The Healthy Child Care resources assist pediatric health providers in collaborating with early education and child care providers to increase the quality of care, promote early education and improve children's health and well-being.
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Child care providers administer medications to the children under their care for various reasons.
There are three main reasons to provide personnel qualified to safely perform this act.
First, child care facilities provide medication administration to maintain the health of the children
in their facility. Routine medicines such as seizure or diabetes medication allow children to live a
normal childhood. Generally these routine medications would be given at home, but in certain
circumstances, these may need to be given by the provider. For instance, if a parent works a 6:00
a.m. – 2:00 p.m. shift and the medication needs to be administered with the child’s breakfast, it
would be nearly impossible for the parent to give it prior to bringing the child to the center.
Second, administration of medication at the child care facility may be the only way to allow a
child who is not acutely ill to attend the program. This is especially important when there is a
curriculum that builds on previous lessons. An example would be a child being treated for an ear
infection, who has been on antibiotics for more than 24 hours, but needs to continue to take them
four times a day for ten days.
Third, in order to comply with various laws, regulations, and best practices, child care centers
must have documented policies and procedures regarding medication administration for children
in the center. Child care providers should be familiar with the state’s Minimum Standards, the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the American Association of Pediatrics “Guidelines
for the Administration of Medications in Schools.”
