One of the most common causes of discomfort for infants and toddlers is teething. Teething is a natural process where teeth emerge from the gums, but it can be a painful experience for children. As a result, many daycare centers have established teething policies to help manage this process and ensure that children receive proper care during this time. In this blog post, we go over what makes an excellent teething policy. And what you should include in your when developing a policy for your home daycare.
What To Include In A Teething Policy
A good teething policy should provide clear guidelines for how caregivers respond to teething-related issues such as fussiness, drooling, and irritability. A teething policy could also outline steps parents can take to help alleviate their child’s discomfort at home. Here are some critical components of an effective daycare teething policy:
Communication
Clear communication between parents and caregivers is essential when managing teething-related issues. Daycare providers should inform parents when their child begins showing signs of teething so that they can be prepared to provide additional support at home if needed. Parents should also notify daycare staff of any specific instructions or preferences they have for managing their child’s teething symptoms.
Comfort Measures
Daycare providers can use several comfort measures to help ease a child’s discomfort during teething. These may include providing cool or frozen items such as washcloths or teethers for children to chew on, giving infants gentle gum massages, or offering extra cuddles and attention when needed.
Medication Administration
While over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) can effectively reduce pain associated with teething, it is essential that these medications only be administered with written permission from the child’s parent or guardian. Caregivers should follow dosage instructions carefully and monitor children closely for any adverse reactions.
The FDA advises against using Orajel and other benzocaine-containing products for those under two years old. Such products can obstruct swallowing and heighten the risk of choking or inhaling food particles. Additionally, the FDA has warned parents against using teething necklaces and bracelets to the possibility of strangulation. Licensing regulations often prohibit amber teething jewelry, even if not worn around a child’s neck.
Hygiene Practices
During the teething process, children may drool more than usual, increasing the risk of spreading germs if proper hygiene practices are not followed. Daycare centers should ensure that all surfaces and toys are regularly sanitized and that children’s hands and faces are wiped clean frequently throughout the day.
Individualized Care Plans
Every child has unique needs when it comes to managing their teething symptoms. An effective daycare teething policy should allow individualized care plans based on each child’s specific needs and preferences.
Parent Education (Optional)
Educating parents on ways they can support their child through the teething process is an optional part of any daycare center’s teething policy. Providers may offer resources such as informational handouts or online articles to help parents better understand what their child is going through and how they can best support them.
It is important to note that while some level of discomfort during the teething process is normal, severe pain or other concerning symptoms, such as fever or vomiting, may indicate another underlying issue that requires medical attention.
Creating a teething policy for your home daycare can be daunting. Still, with careful consideration and proper guidelines, you can provide the comfort and care needed for young children who are teething.
Example Teething Policy for Daycares
Teething is a natural process that can cause discomfort for infants and toddlers. Our daycare center strives to provide the best possible care for all children, including those who are teething. To ensure that every child receives adequate support during this time, we have established the following teething policy:
We encourage open communication regarding their child’s teething symptoms between parents and ourselves. Parents should inform us when their child begins showing signs of teething so we can be prepared to provide additional care if needed.
We will use various comfort measures to help alleviate teething-related discomfort in children. These may include providing cool or frozen items such as washcloths or teethers for children to chew on, giving infants gentle gum massages, or offering extra cuddles and attention when needed.
Medication
Over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) can effectively reduce pain associated with teething. However, these medications will only be administered with written permission from the child’s parent or guardian. We will follow dosage instructions carefully and monitor children closely for any adverse reactions.
During the teething process, children may drool more than usual, which increases the risk of spreading germs. We ensure that all surfaces and toys are regularly sanitized and that children’s hands and faces are wiped clean frequently throughout the day.
Individualized Care Plans: Every child has unique needs when managing their teething symptoms. Our daycare center provides individualized care plans based on each child’s specific needs and preferences.
To ensure everyone’s safety at our daycare center, we do not use products containing benzocaine like Orajel on any child under two years old due to FDA recommendations. We also prohibit the use of teething jewelry. Teething jewelry poses an unnecessary choking hazard.
By implementing these guidelines into our daily routine at our daycare center, we hope to make your child’s transition through this stage less painful while providing you with peace of mind knowing they’re receiving fantastic care!