This Disease Handbook was prepared by the Division of Public Health Services, Communicable Disease Control Section, for childcare providers and parents/guardians of children attending childcare.  The disease fact sheets, which make up most of the handbook, are intended to familiarize people with specific infectious disease problems that commonly occur in childcare.  The fact sheets can be easily photocopied for distribution to parents and guardians.  We have provided the Handbook as a complete, 83 page document, as well as in individual fact sheets, to allow users to more readily find and print the information they seek.

In the event that any of the illnesses mentioned in this manual occur among children attending childcare, parents or guardians should be promptly notified by the childcare provider and urged to contact their family physician to obtain specific medical care advice.

Childcare directors should immediately notify the Communicable Disease Control Section concerning any unusual disease occurrence in their facilities so that appropriate disease-control measures may begin promptly.  To contact the Communicable Disease Control Section, call (603) 271- 4496 or (800) 852-3345 ext 4496 (from within New Hampshire). 

Disease Handbook for Childcare Providers (complete) (83 pages)

Disease Handbook for Childcare Providers – separate fact sheets

Cover, Table of Contents, Introduction, Acknowledgements (4 pages)

What Everyone Needs To Know

• Immunization Requirements (1 page)
• Diseases That Are Preventable With Vaccines (2 pages)
• When A Child Should Be Excluded Or Dismissed (2 pages)
• When Staff Should Be Excluded (1 page)
• What Diseases Must Be Reported To Health Officials (1 page)

A Primer on Preventing Disease

• Child Abuse (1 page)
• Diapering Techniques  (3 pages)
• Pets In Daycare Facilities (1 page)
• Food Handling For Childcare Settings (3 pages)
• Rashes (1 page)

Disease Fact Sheets

AIDS (See HIV)

Campylobacteriosis (1 page)

Chicken Pox (Varicella) (2 pages)

Cold Sores (See Oral Herpes)

Common Cold – Influenza (2 pages)

Conjunctivitis (2 pages)

Diarrhea (1 page)

Diphtheria (1 page)

E. Coli 0157:H7 (1 page)

Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) (2 pages)

Fifth Disease (2 pages)

German Measles (See Rubella)

Giardiasis (1 page)

Haemophilus Influenza Type B (2 pages)

Hand, Foot & Mouth (2 pages)

Head Lice (See Pediculosis)

Hepatitis A (2 pages)

Hepatitis B (2 pages)

Herpes (See Oral Herpes)

Hib (See Haemophilus Influenza Type B)

HIV (1 page)

Impetigo (1 page)

Influenza (See Common Cold)

Lyme Disease (2 pages)

Measles (1 page)

Meningococcal Illness (Meningitis) (2 pages)

MRSA (2 pages)

Mumps (1 page)

Norovirus (2 pages)

Oral Herpes (1 page)

Pediculosis (Head Lice) (3 pages)

Pertussis (Whooping Cough) (2 pages)

Pink Eye (See Conjunctivitis)

Pinworms (1 page)

Polio (See Poliomyelitis)

Poliomyelitis (1 page)

Rabies (2 pages)

Roseola (1 page)

RSV (1 page)

Rubella (German Measles) (1 page)

Salmonellosis (1 page)

Scabies (2 pages)

Scarlet Fever (See Strep Throat)

Shigellosis (1 page)

Shingles (See Chicken Pox)

Strep Throat (2 pages)

Swimmer's Itch (1 page)

Tetanus (1 page)

Tuberculosis (1 page)

Whooping Cough (See Pertussis)

West Nile Virus (WNV) (2 pages)

Reference List (1 page)

Glossary (2 pages)