Diarrhea/Sending Home ?

[Valerie928]

What is your policy/rule about diarrhea? I had dcg 2.5 this a.m. and she had diarrhea. Not overly runny but very close. Then 10 minutes later again but runny. I had her picked up. Sometimes I feel bad doing that but I will usually let one time diarrhea stay, another they go home. She was not acting sick either. Would you guys have sent home?

[littlefriends]

My illness policy states “child will be sent home after 2 consecutive loose stools while at daycare” and then later in the policy it says “if your child is sent home from daycare...will not be allowed back into care for 48 hours”.

[littlefriends]

Originally Posted by Valerie928

What is your policy/rule about diarrhea? I had dcg 2.5 this a.m. and she had diarrhea. Not overly runny but very close. Then 10 minutes later again but runny. I had her picked up. Sometimes I feel bad doing that but I will usually let one time diarrhea stay, another they go home. She was not acting sick either. Would you guys have sent home?

Also good to note, there are a lot of things that can be spread with diarrhea so you do want to take it seriously to prevent the spread of infection. A kiddo doesn’t have to be acting sick to be infectious.

[AmyKidsCo]

ITA with 2 consecutive nasty diapers, or just 1 if it's not contained by a diaper or an older child doesn't make to the toilet.

[springv]

We send home after 3 but in my personal opinion we should send home after one because of the sanitizing and risk to the other children. Last week, there was a child that was out because they threw up but the sent the sister to school because she was fine but later on in the day she had diarrhea so we sent her home and they took them both to the doctor and the doctor said that it was too much fruit and juice but they don't drink that much juice at the daycare or eat that much fruit. Yesterday, the older sister had diarrhea and I told the teacher in the other classroom that we need to revisit our illness policy and make it to state that after one diarrhea that they are sent home until symptoms are gone

[Ariana]

I send home if there are two in succession during a daycare day but I use my judgement. Sometimes you can just tell that it is not food related. They must be symptom free for 24 hours.

[Valerie928]

Originally Posted by littlefriends

Also good to note, there are a lot of things that can be spread with diarrhea so you do want to take it seriously to prevent the spread of infection. A kiddo doesn’t have to be acting sick to be infectious.

True! I did the right thing by sending home. Honestly, I am so tired of second guessing myself.

[Valerie928]

Originally Posted by littlefriends

Also good to note, there are a lot of things that can be spread with diarrhea so you do want to take it seriously to prevent the spread of infection. A kiddo doesn’t have to be acting sick to be infectious.

This is so true! Guess I just need to hear it sometimes. If parents didn't act like you were killing them by picking up, maybe this all would be easier. I need a bigger backbone

[e.j.]

Originally Posted by Valerie928

If parents didn't act like you were killing them by picking up, maybe this all would be easier. I need a bigger backbone

The more my own kids got sick and the more I got sick myself, the stronger my backbone became. It still has some room to grow but I've at least got to the point where I no longer worry about the parent's reactions when they're called for pick up. I use my judgement when a child has had a bout of diarrhea. They get sent home on the first bout if there are any other signs of illness, I know something is going around that includes diarrhea as a symptom or if it can't be contained in a diaper. By the second bout, if there's no obvious reason... like the parent mentions the kid ate a ton of blueberries for breakfast, I send home. If it can't be contained, I send home regardless of the reason!)

1st loose- call to parent
2nd loose- BYe bye and dont come back for 24 hours (unless theres something going around then its 48)

Unless you know for a FACT the child has some issue that isnt contagious and theyre not in any pain, you send home and follow 24 hour rule. 2 or 3 wet stools regardless of symptoms. You dont know if they will gain symptoms. Dont let parents talk you out of it.

[Cat Herder]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

1st loose- call to parent
2nd loose- BYe bye and dont come back for 24 hours (unless theres something going around then its 48)

I do this, too.

First one, warning text.
Second one, send home.

Then 48 hours without doctors note, 24 with. (if no other symptoms or continuation) Late arriving clients are notorious for hitting McD's enroute.

[Blackcat31]

Originally Posted by HHangoug

Unless you know for a FACT the child has some issue that isnt contagious and theyre not in any pain, you send home and follow 24 hour rule. 2 or 3 wet stools regardless of symptoms. You dont know if they will gain symptoms. Dont let parents talk you out of it.

Exclusion for diarrhea is more about sanitary issues than it is about contagiousness.

So many things can be spread via feces that ANY diarrhea is grounds for exclusion in my policies.

[Former Teacher]

In my former center it was 3 diarrheas then they were sent home.

Once, I had a girl had a bad diarrhea, I changed her and all that, went to wash my hands (again) and I came and sat down to play and she had gone again. The director/owner happened to be walking by and she immediately called the parents.

[springv]

In our center its 3 and then send home until they are well (usually 24-48 hours after symptoms appear)

[Snowmom]

One and done.

[springv]

Wish ours was like that but unfortunately it's a state rule

[Ms. Alison]

Originally Posted by Valerie928

This is so true! Guess I just need to hear it sometimes. If parents didn't act like you were killing them by picking up, maybe this all would be easier. I need a bigger backbone

YES! They act like you are lying about it or something. One time I had called a parent to pick up because her son had spiked a fever. When she picked him up, she stated that he looked fine to her. Then he puked in her car as soon as she strapped him in.

You made the right call! And if it's your policy, parents need to comply.

[Leigh]

Originally Posted by Ms. Alison

YES! They act like you are lying about it or something. One time I had called a parent to pick up because her son had spiked a fever. When she picked him up, she stated that he looked fine to her. Then he puked in her car as soon as she strapped him in.

You made the right call! And if it's your policy, parents need to comply.

I had a mom who didn't believe me when I sent her son home for diarrhea. Next time, I saved every diaper and handed them to her when she picked him up, so that she could see them.

[Mom2Two]

Originally Posted by Blackcat31

Exclusion for diarrhea is more about sanitary issues than it is about contagiousness.

So many things can be spread via feces that ANY diarrhea is grounds for exclusion in my policies.

Same here.

[Mom2Two]

Originally Posted by Leigh

I had a mom who didn't believe me when I sent her son home for diarrhea. Next time, I saved every diaper and handed them to her when she picked him up, so that she could see them.

[Ms. Alison]

Originally Posted by Leigh

I had a mom who didn't believe me when I sent her son home for diarrhea. Next time, I saved every diaper and handed them to her when she picked him up, so that she could see them.

That is AWESOME!