Hi, these are a few lookouts for children when they are feeling or beginning to feel unwell,
They may say they feel ill - headache, tummyache, stick a tongue out, point to throat or tummy ..
Have a flushed face - red cheeks, forehead
Have a temperature - hot forehead. Normal body temperature ranges between 36 to 37°C
Have been sick/vomitted or say they have a feeling of sickness/nausea
Dislike the light - they squint, close eyes or state or indicate that light hurts their eyes.
Have difficulty breathing - are they asthmatic.
Hold an area of their body and complain of pain or discomfort - head, jaw/mouth, tummy, ear, neck ..
Are disorientated, stumble, fall appear off balance for no apparent reason.
Say their limbs/joints or parts of their body feel funny, heavy, stiff.
Are shivering, all the time/continuously or periodically/occasionaly.
Say they feel cold or hot
Appear quieter than you would expect - listless, drowsy or have lost energy.
Experience accidental wetting/soiling in a normally dry child
Feel unusually sleepy or tired.
Have a rash
Are more irritable or aggressive than you would expect.
Are more easily upset than you would expect.
Cry without apparent reason.
Continually ask for a drink - are overly thirsty
Passes out or becomes unconcious
Fits or convulses
Has a runny nose - nasal discharge & its colour
Mucky eyes - cold or conjunctivitus
Following policy & procedure means that you know who to report your concerns or information to - is this a manager, another colleague? what have you been asked to do in these situations?
Would you contact parents or an emergency number to inform them of the child feeling unwell.
Do you ask parents to collect the child to take them home to rest, to a doctor, A&E - accident and emergency hospital department?
Are you aware of any history - eg: Records show that Parents mentioned the Child has had a cold or did complain of feeling unwell the day before .. were any requests left for you to get in touch, administer pain relief medication?
Who tells you about administering pain releif medication, who has the responsibility for this, how is it recorded so that you know how much they have had and when the child is due to recieve the next dose. How do you make sure the medication is the one provided by parents or the setting and is suitable for the individual child and have you or the person involved seen a signed permission slip that allows you to administer medicine if this is something your setting permits.
You really need to speak with your setting to find out what's expected of you, you may also find that then you'll have much more information to write about.
xx
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