Infection control in child care settings

Area of Science:

• Child health
• Infectious disease epidemiology
• Public health

Background:

• Over one-third of Australian children under five attend licensed child care.
• Existing research, primarily from North America and Scandinavia, indicates higher infection rates in preschool and long day care settings.
• Children in these settings experience more frequent infections and illness days compared to home-based care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline infection risk factors for children in licensed child care.
• To provide recommendations for minimizing infectious disease transmission in child care settings.

Main Methods:

• Review and synthesis of existing research on infectious diseases in child care settings.
• Identification of key infection risk factors relevant to the Australian context.

Main Results:

• Children in licensed child care settings are at higher risk of frequent infections and extended illness.
• Specific risk factors contributing to increased infection rates are identified.

Conclusions:

• Application of infection control principles is essential in licensed child care.
• Recommendations cover immunisation, preventative practices, antibiotic use, and outbreak management to safeguard child health.