This document provides information about childhood immunization and common childhood illnesses. It discusses the UK immunization schedule and reasons for immunizing children, such as providing resistance to diseases and potentially eradicating illnesses. It also addresses why some children may not be immunized. The document outlines several common childhood illnesses like measles, mumps, rubella, and meningitis. It describes signs and symptoms of these illnesses, as well as their treatments and exclusion periods. Practitioners are encouraged to understand illness signs in order to support ill children and prevent disease spread. Reporting requirements for notifyable diseases, injuries, and fatalities are also covered.
19. Starter activity
Silent Debate (C3)
As a group you are going to silently debate the signs
and symptoms of an ill baby/child.
A sign of illness is something that you can see that
suggests a child is ill
A symptom of illness is an observable change in the
body that suggests a child is ill.
20. There are many signs that a child may be feeling
unwell.
Signs and
symptoms of ill
health in children
Tiredness
IrritabilityAttention seeking
Coughing
Runny
noseTemperature Lack of interest in
activities
Vomiting
LO2. Know the signs of ill health in children C3
Signs and symptoms of ill health in children
Teacher notes:
The aim of this activity is to encourage learners to start thinking about common childhood illnesses, drawing on their own experience.
They will not be expected to have any detailed knowledge at this stage.
Teacher notes:
This activity is to prepare for the Pairs activity, when learners will pair up and produce a presentation to explain to the rest of the class how to recognise signs and symptoms.
Useful resources:
Slideshow of photos to help identify common conditions and childhood illnesses by visual symptoms
www.nhs.uk/Tools/Pages/Childhoodillness.aspx?Tag
Boots/WedMD symptom checker
www.webmd.boots.com/symptoms/default.htm
Teacher notes:
Encourage learners to ask their placements for a copy of their policies for dealing with sick children, or administering medicines.
Useful resources:
Medical site with information on symptoms and treatments for illnesses such as chickenpox, whooping cough and scarlet fever
www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/childrensdiseases.htm
NHS information on infectious illnesses in children including chickenpox, measles, mumps, slapped cheek syndrome, German measles and whooping cough
www.nhs.uk/Conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/Pages/infectious-illnesses-children.aspx
Straightforward website giving symptoms and treatments
www.familytime.co.uk/parenting/10_common_childhood_illnesses_and_how_to_treat_them
Teacher notes:
This activity encourages learners to draw on all aspects of their learning for this topic.
Teacher notes:
Answers may include:
Inform your supervisor.
Rubella is a notifiable disease – the GP should have informed the local health authority.
Ensure that you are aware of the signs and symptoms of rubella.
Observe the children that the child was playing with yesterday and be alert to any of the symptoms.
Put up a poster in the setting to warn parents that there has been a case of rubella.
Talk to any mothers who you know are pregnant and advise them to visit their GP as soon as possible.
Teacher notes:
Common symptoms could include:
High temperature
Rash
Runny nose
Cough
Sore throat.
Illnesses which show few symptoms are:
Mumps
Rubella (German measles).
Serious illnesses:
Meningitis
Pertussis (whooping cough)
Rubella (German measles) – not for the child, but for any pregnant women who come into contact
Mumps can cause meningitis and deafness.
Teacher notes:
Discuss also other signs such as:
change in behaviour
lack of appetite
diarrhoea
rash
swollen glands.
Teacher notes:
Remind learners that they should always contact parents/carers if they feel that a child needs to see a doctor or be taken to hospital.
Teacher notes:
The first thing that the practitioner should do is contact the parent/carer and suggest that they come to collect their child and take them to their GP.
If the practitioner considers that the child needs to go to A&E, they should contact the parent and ask them to take them to hospital or arrange to meet them there.
If the practitioner has called an ambulance, they should contact the parent and suggest that they come to the setting and accompany the child to hospital or, if that is not possible, the child’s key worker should accompany them to hospital and arrange to meet the parent there.
At all times, the practitioner should do what they can to reassure the child.
Learners may suggest that they would follow the policies and procedures of the setting.
