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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Throwing Up Because Constipated?
midaycare 04:10 AM 12-10-2014
Is this a thing? Dcm, whom I really like and has not tried to "pull anything" yet, told me dcg threw up last night because she is constipated and there is "no room" for anything else.

Dcg has horrible constipation and has to take meds for it. But ... Throwing up?

I did not make dcm take dcg home until I could further think about this. I have 2 hours alone with her this morning before others arrive.

Thoughts?
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Play Care 04:20 AM 12-10-2014
This has happened to my older DD who also has constipation issues. She will throw up a couple of times and then feel better a little later on. Once she does feel a bit better we know to give her medication for it. BUT...each time it's happened we have kept her home from school, just in case. Honestly throw up is throw up and while I strongly suspected constipation caused it, I wouldn't want to take the chance.
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Second Home 04:29 AM 12-10-2014
Public school would send her home if she threw up so I would do the same if she did it again. Cleaning up throw up no matter what the reason will not be easy with other dck present.
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Cradle2crayons 04:45 AM 12-10-2014
Originally Posted by Play Care:
This has happened to my older DD who also has constipation issues. She will throw up a couple of times and then feel better a little later on. Once she does feel a bit better we know to give her medication for it. BUT...each time it's happened we have kept her home from school, just in case. Honestly throw up is throw up and while I strongly suspected constipation caused it, I wouldn't want to take the chance.
I agree it COULD be caused from constipation. But, regardless of the cause, exclusion still applies. Just like with any of my exclusion symptoms. I also send home with diarrhea, even if it's caused possibly by mom giving too much miralax. Diarrhea is diarrhea, regardless of the cause.

But, that's the great thing about owning our own business. We can make our own decisions,
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midaycare 05:18 AM 12-10-2014
Originally Posted by Play Care:
This has happened to my older DD who also has constipation issues. She will throw up a couple of times and then feel better a little later on. Once she does feel a bit better we know to give her medication for it. BUT...each time it's happened we have kept her home from school, just in case. Honestly throw up is throw up and while I strongly suspected constipation caused it, I wouldn't want to take the chance.
Kind of my train of thought. Why risk it?

She seems okay, but ... Who knows. My DS can have a fever and be running around playing.
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Play Care 05:24 AM 12-10-2014
Originally Posted by midaycare:
Kind of my train of thought. Why risk it?

