Daycare.com Forum
Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Lines for sending sick kids home
Indoorvoice 11:44 AM 09-29-2015
I have good policies in place for sickness, but when it comes to enforcing them, I know I sound wishy washy and the parents usually talk me out of it. I need some firm lines I can use when calling for pick up that are polite and understanding, but get the message across that the child isn't well. I have a girl today who was dropped off with "allergies" but has stayed up all nap with a barking deep cough. I just need an example of what you would say. It's obviously not allergies.
Blackcat31 12:15 PM 09-29-2015
Originally Posted by Indoorvoice:
I have good policies in place for sickness, but when it comes to enforcing them, I know I sound wishy washy and the parents usually talk me out of it. I need some firm lines I can use when calling for pick up that are polite and understanding, but get the message across that the child isn't well. I have a girl today who was dropped off with "allergies" but has stayed up all nap with a barking deep cough. I just need an example of what you would say. It's obviously not allergies.
I can give you all sorts of statements and comebacks but I need more info...I have good policies in place for sickness, but when it comes to enforcing them, I know I sound wishy washy and the parents usually talk me out of it. I need some firm lines I can use when calling for pick up that are polite and understanding, but get the message across that the child isn't well. I have a girl today who was dropped off with "allergies" but has stayed up all nap with a barking deep cough. I just need an example of what you would say. It's obviously not allergies.
Post a couple examples (of when parents talked you out of their kid being sick) and I'll post what I would have said....
As for the girl with allergies, if you are wanting to send home I would e-mail or text her something like this:
"Hi Susan, I know you said Alice has been coughing due to her allergies and while I understand that can be tough to deal with, I will need to have you pick her up from care as her cough is very disruptive to the other kids. I would also like her to remain home tomorrow or have her cough checked out by her physician so that he/she can verify there are no underlying issues causing the cough. As a group care provider, I take the health and well being of my group very seriously so thanks for understanding. I will see you within the next 30 minutes and will have the Dr's form ready for you at pick up. Thank you!"
laundrymom 12:19 PM 09-29-2015
Susie is really coughing bad. She needs picked up.
Yes. She needs picked up.
She needs picked up.
See you in twenty minutes.
Yes. She needs picked up.
She needs picked up.
See you in twenty minutes.
Controlled Chaos 12:21 PM 09-29-2015
If you've let them talk you out of it in the past, its going to be hard for a while to demonstrate that YOU are in control of who stays in your home and who doesn't. You dcps need retrained 
Things like "Sally's cough is making it impossible to sleep. It's keeping her and her little friends up. I need you to take her to the doctor. She needs to be able to participate normally before she can return. I'm sure you understand" Then to every "but its allergies" you respond with "I'm not a doctor, but I know she is not well enough to be in group care right now."
Good luck!
Things like "Sally's cough is making it impossible to sleep. It's keeping her and her little friends up. I need you to take her to the doctor. She needs to be able to participate normally before she can return. I'm sure you understand" Then to every "but its allergies" you respond with "I'm not a doctor, but I know she is not well enough to be in group care right now."
Good luck!
Play Care 12:25 PM 09-29-2015
When I call I say "your child is ill and needs to be picked up." And I keep repeating that.
I don't ever say "I know it's only allergies" or "I think he's teething" even if I suspect that might be it. It's always "your child is SICK and needs to be picked up, see you in a little bit"
The first year I was open I had a girl who was getting over a bad cold. Every afternoon after nap she would have a coughing fit until she threw up. Mom and dad kept chalking it up to the coughing, which it was, but every day I was cleaning up vomit. The lightbulb finally went off - didn't matter WHY she was doing it, she was doing it. I sent home and enforced my next day out policy. I think it finally forced them to see the doctor because she was fine after that
I don't ever say "I know it's only allergies" or "I think he's teething" even if I suspect that might be it. It's always "your child is SICK and needs to be picked up, see you in a little bit"
The first year I was open I had a girl who was getting over a bad cold. Every afternoon after nap she would have a coughing fit until she threw up. Mom and dad kept chalking it up to the coughing, which it was, but every day I was cleaning up vomit. The lightbulb finally went off - didn't matter WHY she was doing it, she was doing it. I sent home and enforced my next day out policy. I think it finally forced them to see the doctor because she was fine after that
Blackcat31 12:27 PM 09-29-2015
Originally Posted by Play Care:
When I call I say "your child is ill and needs to be picked up." And I keep repeating that.
