HYGIENE IN EARLY DEVELOPMENT CENTRES

Written by Fatima Davids on October 5, 2022. Posted in Blog, Hygiene.

**HOW SAFE IS THE ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR LITTLE ONES**?

INTRODUCTION

At Corpchem we don’t just want to push the sales, however, have a keen interest in our client’s and their environments. One of the environments that we have been very interested in is the EDC around South Africa. We have notice that there are no laws that govern the type of chemicals used in EDC which is a concern for us. The usage of harsh and abrasive chemicals in an environment that could essentially be harmful to the development of our children should be done with caution.

Beginning at birth and continuing through age eight, children embark on a lifelong learning adventure.

An EDC is a facility where young children and new-borns are housed for a certain amount of time for nursing, eating, sleep, and other needs. The overall well-being, and follow-up of the youngsters (Wallace, Ebrahim,1981).

Why the Need for and EDC or Creche?

In many nations, particularly the highly industrialized nations determine the need primarily by mothers in the population to work and have their infants and young kids in Early Development Centres. Households cannot afford to function on one income but that of both spouses. In the instance of single parenting, an EDC will be a high priority to enable the individual to create an income for his or her household.

Many Households are dependent on both parents being employed

Children cared for at crèches or early development centres are said to show two to three times greater risk of acquiring infections, which impacts both on individual health and on the spreading of diseases through the community (Nesti and Goldbaum, 2007) and crèches or CDS are areas with special epidemiological characteristics, since the children populations are at risk for the transmission of infectious diseases (Gensheimer, 1994).

“Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see.” – John F. Kennedy

Groups of children therefore become the focus of the multiplication of cases of infectious diseases and their spreading to the surrounding community (Over-turf, 1994). Once an agent has been introduced into a day care environment its further transmission depends partly on the characteristics of the microorganism itself.

An infectious agent transmission within a childcare centre is also influenced by the characteristics of the children attending, their age, sex, immunological status, presence of siblings at home, educational level of the parent, socioeconomic level of the family and length of time enrolled at the centre. This is most influenced by characteristics of the centre itself, such as the total number of children, class sizes, number of workers per child, and precisely the hygiene involved in handling children and the care taken in the environment (Huskins, 2000). https://www.gov.za/social-development-early-childhood-development-ecd-centre-registration

In many aspects of life, good hygienic habits are crucial, but running an EDC puts an even greater emphasis on them. Given the vulnerability of children, EDC requires special care because they are more prone to infections and diseases than homes.

Everyone at an EDC, not just the small children, is impacted by good sanitary control. Parents who are concerned about their kids’ safety. Staff members that want the best for the kids while also maintaining their own health. Of course, there are the kids themselves as well as the EDC’s that have a moral and legal obligation to protect the kids from diseases and infections.

Teaching kids effective hygiene habits is another goal of encouraging excellent hygiene. While this may begin at home, it should persist in the EDC environment.

The use of Chemicals in Early Development Centres must be carefully selected and stored

Use Commercial Disinfectants with Caution

Not all cleaning agents are secure and suitable for use in a situation where children are cared for in groups.

Observe Label Warnings

Labels – Warnings are there for a good reason: The health & environmental effects of household cleaning products (Gue – TreeWear)

In an EDC program, avoid using cleaning supplies that have a DANGER or CORROSIVE label warning. Use chemicals that are sufficiently labelled displaying the contents of the chemical and understanding the correct usage of the chemical. Ensure that chemicals are adequately and correctly stored, with lids correctly sealed. Ensure that the instructions are strictly adhered to according to the manufacturer’s directions of usage. Are you aware of any chemicals currently in storage and its expiry date?