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What's In This Newsletter?

Free COVID-19 In-Service Hour (STARS credit)
Health Alert Update
Language Development and Face Coverings
COVID-19 and the Medical Home
Self-Care in a Pandemic

Snohomish Health District

Health Alert News

Please check your email inbox for an important Health Alert from the Snohomish Health District Child Care Health Outreach Program, sent out September 8th, 2020. Or click here. If you are not signed up to receive our Health Alerts, please email us at:

Childcarehealth@snohd.org or subscribe directly on our Notify Me page.

Free STARS Credit COVID-19 Class

Click here to earn one in-service hour while keeping updated on COVID-19 requirements and recommendations. The class is updated regularly to reflect the most current guidance. For more information about the class, scroll to the end of this newsletter. Also, click here for an informational flier.

Language Development and Face Coverings

Language and communication skills are key to a child’s development. Through building language skills, children learn about themselves, others, and the world in which they live.

Masks can make it more difficult to read facial expressions. Speech may be muffled through the mask. Children may struggle to hear and learn language, grammar, and how words go together. So, how do we help young learners develop critical language skills while staying safe with an appropriate face covering?

Speak clearly and louder, to counteract muffling and help the child hear the tone of your voice.
Lower yourself physically to the child’s level, even while safely distanced from them. It helps them to hear and to see your eyes and gestures.
Exaggerate your intonation and gestures to grab attention and give visual cues to your meaning.
Wear a badge with a photo of yourself so the child can see your face without the mask.
Convey your message with your eyes and eyebrows, use wide eyes when surprised, smiling eyes when happy, sad eyes when upset.
Try a face covering with a clear window for the mouth. Remember that clear facial shields are not a substitute for wearing a mask, but there are coverings that show your face.
Be an active partner with parents, guardians and household members who see the children without a mask. It is a critical time to remind household members of the importance of communication with their children. Active, interactive reading, storytelling, and singing are more important than ever. Here is a link to online books and storytelling for families.

Every Child Deserves a Medical Home

Partnering with children under your care to keep them where they belong - at the heart of their health care team.

As the COVID-19 pandemic response continues, The Washington Chapter Academy of Pediatrics is reminding everyone that our children and their families are not alone! Clinics have made many changes and provide a lot of options for care that support our children’s and community’s safety from COVID-19 as we partner with doctors to take care of their health.

As childcare providers, you collect information about a child’s PCP, immunizations, well child visits and health history. In this way, you are able to advocate for the child as need arises especially when there are physical, behavioral, emotional or developmental needs that are being exhibited in your care and are not being adequately addressed. You are also the primary caregivers of the children when they are in your care, which can be 10 hours a day, 5 days a week.

Many of the children in childcare have a medical home. Some, however, do not have this great advantage when it comes to the way they receive primary health care. The medical home model is widely accepted as how health care should be delivered. It is a philosophy of health care delivery that encourages providers and other care team members to meet patients where they are. It is a place where patients and families are treated in a non-judgmental and compassionate way. This then facilitates high-quality health care that is based on the development of strong, trusting relationships with the provider and staff.

As you probably are aware, primary care is where patients find the first point of contact in the healthcare system. Primary care providers (PCPs) sometimes make referrals to specialists and other services. A medical home is best described as a model or philosophy of primary care that is patient and family centered, comprehensive, team-based, coordinated, accessible and focused on quality and safety. A child with a medical home sees their own provider who knows them, unless that is not possible due to scheduling.

Features of a Medical Home

Patient-centered: The partnership among the providers and team members ensure that decisions made respect the needs and preferences of the family. The parents have the education and support they need to make decisions and participate in their child’s care.

Comprehensive: The team of care providers is completely accountable for the child’s physical and mental health care needs, including prevention and wellness, acute care and the care of chronic conditions.

Coordinated: Care is organized across all elements of the broader health care system including specialty care, hospitals, home health care, and community services and supports such as referrals to Hope-link transportation or to a public health nurse through the Children and Youth with Special Healthcare Needs program (CYSHCN). The Snohomish Health District has a CYSHCN program where children within Snohomish County can be referred.

Accessible: Parents are able to access services with shorter wait times, after hours care, 24/7 electronic or telephone access, and communication through health IT innovations.

Committed to Quality and Safety: Health care team members adhere to quality assurance measures to ensure that families make informed decisions about their child’s health.