I don't ever say "I know it's only allergies" or "I think he's teething" even if I suspect that might be it. It's always "your child is SICK and needs to be picked up, see you in a little bit"
The first year I was open I had a girl who was getting over a bad cold. Every afternoon after nap she would have a coughing fit until she threw up. Mom and dad kept chalking it up to the coughing, which it was, but every day I was cleaning up vomit. The lightbulb finally went off - didn't matter WHY she was doing it, she was doing it. I sent home and enforced my next day out policy. I think it finally forced them to see the doctor because she was fine after that
......Because vomit from a non-illness cough is soooooo much easier to deal with than vomit from sickness... When I call I say "your child is ill and needs to be picked up." And I keep repeating that.
I don't ever say "I know it's only allergies" or "I think he's teething" even if I suspect that might be it. It's always "your child is SICK and needs to be picked up, see you in a little bit"
The first year I was open I had a girl who was getting over a bad cold. Every afternoon after nap she would have a coughing fit until she threw up. Mom and dad kept chalking it up to the coughing, which it was, but every day I was cleaning up vomit. The lightbulb finally went off - didn't matter WHY she was doing it, she was doing it. I sent home and enforced my next day out policy. I think it finally forced them to see the doctor because she was fine after that
Play Care 01:36 PM 09-29-2015
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
......Because vomit from a non-illness cough is soooooo much easier to deal with than vomit from sickness...
Right! The lightbulb went off - vomit is vomit ......Because vomit from a non-illness cough is soooooo much easier to deal with than vomit from sickness...
Indoorvoice 03:30 PM 09-29-2015
Thanks everyone. Exactly what I needed. I'm so bad with wording and the "Um, uh, duuuuhhh..." I was using wasn't working for me anymore. Parents still make me so nervous. BC, I will give you more info on a bit. I'm heading out to workout! I need to clear my head from all this illness!
Thriftylady 04:33 PM 09-29-2015
I suck at these things too! But in response to the allergies, yes they can make you cough, DD and I deal with it plenty. But when you are coughing so bad it makes you sick, it is time to see the doctor as there are things they can do. This year has been awful here for allergies, and we had to add another med to DD. Hopefully it won't be long term, but sometimes you just gotta see the doctor.
daycarediva 04:51 PM 09-29-2015
ALL of my new families are sticking to my illness policy so far- without reminders because I went over it and over it and over it and I stuck to it.
We had a nasty cold/upper respiratory thing go through here. Pretty sure I made a long term client mad when she said "It's already started all the kids are getting each other sick!" and I HAD to say "Well if she wouldn't LICK everything, she wouldn't have been the first one to get it and share it with everyone."
She's 4. She LICKS, like a dog. ONLY parent to make me call her to pick up, only parent who tried to say the cough is because they turned their heat on at home (
) The rest kept them home with those symptoms.
"Hi Parent, Joey has __________ (symptom fever/severe cough, diarrhea, vomiting,irritability...). He will need to be picked up no later than X:XX. See you then!"
"Oh, I know Joey ______". (excuse=allergies, teething, tired, too much fast food, the heater is on at home...)
"Ok, then Joey can return X day, or after his symptoms have resolved for 24 hours."
I had a kid with 'allergies', too. They were severe, year round cold like symptoms. I started excluding for symptoms and it forced her to actually get him treated for the allergies (which it really WAS in his case.) They were able to do some allergy testing with bloodwork. He was on a preventative/daily med AND she was supposed to give benadryl prn. He also had an inhaler and occassionally in summer needed prednisone.
He's older now and had formal testing---he's allergic to everything.
We had a nasty cold/upper respiratory thing go through here. Pretty sure I made a long term client mad when she said "It's already started all the kids are getting each other sick!" and I HAD to say "Well if she wouldn't LICK everything, she wouldn't have been the first one to get it and share it with everyone."
She's 4. She LICKS, like a dog. ONLY parent to make me call her to pick up, only parent who tried to say the cough is because they turned their heat on at home (
) The rest kept them home with those symptoms. "Hi Parent, Joey has __________ (symptom fever/severe cough, diarrhea, vomiting,irritability...). He will need to be picked up no later than X:XX. See you then!"
"Oh, I know Joey ______". (excuse=allergies, teething, tired, too much fast food, the heater is on at home...)
"Ok, then Joey can return X day, or after his symptoms have resolved for 24 hours."
I had a kid with 'allergies', too. They were severe, year round cold like symptoms. I started excluding for symptoms and it forced her to actually get him treated for the allergies (which it really WAS in his case.) They were able to do some allergy testing with bloodwork. He was on a preventative/daily med AND she was supposed to give benadryl prn. He also had an inhaler and occassionally in summer needed prednisone.
