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Dear Child Care Partners,
This month’s email from the Public Health – Seattle & King County (PHSKC) Child Care Health Program (CCHP) includes the following topics:
Health & Safety Information for Child Care Providers
Information to Share with Families
Continuing Education & Training Opportunities
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Health & Safety Information for Child Care Providers |
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Pertussis Cases Continue to Rise
There has been a significant increase in reported cases of pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, in both King County and Washington State. As of November 30, 1,665 cases have been reported statewide, a sharp increase from just 68 cases reported this time last year.
 Figure 1: Number of Pertussis Cases Reported in Washington State by CDC Week of Symptom Onset: 2023 (blue) vs 2024 (red)
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Pertussis (or whooping cough) is a highly contagious bacterial infection that is preventable with the DTaP and Tdap vaccines. These are combo vaccines that prevent against three diseases: diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis. DTaP is given to infants and children under 7 years old, and Tdap is given to anyone over age 7, including pre-teens, adults, and pregnant people.
Pertussis may begin with common cold symptoms such as a runny nose but can lead to severe coughing fits that can last for weeks or even months. Severe and sometimes fatal pertussis-related complications can occur in infants under 12 months of age, especially those under 4 months of age. Visit the CDC’s website for more information on symptoms.
Some statistics in King County:
- In this year alone, between January and October, 154 pertussis cases were reported in King County. In contrast, between 2019 through 2023, only 126 cases were reported.
- Roughly half (44%) of King County pertussis cases reported in 2024 have been among infants and children under 6 years old, including several infants who required hospitalization.
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Important steps to take in your child care and early learning programs:
- Strongly encourage all staff to receive a Tdap booster vaccine, especially those who work with infants.
- Make a list of all children who have personal, religious, or medical exemptions to DTaP and have it handy. This list must be kept per HIPAA requirements and be available quickly should a case show up in your child care.
- Child cares must report any case of pertussis to Public Health – Seattle & King County at 206-296-4774.
Find more information and share these resources below:
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Open Enrollment for Health Insurance Coverage
Open enrollment for health insurance is happening now through January 15! If you need coverage to start in January, you must enroll by December 15. Visit www.wahealthplanfinder.org to find and compare health insurance plans.
Family child care providers and staff in other early care and education settings may qualify for low-cost health care plans that cover essential benefits, such as primary care, prescriptions, and emergency care. Employees who work in licensed child care facilities (all staff, not just educators) may qualify for Cascade Care silver-level plans with $0 premiums. (Individuals would still need to pay co-pay or out-of-pocket costs, etc.)
Public Health – Seattle King County’s Access and Outreach program has Navigators who can assist you in understanding, comparing, and purchasing a plan for the 2025 benefit year. To make an appointment with a Navigator, fill out the form at the bottom of the Access and Outreach page. Free interpretation is available, if needed. If you are outside of King County, you can request support from a Navigator through Navigator Search | Washington Healthplanfinder.
You can also contact the Community Health Access Program (CHAP) for help in finding a dentist, doctor, or nurse, and quality health care you can afford. Interpreters are available via phone: 1-800-756-5437 or email CHAP@kingcounty.gov.
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Thermometers in Refrigerators and Freezers
The CCHP learned of a new recommendation to keep thermometers on the middle shelf of refrigerators or freezers, where the temperature is most stable. (Previously, we had suggested keeping thermometers in the door, which is the warmest part of the refrigerator and freezer.) Please share this information with teachers and cooks and use our updated Temperature Log for Refrigerators and Freezers going forward. It is available in multiple languages.
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Information to Share with Families
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Healthy Habits During Winter Break
Many people will be gathering with friends and family during winter break. This is a great opportunity for families to help children stay physically active, eat healthy foods mindfully, spend time outdoors, and limit screen time.
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Engage in physical activity—Remind families to encourage children to be physically active with both structured and unstructured play. Families can dance to music, play games, do chores around the house, or even walk briskly at the mall. When children are active and moving, it reduces anxiety and improves self-esteem, attention, behavior, and sleep.
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Spend time outdoors—Research shows that children and families are happier, healthier, and more resilient when they spend time in nature. Some ideas to get outdoors are taking a short bike ride during the day, involving children in yard work, or walking the family dog. Remind families to have children wear appropriate clothing for the weather and activity.
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Practice healthy and mindful eating. During mealtimes, children can practice social skills, such as taking turns, and work on fine motor skills by using utensils and passing bowls. Remind families to offer a variety of foods and limit fats and sugars. Slow, mindful eating allows children to recognize when they are full and is better for digestion.
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Set limits on screen-time—Screens can be useful to occupy children's time, but it's important that families set appropriate boundaries. Safe screen habits include limiting the amount of time based on the child's age, having children take frequent breaks to rest their eyes, and turning off devices one to two hours before sleep. Parents should supervise children's screen use and look for interactive programming. As an alternative to screen time over break, families can play games and puzzles, cook, or read together.
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Continuing Education & Training Opportunities |
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Workshop on Understanding Infants – Jan. 9
Register now for Understanding Infant Cues, Regulation, Behavior, and States. This virtual workshop is hosted by the UW Barnard Center’s Parent Child Relationship Programs on January 9 from 12:00PM – 4:00PM. It is $150.00 and offers 3.75 STARS credits.
This workshop will provide essential information on infants' ability to interact and engage in relationships with their caregivers. Providers will learn how to promote the infant’s social, emotional, and cognitive growth while completing routine tasks like feeding and diapering.
As a reminder, DCYF offers reimbursement for state-approved training costs for professionals currently employed in a licensed facility. You can apply for reimbursement once per DCYF fiscal year (July 1 – June 30) for up to $250 while funding is available. Visit DCYF's Training Requirements webpage and scroll down to "Training Resources" and click on “Training Reimbursement” for details.
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Ages & Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3) & ASQ: Social Emotional (ASQ:SE-2) – Jan. 8 & 9
Best Starts for Kids is offering a free introductory training on the developmental screening tool Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3) & the Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social Emotional (ASQ:SE-2). The training will be split into two separate sessions, January 8th and 9th from 9am – 12 pm. Participants must attend both sessions to receive a certificate of completion.
The Ages and Stages Questionnaires gather parent observations and insights to create a snapshot of the child's growth in areas such as communication, motor development, and social emotional development. Community providers can use the ASQ to empower and partner with parents and facilitate support by connecting the family to relevant resources. In this training, you will:
- Learn how to use, score, and interpret the tool questionnaires
- Gain tips for engaging, empowering, and supporting parents in this process
- Practice interpreting and discussing results in a sensitive and productive way
You can share, subscribe, or unsubscribe below, as well as find last month's edition of our newsletter on our website at any time.
In Health,
The Child Care Health Program
kingcounty.gov/childcare
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