Reminders on Policies Regarding Bedrooms

• How long can an infant stay in the parents bedroom? 
• Are bunk beds allowed? 
• Can we have an operating work space in the same room as a child's bedroom?   

There are many questions that come up relating to licensed foster homes and bedroom space. Policies regarding bedroom space for licensed foster homes are set into place in order to protect children and ensure that their needs are being met appropriately. However, some times there are scenarios you might not realize are policy. Read on for a refresher of polices related to bedroom space.  As you review these policies, please note that these rules apply to ALL children in the licensed foster home. This includes biological children, adopted children, or any other child in the home. Although at times these rules may seem arbitrary, keep in mind that there is a reason behind their existence.  

• No more than two children shall share a bedroom.
• Children of the opposite sex shall not share a bedroom unless each child is under five years of age.
• Infants may share a bedroom with an adult until they are two years of age. No more than two infants and two adults shall share the room.
• No rooms commonly used for other purposed shall be used as bedroom. 
• Each bedroom shall have at least one operable door or window that ensures safe, direct, emergency exit to the outside.
• Each child shall be provided with an individual age appropriate bed.
• Bunk beds of more than two tiers are not allowed. Children under the age of six are not           permitted to use the upper tier of a bunk bed. Bunk beds must have railings to prevent falling.
• Each room shall have storage space to accommodate the child's clothing and personal belongings. 
• Smoke detectors shall be installed in each bedroom or in the hallway of each sleeping area in the home. 

Sunburn: Treatment and Prevention

While those with darker skin coloring tend to be less sensitive to the sun, everyone is at risk for sunburn and its associated disorders. Children especially need to be protected from the sun's burning rays, since most sun damage occurs in childhood. Like other burns, sunburn will leave the skin red, warm, and painful. In severe cases it may cause blistering, fever, chills, headache, and a general feeling of illness.

Your child doesn't actually have to be burned, however, in order to be harmed by the sun. The effects of exposure build over the years, so that even moderate exposure during childhood can contribute to wrinkling, toughening, freckling, and even cancer of the skin in later life. Also, some medications can cause a skin reaction to sunlight, and some medical conditions may make people more sensitive to the sun.

Treatment

The signs of sunburn usually appear six to twelve hours after exposure, with the greatest discomfort during the first twenty- four hours. If your child's burn is just red, warm, and painful, you can treat it yourself. Apply cool compresses to the burned areas or bathe the child in cool water. You also can give acetaminophen to help relieve the pain. (Check the package for appropriate dosage for her age and weight.)

If the sunburn causes blisters, fever, chills, headache, or a general feeling of illness, call your pediatrician. Severe sunburn must be treated like any other serious burn, and if it's very extensive, hospitalization sometimes is required. In addition, the blisters can become infected, requiring treatment with antibiotics. Sometimes extensive or severe sunburn also can lead to dehydration and, in some cases, fainting (heatstroke). Such cases need to be examined by your pediatrician or the nearest emergency facility.

Prevention

Many parents incorrectly assume that the sun is dangerous only when it's shining brightly. In fact, it's not the visible light rays but rather the invisible ultraviolet rays that are harmful. Your child actually may be exposed to more ultraviolet rays on foggy or hazy days because she'll feel cooler and therefore stay outside for a longer time. Exposure is also greater at higher altitudes. Even a big hat or an umbrella is not absolute protection because ultraviolet rays reflect off sand, water, snow, and many other surfaces.

Try to keep your child out of the sun when the peak ultraviolet rays occur (between 10 A.M. and 4 P.M.).

In addition, follow these guidelines:

• Always use a sunscreen to block the damaging ultraviolet rays. Choose a sunscreen made for children with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15. (Check the label.) Apply the protection half an hour before going out. Keep in mind that no sunscreens are truly waterproof, and thus they need to be reapplied every one and a half to two hours, particularly if your child spends a lot of time in the water. Consult the instructions on the bottle. 
• Dress your child in lightweight cotton clothing with long sleeves and long pants. 
• Use a beach umbrella or similar object to keep her in the shade as much as possible. 
• Have her wear a hat with a wide brim. 
• Babies under six months of age should be kept out of direct sunlight. If adequate clothing and shade are not available, sunscreen may be used on small areas of the body, such as the face and the backs of the hands.

- from HealthyChildren.org