Impact of an infection control program in a specialized preschool
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L R Krilov1, S R Barone, F S Mandel
1Department of Pediatrics, North Shore University Hospital Cornell University Medical College, Manhasset, Great Neck, NY 11021, USA.
Insights
Implementing an infection control program in a specialized preschool reduced overall illnesses and physician visits for children with Down syndrome. This educational and environmental intervention improved health outcomes in a daycare setting.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Infectious Disease Control
- Down Syndrome Research
Background:
- Children with Down syndrome in early intervention programs are susceptible to infectious illnesses.
- Effective infection control is crucial in specialized preschool settings to minimize illness transmission.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and implement a comprehensive infection control program for children in a specialized preschool.
- To evaluate the program's impact on the incidence and types of infections in this population.
Main Methods:
- A year-long infection control intervention was implemented in a preschool for children with Down syndrome (ages 6 weeks to 5 years).
- Interventions included educational sessions, informational materials, and enhanced environmental cleaning, focusing on toys.
- Parental questionnaires tracked infection rates before and after the intervention, with compliance monitoring.
Main Results:
- A significant decrease in the median number of total illnesses per child per month was observed (0.70 to 0.53, p < 0.05).
- Significant reductions were noted in physician visits (0.50 to 0.33, p < 0.05) and antibiotic courses (0.33 to 0.28, p < 0.05).
- A trend towards fewer respiratory illnesses and a significant decrease in school days missed due to respiratory illness were also recorded.
Conclusions:
- A comprehensive educational and environmental infection control program effectively reduced infection rates in a daycare setting.
- The findings highlight the importance of targeted infection control strategies in vulnerable pediatric populations.
Background:
The purpose of this study was to design and implement a comprehensive infection control program and measure its effects on the number and types of infectious illnesses experienced by children attending a specialized preschool program.
Methods:
Participants in the study were children with Down syndrome enrolled in a school-based early intervention program. The ages of the children ranged from 6 weeks to 5 years. Through a series of parental questionnaires, the number and types of infections in the children were chronicled for a year before and a year after the implementation of an infection control intervention program. Interventions included infection control lectures, handouts, posters, and attention to environmental cleaning and disinfection, with an emphasis on toys. Compliance with these measures was monitored and recorded.
Results:
During the interventional year the median number of total illnesses/child/month decreased significantly from the baseline year (0.70 vs 0.53, p < 0.05), with a trend toward a decrease in the number of respiratory illnesses (0.67 vs 0.42, p < 0.07). Significant decreases were also seen for the median number of physician visits (0.50 vs 0.33, p < 0.05), courses of antibiotics administered (0.33 vs 0.28, p < 0.05), and days of school missed as a result of respiratory illness (0.75 vs 0.40, p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
This study demonstrates a decrease in infection rates with the implementation of a comprehensive educational and environmental infection control program in a day care setting.
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