Useful resources:
Health A-Z – includes information about illnesses and when to call a doctor
www.sparkpeople.com/resource/health_a-z.asp
Teacher notes:
Learners should be able to identify all the signs and symptoms of ill health and list all the ways in which they can support children.
Useful resources:
BBC article on the 2013 measles epidemic in Wales
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-24854277
Article from the Guardian website on the 2013 measles outbreak in Wales
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/oct/07/new-measles-cases-wales-school
Useful resources:
List of notifiable diseases from Public Health England
www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/InfectiousDiseases/InfectionsAZ/NotificationsOfInfectiousDiseases/ListOfNotifiableDiseases
Notifiable diseases in England and Wales – also explains the process and lists what information is required
www.patient.co.uk/doctor/Notifiable-Diseases.htm
Department of Health guidance on infection control in schools and other childcare settings – link to downloadable PDF which advises how long a child with a contagious disease should be kept out of a setting
www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/InfectiousDiseases/InfectionsAZ/SchoolsGuidanceOnInfectionControl
Teacher notes:
Emphasise to learners that it is the responsibility of the head teacher or the manager of the setting to inform the HPU.
The practitioner’s responsibility is to inform the head teacher/manager.
Useful resources:
Department of Health guidance on infection control in schools and other childcare settings – link to downloadable PDF which advises how long a child with a contagious disease should be kept out of a setting
www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/InfectiousDiseases/InfectionsAZ/SchoolsGuidanceOnInfectionControl
Procedures for reporting notifiable illnesses – largely aimed at doctors
www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/InfectiousDiseases/InfectionsAZ/NotificationsOfInfectiousDiseases/ReportingProcedures
Health Protection Agency publication: ‘Guidelines for the Control of Infection and Communicable Disease in School and Early Years Settings’ – downloadable PDF
www.hpa.org.uk/webc/hpawebfile/hpaweb_c/1279618216326
Teacher notes:
Learners should discuss what activities the children have been doing in the setting – have they taken part in water play and shared a towel?
Advice from the Health Protection Agency suggests that if there are two or more children with this condition, it should be reported to them.
If there are a number of cases of conjunctivitis in your setting, you may ask parents to keep their children at home until it has cleared up, in order to prevent it spreading further.
Useful resources:
NHS information on ringworm
www.nhs.uk/Conditions/ringworm/Pages/Introduction.aspx
NHS information on conjunctivitis
www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Conjunctivitis-infective/Pages/Introduction.aspx
Teacher notes:
The checklists can be displayed to support the knowledge required for this criteria.
Useful resources:
Ofsted factsheet
http://www.yor-ok.org.uk/2014%20YorOK%20Website/downloads/Childcare%20Strategy/OSC/Serious%20accidents%20injuries%20and%20deaths%20that%20registered%20providers%20must%20notify%20to%20Ofsted%20and%20LCPA.pdf
HSE factsheet
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/edis1.pdf
Teacher notes:
This activity is designed to encourage learners to start thinking about the importance of immunisations.
Useful resources:
Health Protection Agency advice on measles
www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/InfectiousDiseases/InfectionsAZ/Measles/GeneralInformation
NHS information and advice on chicken pox
www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Chickenpox/Pages/Symptoms.aspx
NHS information and advice on measles
www.nhs.uk/conditions/measles/Pages/Introduction.aspx
NHS information and advice on whooping cough
www.nhs.uk/conditions/whooping-cough/pages/introduction.aspx
Useful resources:
American website looking at the consequences of not immunising a child
www.pkids.org/immunizations/vaccines_safe_choice/consequences_not_vaccinating.html
American website looking at the consequences of not immunising a child
www.health4mom.org/a/consequences_of_not_vaccinating1001
Useful resources:
Who should and should not be vaccinated
www.vaccines.gov/basics/safety/should
Useful resources:
NHS immunisation schedule
www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vaccinations/Pages/vaccination-schedule-age-checklist.aspx
NHS childhood vaccines timeline
www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/Pages/childhood-vaccination-schedule.aspx
Website arguing that children should not be vaccinated
www.endalldisease.com/50-reasons-to-not-vaccinate-your-children
Benefits and risks of vaccinations – NHS website
www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vaccinations/Pages/benefits-and-risks.aspx
Teacher notes:
Learners will need to be assigned a role in favour or against the motion, and will need to know the rules of debate.
