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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Blackcat or catherder ? Sick policy:
daycare 08:34 AM 07-25-2011
Can't recall which one of you posted your sick policy which I believe was
if you send the child home sick from DC they are required to stay home for 48 hours, but if the parents keep them home it's 24 hours before they can return.
Reason I ask this, is because lets say I send a child home with a mild grade fever, but then when the child goes home later that night the child has no fever. Or if the child vomits once here and I send them home and they don't again. I can see parents getting upset that their child is not sick enough to have to stay home for 48 hours. I do understand that the 48 hours is somewhat a form of punishment on the parents part for sending their child ill, but I do know that sometimes parents honestly drop kids off and they seem perfectly fine, only to get sick hours later.
I am thinking about using this policy, however, I want to know what problems if any you have ever had with it and how do you enforce it.
Thanks in advance
if you send the child home sick from DC they are required to stay home for 48 hours, but if the parents keep them home it's 24 hours before they can return.
Reason I ask this, is because lets say I send a child home with a mild grade fever, but then when the child goes home later that night the child has no fever. Or if the child vomits once here and I send them home and they don't again. I can see parents getting upset that their child is not sick enough to have to stay home for 48 hours. I do understand that the 48 hours is somewhat a form of punishment on the parents part for sending their child ill, but I do know that sometimes parents honestly drop kids off and they seem perfectly fine, only to get sick hours later.
I am thinking about using this policy, however, I want to know what problems if any you have ever had with it and how do you enforce it.
Thanks in advance
mrsking14 09:49 AM 07-25-2011
My policy and any daycare/center I've ever worked at over the last 6 years, is that the child must be symptom free for 24 hours before returning. We also don't send children home unless fever is 101.1 or higher, and or they have thrown up more than once. Diarrhea more than 3 times in a day usually warrants a call home too. If you do send a child home at 2pm and they don't have anything other signs of illness after leaving your care, they still aren't allowed back in my care until 2pm the following day if they have not had anything other signs. Make sense?
Blackcat31 10:30 AM 07-25-2011
That would be Catherder. 
She can correct me/explain in further detail if necessary but the basics of her policy are: if a parent keeps their sick child home, they need only remain home for 24 hours but if the provider sends the child home, they remain home for 48 hours.
She can correct me/explain in further detail if necessary but the basics of her policy are: if a parent keeps their sick child home, they need only remain home for 24 hours but if the provider sends the child home, they remain home for 48 hours.
Sugar Magnolia 10:37 AM 07-25-2011
Fever over 99, ONE vomit, ONE diarhea. 24 hours FREE OF FEVER REDUCING MEDS. If prescribed antibiotic, 24 hours on meds. The biggest problem is "dope and run" for fevers. For example, child is sent home at noon with fever. Next morning, mom says "well no fever now." Nope. Hasn't been 24 hours, much less 24 hours free of fever with no meds. I would never let vomit number 2 happen, or diarhea number two occur. First time is go straight home.
daycare 10:55 AM 07-25-2011
Ok so I guess I wad not clear about asking my question. With this policy what problems do you face? Do the parents ever try to challenge you saying their child is not sick?
Sugar Magnolia 11:30 AM 07-25-2011
Originally Posted by daycare:
Ok so I guess I wad not clear about asking my question. With this policy what problems do you face? Do the parents ever try to challenge you saying their child is not sick?
"Dope and run" the #1 issue. Yes, they challenge. They will say things like "I'm gonna get fired if I call off" or "I don't get paid if I don't work and then I won't be able to pay you" or some other lame statement that tries to turn THEIR sick child into YOUR problem, complete with guilt trip. I had a DCM say once "well will you get on the phone with my boss and YOU tell him." Nope. Fight your own battles, lady. I would have to say this is likely the #1 problem with otherwise cooperative parents. Sickness, masking sickness and guilt-tripping. I will say this, if I DO have to call a parent to pick up a sick child when they are at work, I WILL say something to the effect of "I need to speak to so and so right away. This is her child care provider and there is a 'health issue' and the parent needs to get to the phone right away. Unless the boss is a total jerk, NOBODY is gonna get fired. Its just a line of BS.Ok so I guess I wad not clear about asking my question. With this policy what problems do you face? Do the parents ever try to challenge you saying their child is not sick?
daycare 11:33 AM 07-25-2011
I understand that this is a huge issue, I have experienced it several times.. I guess what I am trying to ask is about her policy of the 48 hour return...
lets say you send little johnny hope becuase he puked.. but little johnny never threw up again after he left DC. Now he has to stay home for 48 hours, the parents will have to miss two days of work.
