COVID-19 Information

We anticipate changes to WA State guidelines by the end of October (when many of the Governor’s emergency proclamations are lifted). Some requirements will become recommendations. Here are some reminders:

1. Reporting COVID-19 cases to the Health District is still required and will continue to be required. Call 425-339-5278 to report all cases to Snohomish County Health District.
2. It’s fall and kids will be exposed to colds/flu/strep throat, in addition to COVID-19. If a child has any symptoms, assume it is COVID, have them stay home and TEST! They may return to child care when symptoms have significantly improved and tested negative.
3. If symptoms do not improve and a home test was negative, continue to stay home and test every 24-48 hrs. Consider getting a PCR test. It is not uncommon for a person to have symptoms, test negative with a home test(s), and a follow-up PCR test to be positive.
4. Home test kits are available through WA State:  sayyescovidhometest.org  or through your local pharmacy. Be prepared – you may need to test often throughout the winter season!
5. For children under two: home tests are not approved. Children under two must be tested by an approved method – Doctor's office/drive-thru PCR or rapid antigen. Testing resources in Snohomish County:  www.snohd.org/549/Testing-Resources.
6. Use this tool to check isolation dates:  Isolation and Quarantine Calculator | Washington State Department of Health.

Child Care Health Alert--Smoke Alert

Due to the ongoing wildfires, smoke is continuing to affect the air quality in our region.

Follow the link to check out our Child Care Health Alert on Smoke and Poor Air Quality (9/21/2022): Child Care Health Alert 09/21/22 - Smoke Alert (snohd.org)

Check the air quality here, before taking children outside: https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/.

To receive our Health Alerts, subscribe here: www.snohd.org/notifyme 

Take our online course:  https://childcare-snohd.talentlms.com/catalog/info/id:142 

National Lead Prevention Week!

October 23rd-29th

Lead is a toxic metal that was once commonly used in paint, gasoline, pipes, and other areas. Unfortunately, lead sticks around for a very long time in the environment and is very harmful to young children. There is no safe level of lead.


Help us to know the needs in our community!  Please join us in our public health efforts to help guide our work in reducing childhood lead poisoning by completing this survey and sharing with families.

Please share the following link with families and caregivers that you serve.
The survey is designed to take less than 10 minutes to complete and will help to inform our future work.   

Click this link to take our survey:  Lead and Children Survey

Please feel free to reach out with any questions at  childcarehealth@snohd.org or by phone at (425)-252-5415 if you have questions.

Snohomish Health District and our community appreciate your time and effort.

R is for Ready for School

Children need to be safe and healthy for learning to be as successful as possible. 
 
Parents and caregivers can help them be ready for school by ensuring they can get to and from school safely, have food and rest so they can focus, and get their regular check-ups and routine immunizations.
 
Check out the latest ABC's for Healthy Kids Blog to learn more.

Preventing Challenging Behaviors

Would you believe it if I told you that most challenging behaviors can actually be prevented? In Prevent-Teach-Reinforce for Young Children (PTR-YC), the authors share, “There is much that can be done in the realm of universal strategies that can promote resilience and prevent the emergence of social and emotional difficulties.” The term “universal strategies” refers to classroom-wide practices that affect everyone present.
Implementing these universal strategies helps to create a high-quality environment that reduces the chances of experiencing challenging behavior.

Take a look at the five universal strategies below and notice which practices you are already using, and which practices you should begin implementing.

1. Use a 5:1 ratio of positive to negative/neutral attention. It’s important that you make a point to recognize and acknowledge when children behave appropriately. If they are only given attention when they are exhibiting unwanted behaviors, they will exhibit more of those behaviors. Be sure all children receive at least five positive interactions with teachers for each negative interaction.
2. Use predictable and comprehensible schedules and routines. The more predictable the environment, the safer a child feels. Your schedule should be explained to the children, and any changes should also be discussed with the children. Otherwise, the schedule is not predictable enough to work as a prevention aid.
3. Use routines within routines to heighten predictability. PTR-YC provides the example of a daily circle time built into the schedule. Circle time should also have routines embedded within that activity to work as a prevention aid effectively. Some examples include singing a song each time the children find their seats or reviewing the day of the week and the weather outside.
4. Teach behavioral expectations directly. Teachers often assume that misbehavior is intentional noncompliance. However, when preferred behavior has not been modeled for the child, they may not understand the expectations. Children should be taught specific behavioral expectations for each activity and routine performed throughout the day.
5. Teach peer-related social skills. Peer-related social skills include sharing, taking turns, and other activities that require participating in a group. Children need to be taught how to interact in these situations appropriately. Social skills are complex and often frustrating for young children to master. Be sure to incorporate explicit, repetitive instruction and practice throughout the day.

 
Reference: Dunlap, G., Wilson, K., Strain, P., & Lee, J. K. (2013). Prevent-Teach-Reinforce for young children: The early childhood model of individualized positive behavior support. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.