§ 1304.3-3 - Medical and dental history, screening, and examinations.

(a) The health services component of the performance standards plan shall provide that for each child enrolled in the Head Start program a complete medical, dental and developmental history will be obtained and recorded, a thorough health screening will be given, and medical and dental examinations will be performed. The plan will provide also for advance parent or guardian authorization for all health services under this subpart.

(b) Effective with the beginning of the 1993-94 program year, grantees must provide for health and developmental screenings by 45 days after the beginning of services for children in the fall, or for a child who enters late, by 45 days after the child enters into the program and must include:

(1) Growth assessment (head circumference up to two years old), height, weight and age.

(2) Vision testing.

(3) Hearing testing.

(4) Hemoglobin or hematocrit determination.

(5) Tuberculin testing indicated in ACYF Head Start Guidance Material.

(6) Urinalysis.

(7) Based on community health problems, other selected screenings where appropriate, e.g., sickle cell anemia, lead poisoning, and intestinal parasites.

(8) Assessment of current immunization status.

(9) During the course of health screening, procedures must be in effect for identifying speech problems, determining their cause, and providing services.

(10) Identification of the special needs of handicapped children.

(c) Medical examinations for children shall include:

(1) Examination of all systems or regions which are made suspect by the history or screening test.

(2) Search for certain defects in specific regions common or important in this age group, i.e., skin, eye, ear, nose, throat, heart, lungs, and groin (inguinal) area.

(d) The plan shall provide, also, in accordance with local and state health regulations that employed program staff have initial health examinations, periodic check-ups, and are found to be free from communicable disease; and, that voluntary staff be screened for tuberculosis.