Partner with the family to inquire whether they have a medical home established using the tool below and remind them to work with the child’s PCP or insurance to establish one if they don’t have one or are not happy with the one they have.

In Summary

A patient-centered medical home is the right care at the right time. It offers personalized care plans, medication monitoring, coaching and advice, connection to support and, encouragement. Studies show that a medical home provides better support and communication, creates stronger relationships, and that it can save the family time and energy. We hope that the children in your care can have a medical home and benefit from its many advantages.

The Importance of Self Care

As Childcare Providers, self-care is always important, but even more so during periods of stress or crisis. Self-care is so important, it’s essential. In fact, self-care is sometimes referred to as radical self-care, because not caring for yourself can lead to unintended harm to those you serve and those you love.

First accept your feelings. They are all okay. Cry when you need to, laugh when you can, and practice self-compassion.

Here are two activities you can try:

In the workbook Mindful Self-Compassion, the authors, Christopher Germer and Kristin Neff, suggest a breathing activity that encourages positive and compassionate thoughts and wishes toward yourself and another person. This other person can be a beloved family member, or someone that is giving you a difficult time and lots of grief.

Start out by taking some slow deep breaths. At the same time find a comfortable position and try to let go of whatever is cluttering your mind. Try also to relax your body. You can close your eyes or avert your gaze.
As you continue to breathe, send a positive message to yourself such as “I am at peace,” or “This is hard, but I can get through it.” Do this for several minutes.
The next step is to think about another person. You may pick anyone you want. Now, as you inhale, send a positive message toward yourself, and then as you exhale slowly, send a positive thought to the other person. Examples of this could be, “You are doing your best, thank you,” or “May you be at peace.”
So do this as you inhale and exhale for as long as it feels comfortable. Then, when ready, open your eyes and orient yourself to the present moment. How did that feel? This type of activity can be difficult at first but you will find that it calms you quite a bit.

Another emotional strategy for self-care is simply to write down your feelings. This exercise can be very cathartic or insightful. Good luck with practicing one or both of these activities and please take care of yourselves.

“Anything that is human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we talk about our feelings they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary.” . . . Fred Rogers

Click here for instructions on how to use our online learning portal.

Click here to go to the online learning website.

Child Care Health & Safety Classes

Classes are available to everyone. Learning courses can be taken at no cost. If you wish to obtain a certificate or In-Service Hours/STARS credit, cost is $10 per credit hour (...unless otherwise noted).

COVID-19 Class for Child Care Providers in Washington State
(Available for a limited time only)

Child care programs have a key role in slowing the spread of illnesses such as 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) and protecting susceptible children and staff. Due to closeness of contact between children and staff, preventing the spread of COVID-19 in child care has been challenging.

This COVID-19 In-Service Training has been specially developed for child care providers currently operating child care programs in Washington State during the COVID-19 outbreak. It outlines guidance for child care established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Washington State Department of Health (DOH). It also provides many practical ideas for applying the guidelines established by some local public health agencies in the State. All of the local health department links are readily available in the class so you can easily refer to the specific county guidance for child care programs.

Registration Information

Visit the SHD Child Care Health Outreach Program Course link. At the top of the page, select the SignUp link and enter the requested information. Look for the COVID-19 Class in the Health and Illness section of the Course Catalog. Once you successfully complete the class, you will automatically be able to print a Certificate of Completion awarding you with one in-service training hour (STARS Credit) and your name will be entered into the MERIT System.

For questions contact:
childcarehealth@snohd.org or 425-252-5415

Class on Preparing for the Flu

Harm from influenza disproportionately affects young children. This class provides both basic and advanced information regarding influenza. In this class, participants will identify the difference between flu and other viruses it may be confused with, learn about how seasonal influenza is different from pandemic influenza, and find new strategies to avoid influenza illness. We’ll cover everything from the virus that causes flu to the global impact of influenza pandemics. Sign up here.

Contact Information

Snohomish Health District, 3020 Rucker Ave., Ste. 104, Everett, WA 98201

Email: childcarehealth@snohd.org

Program Phone: 425.252.5415

Website: http://www.snohd.org/238/Child-Care-Providers

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The Child Care Health Outreach Program staff are available to consult with you on these and other health, safety, and nutrition topics by phone, by email, or at your child care.