1. Teach good hygiene. What is important to caregivers is important to children. Caregivers must show them that washing hands is important by teaching it, practicing it, talking about it and, most importantly, modeling it. You can expect teachers to be washing their hands every time they touch any kind of body fluid (blow their nose, sneeze, cough, etc.) and of course after toileting or diaper changing. You can also expect teachers to be talking with children about washing hands and asking them to do so as regularly as adults do.

2. Sanitize surfaces. This is something that should be happening regularly in your child's school. Most states require that eating surfaces be sanitized before and after every use.

3. Use manners. The flu vius can travel up to 5 feet. Adults and children alike should be taught to sneeze or cough into a tissue or into their elbow when a tissue is not available. Hands should be washed as soon as possible after sneezing or coughing. You can expect any adult to be using their manners in this way as well as teachers to be teaching and modeling this to their children.

4. Use gloves. Child care staff is required by law to wear gloves when serving children any kind of food, even if it is just a quick snack cracker. You can expect to see your child's teacher in gloves each and every time you see her handling children's food. Additionally, childcare staff must be wearing gloves when changing diapers, helping children use the toilet or when tending to any sort of open wound that could potentially become infected. You should see your child's teacher wash hands and put on new gloves between each and every child's diapering or toileting procedure (after sanitizing diaper changing surfaces, of course).

5. Clean toys. Children's toys should be cleaned and disinfected daily. Outdoor equipment should also be cleaned regularly.

6. Get parents involved. Your child's school should also expect you to use healthy practices. They should ask you to wash your hands as soon as you enter the classroom and to reinforce the healthy behaviors they are teaching at home. They can also expect you to keep your child at home when he is sick. If you child has a fever of 100 degrees or more, he must be symptom free for at least 24 hours before returning to child care. That means if he had a fever last night he cannot go to school today.

There are additional steps your school can take. Some schools have installed hand sanitizer outside of classrooms and require adults to remove their shoes and cover their feet before entering infant care rooms where children spend a lot of time on the floor.

For more information about H1N1 virus, visit The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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