News outlets today are reporting that children will no longer be able to blow out candles on birthday cakes at child care centres, under new Government Guidelines.
The Australian Medical Association has equated the rules to ‘bubble wrapping’ children.
Tanya Plibersek is the Federal Minister for Health and has written exclusively for Mamamia, explaining that the guidelines have been misrepresented by the media.
By TANYA PLIBERSEK
Every parent knows what it’s like when a child comes home from child care with a bug.
It’s miserable for the child, parents are often forced to miss work to stay home to care for them and the whole family can end up getting sick.
Staying Healthy in Child Care, is a set of tips written by scientists at the National Health and Medical Research Council for child care centres.
It makes sensible recommendations on how to minimise the spread of infectious disease.
Contrary to media reports, the guide doesn’t “ban” communal birthday cakes or blowing out candles at child care centres.
What it does suggest is that children blow out candles on a cupcake rather than a large cake that will be eaten by other children.
Many child care centres do this already. Obviously a child who has a cold or virus shouldn’t be blowing all over other people’s food.
For the record, the guide also recommends that children wash their hands a couple of times a day. Importantly, the guide says that children who are sick should stay home.
It’s just common sense.
Tanya Plibersek is the Federal Minister for Health and Member for Sydney.
Top Comments
When need to think about our overall attiude to health and sickness. It is not OK for anyone, no matter what age, to go to work, school, outings etc when they may be infectious. Management need to understand when they allow staff to work with flu, gastro or any of the other infectious illnessness they are slowing productivity.
Untill we change that attiude of 'solding on'. People will continue to die.
You can not build immunity to infectious illnessness.
Letting your children play in the dirt, does not build immunity to gastro or the many influenzas.
The current influenza in the nothern hemisphere has killed 400,000 people. Guidelines are created to reduce the risk on our community.
Great point and yes the new influenza heading this way is going to be very scary!! For your own sanity don't read "How to deposit your sick kid at childcare before the teacher figures it out"
Australian public health is a joke. At this rate, in 50 years people will not be able to step foot outside due to overexposure to the sun, quickly followed by studies showing how spending too much time in doors will kill you. How about enjoy life however you want and the government can stick to collecting my rubbish. (They struggle enough with that as it is)