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Core12 04:20 AM 01-23-2019
Looking for experience, strength and hope...
Most of our dc kids have Severe runny noses. One parent told me it’s “allergies” so I asked her to give her child allergy medicine before bringing him, she agreed. The next day, she said her son wouldn’t take the medicine. (Actually, she is anti medicine and just wants everything to run its course).
Yesterday, after waking up another child from nap, I initially thought she had thrown up in her sleep because her face was so wet...no, it was snot.
I’m frustrated with parents disrespecting my house by bringing their kids with runny noses here. It’s gross and causes everyone else to get sick.
Is this just something I should accept as part of the job? Or, do I need to put my foot down and tell everyone to give their kids something before bringing them over?
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Pestle 04:36 AM 01-23-2019
It is what it is. Caring for babies is gross. If it's clear I don't exclude them. Teaching them how to recognize when they need to blow their noses, how to do it, and what to do with the tissue afterward is about 30% of our curriculum this January.

I certainly don't want them on antihistamines unless absolutely necessary. If they're sputtering too much to nap, that's one thing, but the constant slug trail is just part of being tiny.
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Ms.Kay 05:31 AM 01-23-2019
Oh I hear ya!! I spent 4 hrs cleaning and bleaching Sunday!! Everyone as runny nose!!! I can deal with puke and most any type of diaper.....but snot...grosses me out!!! My hands are raw from washing!!
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Blackcat31 07:38 AM 01-23-2019
Contain, reduce and enforce. Those are the only course of action I have as I can't eliminate all snot but I can do those things.

I keep kids with runny noses and without the ability to wipe or blow themselves contained to one area. This area is sanitized much more frequently than required.

I send kids home after 5 consecutive days of a runny nose if it has not improved. After a day of rest at home they can return to care. If after another 5 consecutive days there is no improvement, I send home and require a doctor visit before they can return. Just to rule out any underlying issue. I ask for a doctor note for diagnosis only and not as permission for re-admittance. That is my call.

I do not allow parents to self-diagnose allergies. A doctor must do that and IF the child does have allergies (seasonal or other) then a very specific plan of action needs to be completed and kept on file. This includes instructions for treatment of said allergies.

This does not mean the child won't or can't be excluded from care should the symptoms of their allergies cause an issue with normal participation. If that happens, they are excluded from care just like anyone else unable to participate as normal.

I send home an "illness" reminder letter to parents at the beginning of the cold/flu season and as needed during the season reminding them of my illness policies and my expectations for illnesses. Including the common cold.

I enforce my illness policies without fail every single time. I never ever make exceptions.
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Ariana 08:43 AM 01-23-2019
I sent a child home yesterday with crazy runny nose. It was like a faucet. She stayed home today as well. It is my policy that a running faucet nose is excluded for sanitary reasons. I don’t mind a normal runny nose and a few wipes here and there but constant wiping is unattainable.

Soothers help somewhat. Forces them to breath through their nose which can cut down on the runniness.
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Josiegirl 10:31 AM 01-23-2019
It's teething. It's allergies. It's a dang cold parents!
And if the boogers are excessive as you describe, I'd definitely require that they stay home a day. Everybody here is coughing, sneezing and has a runny nose but they're somewhat manageable. Nothing like what you are dealing with. At the end of naps though, I have to go around and soften their crusty noses with some Vaseline then wash with a warm cloth. As long as no one is miserable, they don't have a fever or they don't have slug slime trailing all over the place, I let them stay. Not happily. But they stay.
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CeriBear 08:54 AM 01-26-2019
It’s always the worst at this time of year. A lot of my kids have runny noses and coughs. The good thing is most of my kids are 4 years old and able to wipe and blow their own noses. However, last week I was letting a little girl sit on my lap while I was reading a story. She lets out this big sneeze and thick icky snot goes everywhere including my shirt and my book.
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springv 09:01 AM 01-26-2019
We've had several kids in our center with runny noses.
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Tags:sickness, snot
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