been diagnosed so we can monitor any potential spread within the setting while maintaining confidentiality.
โค๏ธ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐น๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป ๐ง๐ผ๐ด๐ฒ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ
At Scallywags, our aim is not only to care for children when they are with us but also to support families in promoting healthy lifestyles and wellbeing at home.
Through outdoor learning, Forest School experiences, good hygiene practices, healthy routines, and strong partnerships with families, we can help children thrive while reducing the spread of illness wherever possible.
Thank you for your continued support in helping us maintain a safe, healthy and happy environment for all children.
Sickness and illness blog written by Demi Eastment
