#33 hiv/aids and child care h - the canadian child care ... · hiv/aids and child care iv (human...

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HIV/AIDS and Child Care IV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), the virus that leads to AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), is not transmitted through everyday contact. HIV is a fragile virus, and no cases of transmission through casual contact have been reported in a child care setting anywhere in the world. HIV is not transmitted by: touching, hugging or kissing sharing food, dishes, drinking glasses or cutlery being coughed, sneezed or cried on sharing toys, even those that have been mouthed diapers or toilet seats urine, stool, vomit, saliva, mucus or sweat (as long as untainted by blood) HIV is transmitted from one person to another by sperm, vaginal secretions, breast milk, blood, and body fluids containing blood, usually through unprotected sexual intercourse or the sharing of contaminated needles. It is also transmitted from mother to child during pregnancy, delivery or by breastfeeding. Simple contact between blood and intact skin is not enough to transmit HIV. Three conditions are necessary for transmission: The blood must be fresh. There must be sufficient quantity. It must have a route of entry into the bloodstream of the uninfected person. Biting often concerns parents, but there has never been a confirmed case of transmission by biting. To risk transmission, a child infected with HIV would have to have fresh blood in his mouth and break the skin of an uninfected child. An uninfected biter would have a theoretical risk of exposure only if he broke the skin of a child infected with HIV and drew blood into his mouth. Such events are very unlikely. Parents also worry about accidents and fights, but fresh blood-to-blood contact among children is extremely unusual. Children infected with HIV have the same right to attend child care as other children. HIV is considered a disability, and, by law, discrimination on the basis of disability is not allowed. Staff also cannot be discriminated against, fired or non-renewed because of their HIV status. Child care plays an important role in the lives of children infected with HIV, offering them peers, stimulation, stability and the chance to learn new skills. A child’s parents, physician and social worker will decide whether child care is suitable and will monitor the child’s progress. Child care staff probably will not know if a child is infected with HIV. Many children have no symptoms, and if no one in the family has been diagnosed as HIV-positive, the family may not even suspect that the child has the virus. If the parents know, they have no obligation to tell the centre. They may keep the information to themselves because they fear discrimination. If they decide to tell an educator, he or she has an ethical obligation to keep the information confidential. There is no need for the parents of other children to know since a child with HIV poses no danger. It is important for child care centres to develop a health policy that respects the rights of all children and staff to privacy and confidentiality. For everyone’s protection, the policy should include the use of universal precautions, proper hygiene, procedures for informing parents about contagious diseases, and procedures for excluding sick children and children with serious behaviour problems. #33 H Permission is not required to make photocopies of this resource for public education purposes. Photocopies may not be sold. To purchase or reprint, contact the Canadian Child Care Federation, 383 Parkdale Avenue, Suite 201, Ottawa, Ontario, K1Y 4R4. Tel 1 800 858-1412 or (613) 729-5289. Fax (613) 729-3159. Email [email protected]. Website www.cccf-fcsge.ca © CCCF 2004 UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONS Adapted for Child Care Settings The best way to control the spread of any infection is to practise proper hygiene. When blood is involved, it is also important to use universal precautions, the measures developed to deal with blood-borne diseases like HIV and hepatitis B and C. Never delay emergency action because you can’t apply universal precautions. The risk of transmission of blood-borne diseases is too small to justify endangering a child. Cover Cuts: If you have cuts or open sores on your skin, cover them with a plastic bandage. Wear Gloves: If there is any risk of coming into contact with blood or other body fluids, wear latex gloves. Gloves should only be worn once and disposed of in a plastic garbage bag. Wash Hands: Wash your hands with soap and hot water for at least 20 seconds after you have had contact with blood or other body fluids, after going to the bathroom, before preparing or eating food, and after removing latex gloves. Use hand lotion to help keep your hands from becoming chapped or irritated. Intact skim is your first defense against infection. Clean Up: Spills of blood or other body fluids should be cleaned up with undiluted household bleach. Paper towels should be used and disposed of in a plastic garbage bag. Wear latex gloves during clean-up. Discard Garbage: Use caution when disposing of garbage and other waste that may contain infected materials or used needles. Discard soiled material in a sealed plastic bag. Wash Clothes: Soiled items should be stored in sealed plastic bags. Wash soiled clothing separately in hot soapy water and dry in a hot dryer, or have clothes dry-cleaned.