She seems okay, but ... Who knows. My DS can have a fever and be running around playing.
If I were you I might talk to mom later (or email) with a reminder of your illness policy. Something along the lines of
"DCM, I know you said dcg was vomiting due to constipation. In the future regardless of the suspected cause, you will need to follow my illness policy which would exclude dcg from care for 24 hours. Not only does this allow you the chance to be SURE of the cause, it also gives you time to take steps to manage the issue. Further if it turns out to be caused by a virus, this hopefully contains it to one child rather than go through the whole day care. While it may seem overly cautious, I have caught "teething" and "allergies" more times in this profession then I can keep track of (BIG here). I'm sure you understand. Thanks."
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hope 05:29 AM 12-10-2014
I feel like parents are always trying to diagnose their children. In the past i have gone against my own rules and allowed children into care after a parent has given an innocent excuse for why their child has thrown up. Every time it resulted in an illness that has been passed around here. Throw up is a symptom that results in exclusion, no exceptions. The dcm is not a doctor, nor are you. No tests have been run, no doctors visits....how does dcm know the cause?
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EntropyControlSpecialist 05:33 AM 12-10-2014
Originally Posted by hope:
I feel like parents are always trying to diagnose their children. In the past i have gone against my own rules and allowed children into care after a parent has given an innocent excuse for why their child has thrown up. Every time it resulted in an illness that has been passed around here. Throw up is a symptom that results in exclusion, no exceptions. The dcm is not a doctor, nor are you. No tests have been run, no doctors visits....how does dcm know the cause?
100% this and I would send that child home saying that upon further reflection I exclude based on SYMPTOMS not CAUSES.
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Leigh 06:02 AM 12-10-2014
I'm no medical professional, but I would think that throwing up from constipation would indicate a blockage. The child should be seen by a doctor.
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Second Home 06:15 AM 12-10-2014
Originally Posted by Leigh:
I'm no medical professional, but I would think that throwing up from constipation would indicate a blockage. The child should be seen by a doctor.
That is what I was thinking .
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KiddieCahoots 06:33 AM 12-10-2014
Originally Posted by hope:
I feel like parents are always trying to diagnose their children. In the past i have gone against my own rules and allowed children into care after a parent has given an innocent excuse for why their child has thrown up. Every time it resulted in an illness that has been passed around here. Throw up is a symptom that results in exclusion, no exceptions. The dcm is not a doctor, nor are you. No tests have been run, no doctors visits....how does dcm know the cause?
......And just the thought of this possibly going around in the day care would make me stick to the policies of exclusion for vomiting.
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midaycare 07:16 AM 12-10-2014
Originally Posted by Play Care:
If I were you I might talk to mom later (or email) with a reminder of your illness policy. Something along the lines of
"DCM, I know you said dcg was vomiting due to constipation. In the future regardless of the suspected cause, you will need to follow my illness policy which would exclude dcg from care for 24 hours. Not only does this allow you the chance to be SURE of the cause, it also gives you time to take steps to manage the issue. Further if it turns out to be caused by a virus, this hopefully contains it to one child rather than go through the whole day care. While it may seem overly cautious, I have caught "teething" and "allergies" more times in this profession then I can keep track of (BIG here). I'm sure you understand. Thanks."
Very helpful, thank you.
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midaycare 07:17 AM 12-10-2014
Originally Posted by hope:
I feel like parents are always trying to diagnose their children. In the past i have gone against my own rules and allowed children into care after a parent has given an innocent excuse for why their child has thrown up. Every time it resulted in an illness that has been passed around here. Throw up is a symptom that results in exclusion, no exceptions. The dcm is not a doctor, nor are you. No tests have been run, no doctors visits....how does dcm know the cause?
Right???!!! I get more annoyed as the day gets on.
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midaycare 07:19 AM 12-10-2014
Originally Posted by Leigh:
I'm no medical professional, but I would think that throwing up from constipation would indicate a blockage. The child should be seen by a doctor.
True enough. Or, "true story", as my DS would say.
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TheGoodLife 08:24 AM 12-10-2014
Agree with PPs, plus... Is knowing she threw up from constipation going to make it less of a sanitary and safety issue (you cleaning it up while the other kids are there and not having 100% supervision)?
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daycare 08:45 AM 12-10-2014
Originally Posted by EntropyControlSpecialist:
100% this and I would send that child home saying that upon further reflection I exclude based on SYMPTOMS not CAUSES.
This....we could guess all day WHY it happened. The fact is that she vomited and the rules state _________________________.

you always exclude for the symptoms, not the WHY/Reason.........
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midaycare 10:18 AM 12-10-2014
Originally Posted by daycare:
This....we could guess all day WHY it happened. The fact is that she vomited and the rules state _________________________.

you always exclude for the symptoms, not the WHY/Reason.........
I need to post this to the top of my brain so I don't forget it. My dcf's have been really good so far so I haven't had to deal with much craziness. They usually stay home for illness. This caught me of guard because everyone is usually so good.
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AuntTami 01:25 PM 12-10-2014
Originally Posted by midaycare:
I need to post this to the top of my brain so I don't forget it. My dcf's have been really good so far so I haven't had to deal with much craziness. They usually stay home for illness. This caught me of guard because everyone is usually so good.
I used to work in a nursing home... If the child is puking due to constipation, she needs a doctor! It very well can indicate the child has a bowel obstruction which needs to be addressed very quickly. An elderly lady I used to care for had one and no one caught it until she was puking up poo essentially. Nurses all thought she was constipated and kept using suppotories to make her go... She passed away the day it got noticed.

Like others said, puke is puke. Puking=going home here. A previous DCG would cry until she puked all over.... She went home each time even though she wasn't "sick"
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Unregistered 02:29 PM 12-10-2014
in my health care work history this is very serious if it is caused by constipation! blockage!
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midaycare 02:52 PM 12-10-2014
Oh hooray! Now I get to have a talk with dcm tomorrow about blockages. I doubt dcm will take dcg to the doctor, though.
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nannyde 03:04 PM 12-10-2014
That would require an immediate exclusion until the condition was resolved and a doc note xonfirming it. Too risky to have the kid in care.
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