Infectious diseases and day care.

Infectious diseases often occurring in epidemics, are to be expected in group day care because of the susceptibility of infants and toddlers to infection and the ready transmission of infection in the day care setting. Children in day care have more respiratory and gastrointestinal infections and are at higher risk for meningitis due to Haemophilus influenzae than are children in home care. Infections acquired by the child in the day care center may spread to members of the household and to the community. Illness in the child in day care may necessitate care at home and a change in plans of the parents; family stress may result. Infections in the day care center can be limited by appropriate use of the physical facilities, education of personnel in standards of hygiene, and maintenance of recommended immunizations of children and adult care givers. Simple techniques of infection control, such as hand washing, are the most effective.