What to do when a child becomes unwell at childcare

Serious symptoms come first

If a child has serious symptoms, or symptoms that are severe or getting worse quickly, call an ambulance on 000 and follow your service's emergency procedure. Everything below is for children who are unwell but not in danger.

Signs a child may be getting sick

• Unusually tired or floppy — wanting to lie down or be held rather than play.
• A fever (a temperature above 38.0 °C).
• Eating or drinking much less than usual, or fewer wet nappies.
• Diarrhoea or vomiting.
• A new rash, especially one that spreads quickly or comes with a fever.
• Signs of pain or unusual irritability.

What to do

1. Tell the responsible person or room leader.
2. Separate the child from the group but keep them where you can see and comfort them — for example on a mat in a corner of the room.
3. Contact the parent, carer or emergency contact following your service's policy, and explain the child needs to go home.
4. Watch the child closely until they're collected, and call 000 if they get worse.
5. Only give medication such as paracetamol if your service's policy allows it and the family has given permission.

Stop it spreading while you wait

• Clean your hands after wiping noses, cleaning up vomit or changing nappies.
• Wear gloves for contact with body fluids and clean up spills straight away.
• Set aside toys and bedding the child used for cleaning.

Record it

Fill in your service's illness record: the child's symptoms, when they started, what you did and when the family was contacted. Records help families and doctors, and they show when several children are getting sick with the same thing — often the first sign of an outbreak.

Coming back

When a child can return depends on the illness. Your service's exclusion policy, based on Staying healthy and your state or territory health department, sets the periods — for example, at least 24 hours after the last diarrhoea or vomiting.