Alternatively, learners could debate the motion: ‘A law should be put in place that makes it illegal for a parent not to have their child immunised.’
Useful resources:
Things to bear in mind if you are not vaccinating your child –American website
www.whyichoose.org/notvaccinating.html
Website arguing that you should not vaccinate children, giving reasons
www.endalldisease.com/50-reasons-to-not-vaccinate-your-children
Article from American website: ‘Parents Not Vaccinating Kids Contributed to Whooping Cough Outbreaks’
http://healthland.time.com/2013/09/30/parents-not-vaccinating-kids-contributed-to-whooping-cough-outbreaks
NHS web page giving reasons to have your child vaccinated – includes video of a parent who chose not to vaccinate
www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vaccinations/Pages/reasons-to-have-your-child-vaccinated.aspx
NHS advice on the benefits and risks of vaccinations
www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vaccinations/Pages/benefits-and-risks.aspx
Data for the 2013 outbreak of measles in Wales
www.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/888/page/66389
NHS advice on what to do in the event of a measles outbreak
www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vaccinations/Pages/measles-outbreak-advice.aspx
Who should and should not be vaccinated
www.vaccines.gov/basics/safety/should
American website looking at the consequences of not immunising a child
www.pkids.org/immunizations/vaccines_safe_choice/consequences_not_vaccinating.html
American website looking at the consequences of not immunising a child
www.health4mom.org/a/consequences_of_not_vaccinating1001
Teacher notes:
It would add meaning to the task if learners could actually give their presentation to a small group of parents.
Try to arrange for some parents to come into class, or for learners to visit a local mothers and toddlers group.
Useful resources:
Data for the 2013 outbreak of measles in Wales
www.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/888/page/66389
NHS advice on what to do in the event of a measles outbreak
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vaccinations/Pages/measles-outbreak-advice.aspx
Teacher notes:
If possible, arrange for learners to give their presentation to a ‘real’ audience, either by:
Arranging for learners to visit a parents’ group – for example, mothers and toddlers
Inviting a small group of parents into college.
Useful resources:
NHS information and advice on the MMR vaccine
www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vaccinations/Pages/mmr-vaccine.aspx
Article from American website: ‘Parents Not Vaccinating Kids Contributed to Whooping Cough Outbreaks’
http://healthland.time.com/2013/09/30/parents-not-vaccinating-kids-contributed-to-whooping-cough-outbreaks
NHS web page giving reasons to have your child vaccinated – includes video of a parent who chose not to vaccinate
www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vaccinations/Pages/reasons-to-have-your-child-vaccinated.aspx
Benefits and risks of vaccinations – NHS website
www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vaccinations/Pages/benefits-and-risks.aspx
Teacher notes:
Practitioners should know the signs and symptoms of measles.
Measles is a notifiable illness, so practitioners will need to inform parents that there is a case of measles in the setting.
They should find out who has been vaccinated and who has not (this information should be on the admissions forms), and they should advise parents of unvaccinated children to see their GP.
Inform their supervisor and check the setting’s policy on contagious diseases.
Useful resources:
Health Protection Agency advice on measles
www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/InfectiousDiseases/InfectionsAZ/Measles/GeneralInformation
Teacher notes:
Reasons could include:
Terrain
Accessibility
Poverty
Disorganised health systems
Infrastructure.
Useful resources:
Information about polio
http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/bacterial_viral/polio.html
Ten facts on the eradication of polio
www.who.int/features/factfiles/polio/en
Teacher notes:
Learners can use dictionaries or the internet to find meaning for these phrases.
Chronic – persistent or long-lasting, i.e. cancer and diabetes.
Acute – will run its course, i.e. flu and throat infection.
Terminal – cannot be cured.
Unwell – being in poor health.
