I posted yesterday about having DCM pick up 13 month old DCG because she was fussy, not eating like normal, snot pouring out of her nose, etc. Mom came and picked her up and when I asked her later in the evning how she was doing mom said "I think she is ok" .

Fast forward to today: She came at 5:30 this morning half asleep because she barely slept all night DCD said. I put her down as soon as he left and she slept from 5:30-10:45ish. Mom texted me around that time and asked me how she was and I said, "She just woke up. Was half asleep when she got here so I layed her down right away and she slept until about 5 minutes ago. So far she seems good. She is playing while I make some lunch."

Lunch went fine, she ate well and got down and has been playing fine but the clear snot has now turned green. I know that green usually indicates infection of some sort. She has a little bit of a nasty sounding cough (phlemy if you will). Temp is 99.8 (I exclude at 100). Eyes are a little watery.

I don't want to be the "bad guy" and send her home again if its not necessary but I have my DS who is 12 months old here who mouths everything right along with her and I have a 5 month old preemie (born at 28 weeks) with a compromised immune system. I haven't gotten ANYTHING done today (not even lunch dishes) because I am too busy watching the toddlers like a hawk and trying to not let my DS put anything in his mouth that she has, wiping her nose (which she acts like I am killing her when I do it) , and trying to keep her away from the baby.


What are your thoughts? What would you do if you were me?

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I would definitely at least call the mom and notify her about what you are seeing. She may want to come get her.

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I was considering doing that but I know exactly what she will say... "Do I need to come get her?" And then I need to decide yes or no. And right now, I don't know what the right thing to do is, lol.

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If she is not well enough to do your regular daycare activities, then she needs to go home. You don't have to wait for that last degree increase. Clearly she is sick.

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I wish they would just keep her home. They know she is sick. They can provide better care for her than I can when she is sick. I just came back from popping the babys pacifier back in her mouth and was gone all of two seconds and she was asleep on the floor--- butt high in the air.

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I hear:

1. low grade temp
2. lethargy
3. too ill to participate
4. cough
5. thick nasal discharge (color not the isue, thickness is).

48 hour exclusion.

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She gets picked up in about an hour and 40 minutes. Would it be wrong to tell them that since its pretty close to pick up time she can stay until the end of the day but needs to be kept home tomorrow (and possibly Friday)?

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That is what I'd do.

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Now to get up the guts to say it

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I hate having to do it too..

I always remind parents why.

By the way Susan As you know, we have been very lucky not to have any serious illnesses come through the daycare. The only way that we can protect all of the kids in care and keep it this way is to exclude them from care when they are sick or ill with anything. Of course, I will send other children home when they are sick too, otherwise every week the kids would be sick with something else and just imagine all of the calling in sick to work all of the parents would have to be doing.

I really appreciate you understanding this and thank you for your cooperation, it means a lot to me, my family and all of the other families..

it gets easier and easier the more you have to do it...
I have never had a parent say anything back to me when I say this.

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You've got 40 mins, the last part of the day, I would def tell DCM at pick-up how her day went and that you feel she perhaps could benefit from a proper day of sleep in her own bed/home. Make sure to mention the low-grade fever too!

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What I normally do is notify the parent when the temp is 99 degress just to give them a heads up. I inform them they don't need to be picked up however; as soon as the temp reaches 100.5 then I will call again for that child to be picked up. Then they'd need to stay home 24hrs fever free...if they come back and it's a repeat. I will call again. I don't do the 48hrs bc I want the parents to learn that if they keep bring their kids to daycare sick I will inconvenience them by asking them to leave work to pick them up each time. It does no good to give pain med's and drop them off bc they wear off and then I get to make the call home for pick up. It's better to keep them home for a full day or 2 and even take to the doctor to make sure they are well enough to return. I've gotten lucky bc my parents have been really good about illness. You just have to stick to how you feel about your program. Sometimes its hard but over all we are training our parents also to be good parents and make good choices for their children. I fell like we are helping them realize what is best for their child not for them as the adult.

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Dcd picked her up around 2:30 (normal pick up time) he is kind of intimidating so I sent a text to DCM after my husband came home and I asked what he thought. Text said, "Based on her symptoms today, its is best she stays home tomorrowso she can rest in her own surroundings. Especially because I also have H coming tomorrow and she has a low immune system." (have discussed Hs immune system before hoping it would help with keeping her home when sick). This was well over 2 hours ago and I have heard nothing back.

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LOL text the word free and I bet you get a call back or response in less than 1.5 seconds

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Of course! I am actually waiting for them to term over it or say they wont pay for today. Its always "well my old sitter did this..."

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Still no response. I hope i don't get the ole "I didn't get your message" song and dance.

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Honestly with what you described I would not send her home. I'd suck it up, keep her away from the others and just let dcm know at pick up that she wasn't feeling well.

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Because she had a fever & really wasn't picked up very early IMO - she would be automatically excluded - not to mention all that sleeping - who takes 5 hr naps? Obviously she is not feeling well. I hope they didn't try to send her.

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Nope they didn't thankfully. She never replied to the message though but she must have gotten it.

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Send her home and tell the parents they cant bring her tomorrow either. That baby needs some TLC from mom and dad.

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