This is a free online course from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) on managing infectious diseases in group care settings. The course is approved for 1.0 contact hours of training credit. As described by AAP, the topic is important because millions of children attend early care and education settings every day. During the first 2 years of attendance, children enrolled in group settings experience a higher incidence of illnesses. When children are sick and excluded from an early care setting, it causes significant public health and economic impact. It is essential for child care settings to provide healthy and safe environments to ensure appropriate child development and learning.
The main goals of the course are to equip early learning providers with knowledge of infectious diseases in children, techniques for prevention, recognition of common symptoms and exclusion criteria to prevent infectious diseases in group care settings. The course is organized into four units, each of which covers multiple topics. Below are the units in the course.
Unit 1: Understanding Infectious Diseases
- Infectious Diseases Overview
- Infectious Agents
- How Infectious Diseases Spread
- Impact of Infectious Diseases
- Role of Early Learning Professions
- Children in Early Care and Education Settings
Unit 2: Infectious Diseases Policies and Best Practices
- Environmental Considerations
- Animals
- Vaccinations
- Vaccination Schedules
- Vaccination Records and Tracking
- Vaccination Refusal
- Vaccination Misconceptions
- Daily Health Checks
- Exclusion Policy
Unit 3: Preventing Spread of Infectious Diseases
- Preventing the Spread of Infectious Diseases
- Hand Hygiene
- Changing Diapers and Soiled Underwear
- Clean-Sanitize-Disinfect
- Food Handling
Unit 4: Controlling Spread of Infectious Diseases
- Controlling the Spread: People
- Controlling the Spread: Germs
- Controlling the Spread: Places
- Handling Children Who Become Ill
- Outbreaks
- Exclusion
- Getting a Diagnosis
The course also includes resources for ECE professionals and families related to infectious diseases. You can register for the course on the AAP website.