Useful resources:
How chronic health conditions affect children
www.merckmanuals.com/professional/pediatrics/caring_for_sick_children_and_their_families/children_with_chronic_health_conditions.html
Teacher notes:
Learners will need to start considering the importance of multi-agency working.
Teacher notes:
Learners should consider conditions such as asthma, epilepsy, cystic fibrosis, cerebral palsy, leukaemia etc.
Professionals could include:
Speech therapist
Signer
Support teacher for the hearing impaired
Support teacher for the visually impaired
Teaching assistant
Social worker
SENCo
Counsellor
Educational psychologist
Behaviour support team
Physiotherapist
Occupational therapist
Play specialist
Health visitor.
Useful resources:
Chronic diseases of children
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=207694
Explanation of the Team Around the Child (TAC) strategy
www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/strategy/integratedworking/a0068944/team-around-the-child-tac
Information on multi-agency working
www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/strategy/integratedworking/a0069013/multi-agency-working
Teacher notes:
Encourage the students to devise their own definition of inclusive practice.
Discuss importance of IEPs and SMART targets.
IEPs= Individual Education Plan
SMART targets = Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-related.
Useful resources:
Very good website on the importance of inclusive practice
www.kidstogether.org/inclusion/benefitsofinclusion.htm
What is inclusive practice? An Australian website
www.det.wa.edu.au/schoolsplus/detcms/navigation/parents/?page=5&tab=Main
‘Effective Teaching Practices for Students in Inclusive Classrooms’
http://education.wm.edu/centers/ttac/resources/articles/inclusion/effectiveteach
Teacher notes:
Learners should consider inclusive practice from all perspectives, and evaluate their impact on the role of the practitioner.
Useful resources:
Very good website on the importance of inclusive practice
www.kidstogether.org/inclusion/benefitsofinclusion.htm
An Australian website examining the question ‘What is inclusive classroom practice?’
www.det.wa.edu.au/schoolsplus/detcms/navigation/parents/?page=5&tab=Main
‘Effective Teaching Practices for Students Who are in Inclusive Classrooms’
http://education.wm.edu/centers/ttac/resources/articles/inclusion/effectiveteach
Useful resources:
Websites on support available for adults who care for children with special needs, disabilities etc.
National Parent Partnership Network
www.parentpartnership.org.uk
Contact a family – website for families with disabled children
www.cafamily.org.uk
I CAN – children’s communication charity – support for children in developing speech, language and communication skills
www.ican.org.uk
Charities
Mencap – supports parents, carers and children with a disability
www.mencap.org.uk
Friends of Bright Eyes (FOBE) is a registered charity which provides support for children with special needs and disabilities, their families and carers
www.friendsofbrighteyes.co.uk
Useful resources:
Managing stress for parents whose children have chronic or acute illness:
http://www.cen.scot.nhs.uk/files/3i-managing-stress-nhs-ggc.pdf
Useful resources:
Managing stress for parents whose children have chronic or acute illness:
http://www.cen.scot.nhs.uk/files/3i-managing-stress-nhs-ggc.pdf
NHS support for premature babies
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/baby-special-intensive-care.aspx
American Kids Health
http://kidshealth.org/parent/system/ill/seriously_ill.html
Contact a family – family support site
http://www.cafamily.org.uk/medical-information/
Useful resources:
Managing stress for parents whose children have chronic or acute illness:
http://www.cen.scot.nhs.uk/files/3i-managing-stress-nhs-ggc.pdf
Useful resources:
Managing stress for parents whose children have chronic or acute illness:
http://www.cen.scot.nhs.uk/files/3i-managing-stress-nhs-ggc.pdf
Teacher notes:
Learners should begin to consider what good practice is.
The last two websites below are about preventing a flu pandemic, but the advice they provide is relevant for preventing the spread of other infections.
