Safe Sleep
What position must an infant under 12 months be placed in when put down to sleep?
On their backs.
An infant falls asleep in a swing while a teacher is nearby supervising. Since the teacher is watching the baby, can the infant stay in the swing?
No.
The infant must be removed and placed in appropriate infant sleep equipment.
What temperature is considered a fever?
100°F or higher.
You're supervising the classroom, and you need to use the bathroom. You tell yourself the children are playing nicely, so you'll only be gone for a minute. What should you do?
Make sure appropriate coverage is in place before leaving. Never leave children unsupervised.
You're cleaning the classroom and leave bleach on the counter within the toddlers' reach because you're only walking away for a second. Is that okay?
Absolutely not! Secure cleaning chemicals immediately in approved storage, out of children's reach.
How often must an infant under 12 months be physically observed while sleeping?
Every 15 minutes
(Checking breathing, color, temperature, and comfort.)
A parent brings their infant into the center asleep in their car seat/carrier and says, “Just leave them in there until they wake up.” What should happen?
The parent/guardian must remove the infant from the carrier, and the infant should be placed in the crib if they are going to sleep.
A child had a fever yesterday afternoon but has been fever-free all morning today. Mom says, “They haven't had a fever since yesterday, so they're good to come back.” What is the problem?
The child must be fever-free for a minimum of 24 hours without medication before returning.
Outside, one toddler is climbing, two are playing with toys, and another is wandering toward the gate. What should the teacher do?
Stay positioned to supervise the whole group, respond immediately to the child near the gate, and continuously scan and count the children.
the policy requires time-off requests two weeks in advance. You submit yours the night before and expect leadership to make it happen. What did you do wrong?
You missed the deadline! Planned time off must be requested in advance. Last-minute emergencies or illness should follow the separate call-out procedure.
Name three things that are NOT allowed to be placed in an infant's crib.
Pillows, bottle, blankets, toys, soft bumpers, weighted blankets, weighted sleepers, weighted swaddles, etc.
ABSOLUTETLY NOTHING
An infant is placed on their back, but they can now easily roll from their back to their stomach on their own. The teacher finds them sleeping on their stomach. Should the teacher automatically turn them back over?
No.
(Once an infant can easily turn over on their own, they are placed on their back initially but may adopt whatever sleep position they prefer.)
A child has had two watery stools today but is otherwise acting normally. What happens if they have a third occurrence?
The child must be sent home and remain home for at least 24 hours after the last occurrence
Two teachers are talking about their weekend while the children are playing. Neither notices that a child has climbed onto a table. What's the problem?
Staff are distracted and not actively supervising. Conversations must never interfere with watching and responding to children.
You notice something important happening in your classroom but don't tell leadership or the next teacher because you assume somebody else already knows. What's the problem?
Nobody can read your mind! Communicate important information to the appropriate staff instead of assuming someone else knows.
A teacher wants to put a weighted sleep sack on an infant because the baby seems to sleep better with it. Is this allowed?
NO
You notice an infant has a pacifier attached to a clip/strap while sleeping. Is this okay?
No
Scenario:
It's 10:30 a.m. A child has vomited once, is very irritable and continuously crying, and the teacher notices thick green nasal discharge. The parent says the child was given medication that morning and insists they're fine.
Question: Name at least THREE reasons this child should not remain at KGLC and explain what staff should do next.
Vomited — removal is required after the first occurrence.
Irritability/continuous crying — if the child requires more attention than the teacher can provide without affecting the health and safety of the other children.
Thick green nasal discharge requiring attention — requires the child to remain home.
Medication was given before arrival — the parent must inform the center of the medication, reason, and relevant circumstances.
Your class is moving from the playground back inside. Everyone looks like they're following. What do you do?
Count and account for every child during the transition
You notice toys on the floor, supplies left out, and classroom materials sitting where they don't belong. You didn't make the mess, so you leave everything there for someone else to handle. What should you do?
Pick it up and put it back where it belongs! Everyone is responsible for keeping the classroom clean, organized, and safe. The cleaning fairy is OFF THE CLOCK. 😂
An infant is ready for a nap wearing a bib with a tie and a hooded sweatshirt. What should the teacher do before putting the infant down?
You are covering an infant classroom and notice a sleeping baby has a blanket, a pacifier attached to a clip, and is sleeping in a swing. The teacher tells you, “It's okay, I've been watching them the whole time.”
Question:
Identify everything that is wrong with this sleep arrangement and explain what you would do.
The blanket, attached pacifier, and swing are not permitted for infant sleep. The infant must be immediately moved to an appropriate crib/sleeping equipment, placed on their back, with nothing in the crib and the pacifier, if used, without an attachment. The infant must then continue to be physically observed at least every 15 minutes.
BONUS!!!
The parent brings a doctor's note saying, “Child may return to daycare.” The child has only been symptom-free for 12 hours. Can KGLC allow them back?
NO. A doctor's note does not override the 24-hour symptom-free requirement. The child must be symptom-free for at least 24 hours, have stayed home for the required day, and be symptom-free without medication masking the symptoms.
You're changing a toddler's diaper when another child starts crying across the room. What should you do?
Maintain supervision of the child being changed while ensuring the other child gets help. Call another staff member if needed or possible; never leave the child unattended on the changing table.
You notice a safety hazard in the classroom, but you didn't cause it, so you leave it for the next teacher. Is that acceptable?
Nope! Address the immediate danger safely and notify the appropriate person. Children's safety is everyone's responsibility.