I want to know how she deals with this when this happens??
lets say you send little johnny hope becuase he puked.. but little johnny never threw up again after he left DC. Now he has to stay home for 48 hours, the parents will have to miss two days of work.
I want to know how she deals with this when this happens??
Sugar Magnolia 11:40 AM 07-25-2011
Sorry Daycare. Just trying to help. 
daycare 11:42 AM 07-25-2011
Originally Posted by Sugar Magnolia:
Sorry Daycare. Just trying to help.
lol sorry, you are helping..... I think that I can't get my words out right today.... its not even noon here yet and we have already had quite a day..Sorry Daycare. Just trying to help.
We are having sports week and I have never seen such lazy kids in all my life. The weather is perfect, about 75 and they all cried when I said that they would have to chase the soccer ball to play soccer. My son was the only one playing.....lol
It's been a typical monday I guess you could say and I am having a day....lol
thanks for your help, so if I sounded short with you..
Sugar Magnolia 11:58 AM 07-25-2011
Oh that's ok! We all get a case of the "mondays"! LOL! Wow, 75 degrees, how lucky you are! That's winter weather here, Its a darn sauna march-november! Lol!
Back to your original post, I think I understand it better now. Personally, I think 48 is a little long. Now, if its a serious illness, like influenza, I think 48 is definitely appropriate, as fevers and symptoms of flu can last 3 days or more. A puke? Yeah I'd go w 24 hours. You'd just have to judge how the child is acting....I guess I'd say "24 hours, but if any symptoms return (aka 'you're busted for dope and run') you WILL have to pick him up immediately". Play it by ear...I'm not above asking verbal children "did you have medicine this morning? What color was it?" But yeah, 48 hours is long for certain things I think. I'd pm Catherder, she probably has a great reason for her policy, she's on top of the illness policies for sure. I really respect her and her policies.
Back to your original post, I think I understand it better now. Personally, I think 48 is a little long. Now, if its a serious illness, like influenza, I think 48 is definitely appropriate, as fevers and symptoms of flu can last 3 days or more. A puke? Yeah I'd go w 24 hours. You'd just have to judge how the child is acting....I guess I'd say "24 hours, but if any symptoms return (aka 'you're busted for dope and run') you WILL have to pick him up immediately". Play it by ear...I'm not above asking verbal children "did you have medicine this morning? What color was it?" But yeah, 48 hours is long for certain things I think. I'd pm Catherder, she probably has a great reason for her policy, she's on top of the illness policies for sure. I really respect her and her policies.
daycare 12:24 PM 07-25-2011
I love FL, but can go with out the humidity....lol
Yeah the weather is out of this world right now...last week it was 104 and this week its supposed to be mid 80s...
Yeah I really like her policy and am thinking about using it, but I don't have a medical background (hubby does, but hes hardly here) so I think that I would upset some parents if I sent home susie feeling that she was too ill to be here and then she wasnt. 48 hours is a long time.
Yeah the weather is out of this world right now...last week it was 104 and this week its supposed to be mid 80s...
Yeah I really like her policy and am thinking about using it, but I don't have a medical background (hubby does, but hes hardly here) so I think that I would upset some parents if I sent home susie feeling that she was too ill to be here and then she wasnt. 48 hours is a long time.
Cat Herder 02:45 PM 07-25-2011
Sorry for the late reply...I was in class. 
I really have not had an issue with parents arguing my illness policies as I enforce it equally across the boards. I also follow the CDC guidelines and have given them all a copy.
There really is not anything to argue, IYKWIM?
Now, in the case of "Johnny" that Daycare mentioned I would not have sent him home if he had only vomited once without accompanying symptoms.