He's older now and had formal testing---he's allergic to everything.
daycare 05:14 PM 09-29-2015
also can add
I understand how frustrating it must be to have to miss work while your child is (fill in the blank, coughing, vomiting,etc) however, I have to exclude your child based off of the symptoms that I see, not for the reasons that MAY be the cause. We always want to be safe, not sorry later.
Based on your childs symptoms, your child will be excluded from the daycare until xyz date.
I have an illness form that I made (spin off my BC letter) and I make the parent sign it when they pick up ill child and make sure they understand when they come back. I then put it in an illness folder. I can tell, you each time a child is sent home or is out sick and why. makes for great records when we need to follow up with kids who have chronic cough, ear infections and etc.
I understand how frustrating it must be to have to miss work while your child is (fill in the blank, coughing, vomiting,etc) however, I have to exclude your child based off of the symptoms that I see, not for the reasons that MAY be the cause. We always want to be safe, not sorry later.
Based on your childs symptoms, your child will be excluded from the daycare until xyz date.
I have an illness form that I made (spin off my BC letter) and I make the parent sign it when they pick up ill child and make sure they understand when they come back. I then put it in an illness folder. I can tell, you each time a child is sent home or is out sick and why. makes for great records when we need to follow up with kids who have chronic cough, ear infections and etc.
childcaremom 02:06 AM 09-30-2015
Originally Posted by daycarediva:
ALL of my new families are sticking to my illness policy so far- without reminders because I went over it and over it and over it and I stuck to it.
We had a nasty cold/upper respiratory thing go through here. Pretty sure I made a long term client mad when she said "It's already started all the kids are getting each other sick!" and I HAD to say "Well if she wouldn't LICK everything, she wouldn't have been the first one to get it and share it with everyone."
She's 4. She LICKS, like a dog. ONLY parent to make me call her to pick up, only parent who tried to say the cough is because they turned their heat on at home () The rest kept them home with those symptoms.
"Hi Parent, Joey has __________ (symptom fever/severe cough, diarrhea, vomiting,irritability...). He will need to be picked up no later than X:XX. See you then!"
"Oh, I know Joey ______". (excuse=allergies, teething, tired, too much fast food, the heater is on at home...)
"Ok, then Joey can return X day, or after his symptoms have resolved for 24 hours."
ALL of my new families are sticking to my illness policy so far- without reminders because I went over it and over it and over it and I stuck to it.
We had a nasty cold/upper respiratory thing go through here. Pretty sure I made a long term client mad when she said "It's already started all the kids are getting each other sick!" and I HAD to say "Well if she wouldn't LICK everything, she wouldn't have been the first one to get it and share it with everyone."
She's 4. She LICKS, like a dog. ONLY parent to make me call her to pick up, only parent who tried to say the cough is because they turned their heat on at home (
) The rest kept them home with those symptoms. "Hi Parent, Joey has __________ (symptom fever/severe cough, diarrhea, vomiting,irritability...). He will need to be picked up no later than X:XX. See you then!"
"Oh, I know Joey ______". (excuse=allergies, teething, tired, too much fast food, the heater is on at home...)
"Ok, then Joey can return X day, or after his symptoms have resolved for 24 hours."
I text parents a similar message. "Your child needs to be picked up. She/he is ________ and is uncomfortable. Please remember there is a 60 minute window for pick up. Please let me know that you have received this message." I don't acknowledge excuses, at all. Just come get your child. I just remind them that it doesn't matter why they are coughing, runny nosed, vomiting, etc. That I am well childcare only and they can return when their child is symptom free for 24 hours at home.
I, too, really go over this with parents but we've had 2 illnesses go through here in the last month and I've had to remind and remind and insist, esp. the second time around. I've needed to explain a few times that they need a full 24 hours of well time at home before coming back. "Must be able to participate in group activities". Back to normal: normal eating, resting and playing. Happy and well rested.
I have a mouther (only one in a group of 3 12 mos olds so I consider myself lucky) and the most sick in my group. Will mention that to mom in my email tonight.
I fully expect the parents in my program to have a backup plan AND use it. I do mention this during interviews, which all dcps tell me their plans, etc, and I say, "because your child will get sick and will need to stay home". I remind parents of this in my seasonal illness reminder. Have your back up plan in place and ready for action.
I just sent home my reminder note about illness and returning to care and am implementing daycare's idea about a little note when they get sent home.
Ariana 09:48 AM 09-30-2015
I know what you mean about the "ummm" and "duhhhh" type of talking but don't let that stop you! Say something like "I know it must be hard when you are working and your child is sick" but do not offer anything above and beyond your empathy.