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Missoula County Pertussis Alert / Health Policy Update

**Special health policy**

In place as of May 7^th, 2019 until May 31^st, 2019

            Due to the current Pertussis outbreak in Missoula County, Doodlebugs has adopted the following special health policy in order to help inform families and best protect the health of all of our enrolled children and their families.

As of this morning, none of our students have been diagnosed or have had direct contact with any confirmed cases in the community. However, that does not guarantee that exposure has not happened unknowingly. If your child shows any of the following symptoms over the course of the rest of the month, we ask that you monitor them closely and advise in getting screened for pertussis by a pediatrician.

Early symptoms include:

·         Runny or stuffed-up nose

·         Sneezing

·         Mild cough

·         A pause in breathing in infants (apnea)

After 1 to 2 weeks, coughing, which can be severe, starts:

·         Children and babies can develop very hard and frequent coughing fits

·         When children gasp for breath after a coughing fit, they sometimes make a “whooping” sound.

·         Coughing fits make it hard to breathe, eat, drink or sleep

·         Coughing fits happen more at night

·         Babies and young children can turn blue while coughing from lack of oxygen

·         Coughing fits can last for 10 weeks, and sometimes recur with the next respiratory illness

If any family member has been diagnosed or comes in contact with a person of a confirmed case, you are required to inform Doodlebugs immediately. Doodlebugs will inform all other families that the following MANDITORY EXCLUSION protocol will be in effect:

·         Confirmed case: excluded from premises until five days of antibiotic treatment; OR for 21 days from date symptoms began.

·         Symptomatic: excluded for displaying any of the early symptoms until they have been on antibiotics for five days; OR they obtain a pertussis test that is confirmed negative (this can take 3-5 business days); OR for 21 days from the date symptoms began.

·         In Contact: family members and students who have been in contact with a person that has been confirmed will not be excluded as long as they remain completely symptom free.

This MANDITORY EXCLUSION protocol is required per the Missoula City-County Health Department (406) 258-3896.

Once again,

Ä Currently, please monitor any early symptoms and get tested if you feel it appropriate

Ä If anyone in your household comes in contact with or test positive for Pertussis, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO REPORT TO DOODLEBUGS

Ä If the above is reported, the MANDITORY EXCLUSION protocol will go into effect and you will be notified

Thank you all for your understanding and cooperation. If you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.

Miss Kim

(406) 360-6830

Doodlebugs.mt@gmail.com

The journey so far....

From tiny little caterpillars, our friends have grown and made the transformation into their chrysalis stage. They are now in the butterfly net and the kids are anxiously awaiting to see them turn into butterflies! 

Up, Up, and Away!

Our transportation unit is soaring to new heights. For our first week we learned about all crafts that fly. We learned that the "drivers" of our flying vessels are called Pilots. One of our students even got to go to the airport over the weekend and see a pilot for themself! The kiddos crafted Parachutes (pictured above that were originally supposed to be hot air balloons). You can see them all soaring around our classroom. The children also began a three week long transportation collage. For activities we blew bubbles into the air, pretended we were planes and "flew" around the classroom, and created flying crafts using a variety of manipulatives. 

Book Nook

How Full Is Your Bucket: For Kids by, Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer 

Every moment matters.

Each of us has an invisible bucket. When our bucket is full, we feel great. When it’s empty, we feel awful. Yet most children (and many adults) don’t realize the importance of having a full bucket throughout the day.

In How Full Is Your Bucket? For Kids, Felix begins to see how every interaction in a day either fills or empties his bucket. Felix then realizes that everything he says or does to other people fills or empties their buckets as well.

Follow along with Felix as he learns how easy it can be to fill the buckets of his classmates, teachers and family members. Before the day is over, you’ll see how Felix learns to be a great bucket filler, and in the process, discovers that filling someone else’s bucket also fills his own.

Due to the extreme cold, outside adventures seem to be at a minimum. CLICK HERE to see a month's worth of indoor activities to keep the kiddos moving!!

Sledding (take 2)

Doodlebugs Family Sledding Event will be this Saturday, January 19th beginning at 11:00am. Let me know if your family is planning to attend. We will provide hot chocolate and cookies. Location will be in the Canyon Creek neighborhood. I will provide cross streets later in the week.

Special Announcement

I am extremely pleased to announce that Doodlebugs has officially been awarded National Accredited status. Doodlebugs is the only Family Childcare in Missoula, MT to be awarded this status under NAFCC and one of only five programs in the city with this level of commitment to excellence on a national level. This award comes from a lot of hard work and a great partnership with the families in our program. Thank you for helping to make this a reality!