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Page 1: #33 HIV/AIDS and Child Care H - The Canadian Child Care ... · HIV/AIDS and Child Care IV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), the virus that leads to AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency

HIV/AIDS and Child CareIV (Human ImmunodeficiencyVirus), the virus that leads to AIDS(Acquired Immune Deficiency

Syndrome), is not transmitted througheveryday contact. HIV is a fragile virus,and no cases of transmission through casualcontact have been reported in a child caresetting anywhere in the world.

HIV is not transmitted by:• touching, hugging or kissing• sharing food, dishes, drinking glasses

or cutlery• being coughed, sneezed or cried on• sharing toys, even those that have been

mouthed• diapers or toilet seats• urine, stool, vomit, saliva, mucus or

sweat (as long as untainted by blood)

HIV is transmitted from one person toanother by sperm, vaginal secretions, breastmilk, blood, and body fluids containingblood, usually through unprotected sexualintercourse or the sharing of contaminatedneedles. It is also transmitted from motherto child during pregnancy, delivery or bybreastfeeding. Simple contact betweenblood and intact skin is not enough totransmit HIV.

Three conditions are necessary fortransmission:• The blood must be fresh.• There must be sufficient quantity.• It must have a route of entry into the

bloodstream of the uninfected person.

Biting often concerns parents, but there hasnever been a confirmed case of transmissionby biting. To risk transmission, a childinfected with HIV would have to have freshblood in his mouth and break the skin of anuninfected child. An uninfected biter wouldhave a theoretical risk of exposure only if hebroke the skin of a child infected with HIVand drew blood into his mouth. Such eventsare very unlikely.

Parents also worry about accidents andfights, but fresh blood-to-blood contactamong children is extremely unusual.

Children infected with HIV have the sameright to attend child care as other children.HIV is considered a disability, and, by law,discrimination on the basis of disability is notallowed. Staff also cannot be discriminatedagainst, fired or non-renewed because oftheir HIV status.

Child care plays an important role in the livesof children infected with HIV, offering thempeers, stimulation, stability and the chance tolearn new skills. A child’s parents, physicianand social worker will decide whether childcare is suitable and will monitor the child’sprogress.

Child care staff probably will not know if achild is infected with HIV. Many childrenhave no symptoms, and if no one in the

family has been diagnosed as HIV-positive,the family may not even suspect that the childhas the virus.

If the parents know, they have no obligationto tell the centre. They may keep theinformation to themselves because theyfear discrimination. If they decide to tell aneducator, he or she has an ethical obligationto keep the information confidential. Thereis no need for the parents of other children toknow since a child with HIV poses no danger.

It is important for child care centres todevelop a health policy that respects therights of all children and staff to privacy andconfidentiality. For everyone’s protection,the policy should include the use of universalprecautions, proper hygiene, procedures forinforming parents about contagious diseases,and procedures for excluding sick childrenand children with serious behaviourproblems.

#33

H

Permission is not required to make photocopies of this resource for public education purposes. Photocopies may not be sold. To purchase or reprint, contact the Canadian Child Care Federation, 383 Parkdale Avenue, Suite201, Ottawa, Ontario, K1Y 4R4. Tel 1 800 858-1412 or (613) 729-5289. Fax (613) 729-3159. Email [email protected]. Website www.cccf-fcsge.ca © CCCF 2004

UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONS Adapted for Child Care Settings

The best way to control the spread of any infection is to practise proper hygiene. When blood is

involved, it is also important to use universal precautions, the measures developed to deal with

blood-borne diseases like HIV and hepatitis B and C. Never delay emergency action because

you can’t apply universal precautions. The risk of transmission of blood-borne diseases is too

small to justify endangering a child.

Cover Cuts: If you have cuts or open sores on your skin, cover them with a plastic bandage.

Wear Gloves: If there is any risk of coming into contact with blood or other body fluids, wear

latex gloves. Gloves should only be worn once and disposed of in a plastic garbage bag.

Wash Hands: Wash your hands with soap and hot water for at least 20 seconds after you have

had contact with blood or other body fluids, after going to the bathroom, before preparing or

eating food, and after removing latex gloves. Use hand lotion to help keep your hands from

becoming chapped or irritated. Intact skim is your first defense against infection.

Clean Up: Spills of blood or other body fluids should be cleaned up with undiluted household

bleach. Paper towels should be used and disposed of in a plastic garbage bag. Wear latex

gloves during clean-up.

Discard Garbage: Use caution when disposing of garbage and other waste that may contain

infected materials or used needles. Discard soiled material in a sealed plastic bag.

Wash Clothes: Soiled items should be stored in sealed plastic bags. Wash soiled clothing

separately in hot soapy water and dry in a hot dryer, or have clothes dry-cleaned.