Section 407.350  Napping and Sleeping

a)         When a child's time in attendance at the day care center requires sleep or nap provisions, the center shall provide a separate crib, bed or cot and individual sheets and bedding.

1)         Children under 6 years of age who are not enrolled in kindergarten or elementary school who remain 5 or more hours shall have the opportunity to rest or nap.

2)         Infants and toddlers shall be allowed to rest or sleep according to each child's individual pattern, as determined in consultation with parents.

3)         Children 3 years of age and older (until they are enrolled in kindergarten) generally shall not nap for more than 2 hours or rest without sleeping for more than 60 minutes.  Children in this age group who do not sleep may be permitted to get up and shall be helped to have a quiet time with equipment or activities that will not disturb the napping children.  When children are allowed to get up, the staff to child ratio shall comply with Section 407.190(a).

4)         Kindergarten and school-age children shall not be required to sleep or nap.  However, floor pillows, sofa, carpet, bean bag chairs, padded chairs or cots shall be provided for lounging or resting.

b)         The crib, bed or cot provided for each child shall be appropriate to the child's level of development.

1)         Infants shall sleep in cribs.

A)        Safe, sturdy, well-constructed free-standing cribs or portable cribs used for sleeping shall be equipped with a good, firm, tight-fitting mattress.

B)        Mattresses shall be at least 2 inches thick and made of washable materials.  The center may only use the mattress supplied or recommended by the crib manufacturer.

C)        There shall be no more than ½ inch of space between the mattress and the bed frame when the mattress is pushed flush to one corner of the crib.

D)        When using cribs with slats, cribs slats shall be spaced no more than 2⅜ inches apart.

E)        By December 28, 2012, the day care center shall obtain certification that all cribs used by the center meet or exceed the federal safety standards in 16 CFR 1219 or 1220 (2011).  This certification from the manufacturer shall be available for inspection by the licensing representative.  In the absence of a manufacturer's certificate, proof that the crib was manufactured on or after June 28, 2011 will meet the required standard.

2)         Toddlers may use either stacking cots or full-size cribs.

3)         A cot or bed shall be provided for each toddler and preschool child in attendance for 5 or more consecutive hours.  A crib shall be provided for each licensed infant slot, regardless of the amount of time the child is present.

c)         Each cot, bed or crib shall be labeled with the name of the child.

d)         Cribs, beds and cots shall be maintained in clean and sanitary conditions.

1)         Cribs, beds and cots shall be wiped clean as often as necessary. Cribs shall be cleaned twice per week and then sanitized with a germicidal solution. Cots shall be cleaned once per week with a germicidal solution.

2)         All cribs, beds or cots shall be thoroughly cleaned and then sanitized with a germicidal solution when a child is no longer enrolled, prior to use by another child.

3)         At no time shall 2 children be allowed to share the same crib, bed or cot unless it is thoroughly cleaned and then sanitized with a germicidal solution before each child's use.

e)         Freshly laundered tightly fitted sheets for infants, and sheets and blankets for toddlers, shall be provided and changed at least twice per week for infants and toddlers and at least once per week for preschool children, or more frequently if wet or soiled.

f)         Bed linens shall be tightly fitting and washable.

g)         Waterproof mattress covers or under sheets for cribs, beds or cots shall be provided for all children who are enuretic.

h)         Conveniently located, washable, plastic-lined, covered receptacles shall be provided for soiled bed linens.

i)          To minimize the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, children shall be placed on their backs when put down to sleep according to the following guidelines:

1)         When the infant cannot rest or sleep on his or her back due to a disability or illness, the caregiver shall have written instructions, signed by a physician, detailing an alternative safe sleep position or special sleeping arrangements for the infant.  The caregiver shall put the infant to sleep in accordance with a physician's written instructions;

2)         Infants that can easily turn over from the back to stomach position shall be placed down to sleep on their backs, but allowed to adopt their preferred position while sleeping;

3)         Infants unable to roll from their stomachs to their backs and from their backs to their stomachs, when found facedown, shall be placed on their backs;

4)         No infant shall be put to sleep on a sofa, soft mattress, car seat or swing; and

5)         When awake, an infant shall be placed on his or her stomach part of the time and observed at all times.

j)          No positioning device that restricts movement within the child's bed shall be used without written instructions from the child's physician.  Soft bedding, bumpers, pillows, quilts, comforters, sheepskins, stuffed toys and other soft products shall not be used or stored in cribs.

k)         Staffing during nap times shall be in accordance with Section 407.190(e).  When non-sleeping children are allowed to get up, staffing shall be in accordance with Section 407.190(a).

l)          When children are sleeping or napping, the room shall have reduced light but shall not be dark.

(Source:  Amended at 38 Ill. Reg. 17293, effective August 1, 2014)