My exclusion policy outlines two or more symptoms or not feeling well enough to participate. If "Johnny" had vomited, had loose stools AND/OR was lethargic then I would have had no issues backing up my policy morally or ethically.
I really have not had an issue with parents arguing my illness policies as I enforce it equally across the boards. I also follow the CDC guidelines and have given them all a copy.
There really is not anything to argue, IYKWIM?
Now, in the case of "Johnny" that Daycare mentioned I would not have sent him home if he had only vomited once without accompanying symptoms.
My exclusion policy outlines two or more symptoms or not feeling well enough to participate. If "Johnny" had vomited, had loose stools AND/OR was lethargic then I would have had no issues backing up my policy morally or ethically.
daycare 02:53 PM 07-25-2011
Thanks for getting back to me. But i have to admit I guess I would need to change my illness policy all together. I'm a little but of a germ phobe.
I teach a preschool program sept-June and I don't want to deal with all the junk I had to put up with last year. I spent more time on dealing with sick kids being sent to care and parents not complying with rules when I should have been focused on curriculum and teaching. I'm alone in my days and don't have a "nurse" like at school to send the kids to.
Do you mind pm me your illness policy. It sounds great and would work for me.
I teach a preschool program sept-June and I don't want to deal with all the junk I had to put up with last year. I spent more time on dealing with sick kids being sent to care and parents not complying with rules when I should have been focused on curriculum and teaching. I'm alone in my days and don't have a "nurse" like at school to send the kids to.
Do you mind pm me your illness policy. It sounds great and would work for me.
Cat Herder 03:04 PM 07-25-2011
Sure... The 48 hour minimum policy acts as a financial motivator for those who try to hide or maybe don't take the time to look for indicators of illness in their child before dropping them off at daycare. It really only takes one time to enforce it, per family, before you don't have KNOWN sick kids being dropped off.
The 48 hour policy also helps minimize the risks of transmission by kids who are just beginning to exhibit symptoms by coming back too early to care with a note. Doctors deal with being exposed to these minor illnesses all the time and seem to forget it is not just about limiting our (provider/other children/providers family) exposure, it is also about minimizing lost time at work for OTHER parents.
Nothing is 100% fool proof but it does give you the best possible opportunity to prevent illness transmission.
The 48 hour policy also helps minimize the risks of transmission by kids who are just beginning to exhibit symptoms by coming back too early to care with a note. Doctors deal with being exposed to these minor illnesses all the time and seem to forget it is not just about limiting our (provider/other children/providers family) exposure, it is also about minimizing lost time at work for OTHER parents.
Nothing is 100% fool proof but it does give you the best possible opportunity to prevent illness transmission.
daycare 03:06 PM 07-25-2011
Originally Posted by Catherder:
Sure... The 48 hour minimum policy acts as a financial motivator for those who try to hide or maybe don't take the time to look for indicators of illness in their child before dropping them off at daycare. It really only takes one time to enforce it, per family, before you don't have KNOWN sick kids being dropped off.
The 48 hour policy also helps minimize the risks of transmission by kids who are just beginning to exhibit symptoms by coming back too early to care with a note. Doctors deal with being exposed to these minor illnesses all the time and seem to forget it is not just about limiting our (provider/other children/providers family) exposure, it is also about minimizing lost time at work for OTHER parents.
Nothing is 100% fool proof but it does give you the best possible opportunity to prevent illness transmission.
Awesome!! You are so on top of this!!Sure... The 48 hour minimum policy acts as a financial motivator for those who try to hide or maybe don't take the time to look for indicators of illness in their child before dropping them off at daycare. It really only takes one time to enforce it, per family, before you don't have KNOWN sick kids being dropped off.
The 48 hour policy also helps minimize the risks of transmission by kids who are just beginning to exhibit symptoms by coming back too early to care with a note. Doctors deal with being exposed to these minor illnesses all the time and seem to forget it is not just about limiting our (provider/other children/providers family) exposure, it is also about minimizing lost time at work for OTHER parents.
Nothing is 100% fool proof but it does give you the best possible opportunity to prevent illness transmission.
Ty Ty