Useful resources:
Useful posters, publications and resources on health and hygiene issues for childcare professionals
www.healthychildcarenc.org/training_materials.htm
Daily Health Check form – downloadable PDF file
www.healthychildcarenc.org/PDFs/daily_health_check.pdf
‘Morning Health Check – Signs to Observe’ and ‘Daily Health Check – Listen, Look, Feel, Smell’ – links to downloadable PDF files
http://cchealth.org/pandemic-flu/child-care-provider-kit
School Action Kit – links to downloadable files
http://cchealth.org/pandemic-flu/school-action-kit
‘Stopping germs at home, work and school’ – information on preventing an influenza outbreak
http://cchealth.org/pandemic-flu/school-action-kit/stopping_germs.pdf
Teacher notes:
Discuss the importance of the practitioner’s role in educating adults as well as children.
Learners will need to decide who their activity is aimed at before they start to plan it.
If it is aimed at other practitioners or parents, it could take the form of a leaflet, poster or PowerPoint presentation.
For children it will need to be a ‘hands on’ activity – for example, experiment with an egg to see how teeth are affected by the sugar in cola drinks.
Teacher notes:
Learners may wish to discuss these questions or debate them.
Teacher notes:
Discuss the importance of eating and drinking when you are unwell.
Consider strategies such as giving them small portions, little and often, or making a game of it – for example, making the food a picture of a face on the plate.
They can offer children drinks through a straw, from a bowl, or as ice lollies.
Useful resources:
Useful practical tips on nutrition for sick people
www.fao.org/docrep/007/y5740e/y5740e0d.htm
Practical tips on feeding sick children
www.parenting.com/article/foods-and-drinks-that-soothe-sick-kids
Useful resources:
Keeping a child hydrated
www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/treat-symptoms-12/cold-flu-dehydration-child
NHS advice on looking after a sick child – includes video
www.nhs.uk/Conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/looking-after-sick-child.aspx
Straightforward advice of how to care for a sick child
www.cyh.com/healthtopics/healthtopicdetails.aspx?p=114&np=304&id=1717#5
Teacher notes:
What might the practitioner need to do?
Consult the child and parents
Follow policies
Obtain written parental consent
Use reflective practice
Ensure there are private spaces
Empathise with the child
Seek advice/training when necessary.
N.B. This safeguards the child and the practitioner.
Teacher notes:
Learners should be aware of:
COSHH – Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
RIDDOR – Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations.
Useful resources:
COSHH website
www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/index.htm
RIDDOR website
www.hse.gov.uk/healthservices/riddor.htm
Teacher notes:
Learners can discuss procedures to be followed in more detail, if required, for example, providing a bucket if a child is likely to vomit.
Useful resources:
Advice on what to do if a child is taken ill in a setting
www.healthychild.net/InSicknessandHealth.php?article_id=6
Teacher notes:
Learners may suggest that they would:
leave her to sleep while keeping an eye on her
wake her up and try to encourage her to eat
take her temperature
contact her parents.
They should remember that in all cases, even if she has recovered, they would report Georgie’s behaviour to her parents when they come to collect her.
Useful resources:
Advice on what to do if a child is taken ill in a setting
www.healthychild.net/InSicknessandHealth.php?article_id=6
Teacher notes
Learners will require some advice on how to set about writing a policy.
It may be useful to have some examples of policies for them to review.
Useful resources:
Guide to policies and procedures in early years settings – contains useful links on how to write policies and procedures
www.parenta.com/2011/05/26/policies-and-procedures-in-early-years
Explanation of what policies and procedures are
www.youngsouthampton.org/working-with-children/running-your-business/policies-procedures-early-years.aspx
Surrey County Council webpage on policies and procedures – includes links to PDF files on illness and injury, medication and ‘How to create a policies and procedures folder’
www.surreycc.gov.uk/learning/early-years-and-childcare-service/early-years-practitioners-and-providers/early-years-foundation-stage-paperwork/policies-and-procedures-in-early-years
Teacher notes:
Encourage learners to reflect on their own experiences and practice while on placement.
Teacher notes:
Learners may need some time to discuss these points.
Teacher notes:
Learners may need to discuss what they would be observing a child for and what they would need to record.
Teacher notes:
This activity is designed to encourage learners to put themselves in the role of the child by drawing on their own previous experience.
