MIDLAND, Texas — While local daycares do everything to make sure they are keeping their centers clean all year round, they do notice an increase in RSV in infant centers during the late Fall to winter time.
At Toya's Precious Jewels Infant Center, Director and Owner Latoya Mayberry runs the center for newborns to 23-month-old babies. Mayberry also runs Toya's Precious Jewels Academy for 18-month-old to five-year-old children.
For both centers, cleanliness is a big priority.
"We are just constantly cleaning that is a daily thing as well as a weekly thing we do heavily," Mayberry said. "We are sanitizing any time there’s a toy that’s been in a child’s mouth we are rinsing that toy off, we are changing our toys out weekly and putting them through a solution, so they are clean. We are cleaning our room, we are washing our washables, our washable toys, sheets."
Even though they keep the center clean, Mayberry still notices around this time of year an uptick in illnesses, a big one plaguing kids in the Infant Center, RSV.
"RSV is the number one thing in the infant center that I’m always watching for and am nervous about but what’s crazy is most of the kids that got RSV are coming back quicker like it’s quicker turnaround," Mayberry said. "I did have one child that took a little while for that child to get over it but for the rest of them it’s been a quick turnaround. I don't know if we’re just catching it sooner or what’s going on but the turnaround is much better than what I’ve seen in the past."
Mayberry believes this quick turnaround also could be because of total transparence they have with families and letting them know what they are noticing in the center.
"We can send messages and let them know 'hey these are what we are seeing in the center' this week, this month or whatever the case is," Mayberry said. "So they can be extra cautious and watch their children and notice any of those symptoms they can educate us as well. For me the more they know the more they can help me help their children. "
Gratuity for the rules put in place at the infant centers is another thing Mayberry says is important.
"I pride myself that both our centers, even if we do get someone that comes down with something, it’s very short lived because of this protocol and because of family connections we have with families," said Mayberry.