Child care providers play an important role in preventing and controlling the spread of illness and infection among the children in their care. This is not an easy job! Infectious diseases are the most common cause of illness in young children. Children are likely to catch and spread infections like colds, the
flu, and diarrheal disease, when playing with other children at a family child care home, child care center, preschool, school age program, or
other child care facility.