Learners need to start to be aware of the effects of a hospital stay on a child – before, during and after the visit.
Useful resources:
Useful web page on children and hospital stays, including sections on ‘Understanding the effects of a hospital stay’, ‘What might upset a child in hospital’ and ‘After hospital’
www.netdoctor.co.uk/health_advice/facts/childrenhospital.htm
Teacher notes:
Learners will need to start by deciding the age of the child their activity is aimed at, and then writing a brief explanation of the child’s condition and their personality. For example:
Are they an anxious child?
What kinds of activities do they normally enjoy?
Would they respond to a discussion activity?
They need to understand that the activity has to be tailored to the child, while also involving the other children.
Useful resources:
NHS website for parents about preparing a child for a hospital stay – includes video
www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/going-to-hospital.aspx
NHS advice on children in hospital
www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSservices/NHShospitals/Pages/Childreninhospital.aspx
BBC web page on preparing children for operations – includes useful links to other websites
www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/grownups/article/helping-your-child-prepare-for-an-operation
Advice from Addenbrookes hospital on preparing children for hospital stays
www.cuh.org.uk/addenbrookes/services/clinical/childrens_services/families/preparing.html
Advice from Great Ormond Street on preparing children for hospital stays
www.gosh.nhs.uk/parents-and-visitors/advice-for-when-you-stay/coping-with-a-hospital-visit
Videos from Great Ormond Street Hospital
www.gosh.nhs.uk/parents-and-visitors/advice-for-when-you-stay/parents-and-families-video-guide
Teacher notes:
Learners should begin to question what sort of activities are appropriate and recognise the importance of the role of the practitioner in preparing children for a stay in hospital.
They should identify that the practitioner needs to:
constantly liaise with the parents
acquire knowledge about the child’s condition
be ready to support them after hospital.
Teacher notes:
This may be revision if learners have covered the theme of play.
They need to recap on the importance of play in children’s development generally, then consider its therapeutic role.
They should research the role of the play specialist.
This activity is to prepare for the Pairs activity, when the students will pair up and produce a presentation to explain to the rest of the class how to recognise signs and symptoms.
Useful resources:
Importance and objectives of play in hospital
www.childrenwebmag.com/articles/play-articles/play-in-hospital
Play in hospital and the role of the hospital play specialist
www.hpset.org.uk/role.html
Great Ormond Street Hospital pages explaining the play services they provide
www.gosh.nhs.uk/parents-and-visitors/clinical-support-services/play/services-we-provide
Teacher notes:
Learners should discuss each point in detail.
You could ask learners to list the points in order of how important they think they are.
Teacher notes:
This is an expansion of the research learners will have done on the role of the play specialist.
Learners could also consider what life was like before the changes in children’s wards were made.
Theorists they could refer to are John Bowlby and James Robertson.
Teacher notes:
Learners should familiarise themselves with the resources available.
Suggest to learners that they try searching on Amazon for books about hospital stays.
Useful resources:
Story books for children about hospital
List of some story books about hospital visits
www.wordpool.co.uk/ccb/hospital.htm
Books on hospitals and operations
www.littleparachutes.com/subcategory.php?sid=25
Monkey goes to hospital Storybook Series
www.monkeywellbeing.com
Harry goes to Hospital – ebook
www.theportlandhospital.com/harry-goes-to-hospital.htm
Persona Dolls
Website looking at the use of Persona dolls
www.educationscotland.gov.uk/earlyyearsmatters/q/genericcontent_tcm4472633.asp
Video showing use of a Persona doll in an early years setting
http://team-video.co.uk/flashpoint/pda.html
Persona doll website showing the range of persona dolls with images
www.persona-doll-training.org/sadollsmats.html
Website giving advice on how to use Persona dolls with story-telling ideas
www.persona-doll-training.org/ukstories.html
Useful resources:
Little Hearts Matter website – downloadable booklet entitled ‘Preparation for Hospital’ in the DVDs section
www.lhm.org.uk/Info/publications-dvds-21.aspx