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Absence due to illness among toddlers in day-care centres in relation to child group structure
1Sachs Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Karolinska Institute, Nynashamn, Sweden.
Insights
Integrating children of different ages in day-care significantly reduces illness-related absences in younger children. Mixed-age groups, especially sibling groups, show lower child morbidity compared to age-segregated settings.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Child Development
Background:
- Illness-associated absence from day-care impacts child well-being and family routines.
- The age composition of child groups in day-care settings is a potential factor influencing disease transmission.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between the age-related composition of child groups in day-care and illness-associated absence.
- To determine if age-integrated groups reduce morbidity in younger children compared to age-separated groups.
Main Methods:
- A 4-year observational study was conducted in a Stockholm suburb.
- Data collected on illness-related absences from day-care centers.
- Analysis focused on the impact of different group structures (age-separated vs. age-integrated sibling groups) on child morbidity.
Main Results:
- Increased age-integration in day-care groups was significantly associated with decreased illness-related absence in children under 4 years.
- Toddler groups (up to 3 years) in age-separated settings had the highest absence rates.
- Illness-related absence was lower in toddlers within age-integrated sibling groups (0-6 years) and significantly lower in extended sibling groups (0-12 years).
Conclusions:
- Age-integrated day-care group structures can effectively reduce illness-related absences and morbidity among young children.
- The findings suggest that mixed-age grouping, particularly sibling groups, offers a protective effect against common childhood illnesses in day-care settings.
- Morbidity in children over 3 years was less influenced by group structure compared to younger children.
Abstract:
The present work demonstrates a close association between illness-associated absence among children below 4 y of age in day-care, and the age-related composition of the child groups. The study, which spanned a 4 y period and is based on illness-related absence from day-care in a Stockholm suburb, shows that morbidity decreases significantly among young children as age-integration in the groups is intensified. Absence due to illness was most common in toddler groups of infants up to 3 y of age. Among sibling groups of children in the age range 0-6 y, illness-related absence was lower among toddlers compared to toddlers in age-separated groups, and significantly lower in extended sibling groups in the age range 0-12 y. Morbidity among children older than 3 y was not affected in the same way by group structure.