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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Own Child with Hand Foot and Mouth
proudmommyofthree 07:45 PM 02-24-2019
Hi, I tried the search option to see if anyone has been in my situation or similar to mine and I couldn't find anything.

My 3 year old grandson lives with us, and he developed a fever Saturday morning. After two visits to urgent care on the same day, 1st time we were told its nothing. Second visit with a fever of 103.5 the doctor did a rapid swab test for strep. It came back negative, so did another swab to to send in for cultures. He was prescribed antibiotics just in case. (plus he had a lingering ear infection that hasnt completely cleared.

The doctor wasn't sure if it was hand foot or mouth or strep.

This morning my grandson woke up with no fever, and was able to eat and drink today (he was not able to yesterday).

I did send a text to all my clients letting them know the situation and also letting them know I was still open for daycare. I would have my daughter keep him quarantined.

One parent called me to tell me that her doctor (apparently she has her personal cell) that by law I am to close and to report it to licensing ( I live in California).

I have never heard this. Yes we are supposed to call if its a major illness. But I'm not sure if this guarantees a call to licensing?

So I ended up just telling all parents I am open and will credit them if they choose to close till I get a clearance on Wednesday.

Your thoughts on your own child being sick? What do you do? we don't even know if it is hand foot and mouth.

Thanks
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jenboo 07:54 PM 02-24-2019
If my child was going to be separated from the group, I would have even said anything. Especially if I didn't have a diagnosis.

Now if I was the one sick, I would tell parents and credit if they chose to keep their kid home.
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sahm1225 08:54 PM 02-24-2019
Originally Posted by proudmommyofthree:
Hi, I tried the search option to see if anyone has been in my situation or similar to mine and I couldn't find anything.

My 3 year old grandson lives with us, and he developed a fever Saturday morning. After two visits to urgent care on the same day, 1st time we were told its nothing. Second visit with a fever of 103.5 the doctor did a rapid swab test for strep. It came back negative, so did another swab to to send in for cultures. He was prescribed antibiotics just in case. (plus he had a lingering ear infection that hasnt completely cleared.

The doctor wasn't sure if it was hand foot or mouth or strep.

This morning my grandson woke up with no fever, and was able to eat and drink today (he was not able to yesterday).

I did send a text to all my clients letting them know the situation and also letting them know I was still open for daycare. I would have my daughter keep him quarantined.

One parent called me to tell me that her doctor (apparently she has her personal cell) that by law I am to close and to report it to licensing ( I live in California).

I have never heard this. Yes we are supposed to call if its a major illness. But I'm not sure if this guarantees a call to licensing?

So I ended up just telling all parents I am open and will credit them if they choose to close till I get a clearance on Wednesday.

Your thoughts on your own child being sick? What do you do? we don't even know if it is hand foot and mouth.

Thanks
Hand, foot, and mouth isn’t a disease you need to report and I highly doubt a doctor would say to close and report to licensing.
I stayed open when my daughter had hfm and my husband stayed with her on a separate level.
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Blackcat31 06:45 AM 02-25-2019
Hand Foot and Mouth is highly contagious and something I would absolutely have closed for.

Keeping your child/grandchild separated in the same house would have done nothing to prevent the spread of this virus.

It's one of those things that can wipe a daycare out and honestly I would expect you to close. It's staying open and assuming you are not spreading it that create these endless outbreaks.

Any other virus/illness may be different but HFM isn't something I'd just brush off as mild.

As a provider I'd be upset if you stayed open. HFM is awful to manage and like I said, can wipe out an entire daycare along with their budget.... as exclusions/absences can be upwards to 2 weeks time.

Close, care for your sick child/grandchild and sanitize your environment. Please do your part and let the virus die and not be spread....if everyone followed strict exclusion policies it wouldn't be such a horrible thing and providers wouldn't cringe when they hear the words Hand, Foot and Mouth.
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Jupadia 07:09 AM 02-25-2019
I have backup care for my child 90% of time and so far have only had to call for an hour early pickup for one child due to my kids being sick. Most times they are not even here but at my MIL 5 min away. Other times I've been able to keep them separated from the daycare on a separate level or. But they have only been sick with various colds and viruses. Only need perscription meds a couple times each. For a major illness that's like hand foot mouth, I would be closing for at least 1 day to deep clean, bring out toys (incase I have to do it again), as well as fully endorsing sick policy. My kids would not be allowed back into the daycare room (or probably the whole basment) until completely cleared of illness. Just like the daycare kids would not be allowed back. If some reson one day I did not have the back up I would close during this time.
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jenboo 07:18 AM 02-25-2019
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
Hand Foot and Mouth is highly contagious and something I would absolutely have closed for.

Keeping your child/grandchild separated in the same house would have done nothing to prevent the spread of this virus.

It's one of those things that can wipe a daycare out and honestly I would expect you to close. It's staying open and assuming you are not spreading it that create these endless outbreaks.

Any other virus/illness may be different but HFM isn't something I'd just brush off as mild.

As a provider I'd be upset if you stayed open. HFM is awful to manage and like I said, can wipe out an entire daycare along with their budget.... as exclusions/absences can be upwards to 2 weeks time.

Close, care for your sick child/grandchild and sanitize your environment. Please do your part and let the virus die and not be spread....if everyone followed strict exclusion policies it wouldn't be such a horrible thing and providers wouldn't cringe when they hear the words Hand, Foot and Mouth.
Would you announce that it was HFM even though there is no diagnosis yet? Or just say it might be and then close?
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sahm1225 07:39 AM 02-25-2019
Originally Posted by sahm1225:
Hand, foot, and mouth isn’t a disease you need to report and I highly doubt a doctor would say to close and report to licensing.
I stayed open when my daughter had hfm and my husband stayed with her on a separate level.
I probably should’ve added that my dd was the last to get hfm when the daycare had an outbreak.
I also read it as child wasn’t part of the daycare but lived in the home.
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Blackcat31 07:40 AM 02-25-2019
Originally Posted by jenboo:
Would you announce that it was HFM even though there is no diagnosis yet? Or just say it might be and then close?
I don't know...OP said "own child with HFM" so I assume she's confident that is what it is.

I wouldn't require an official diagnosis as HFM isn't hard to figure out on your own with blisters and all....plus most doc's say don't rush right in (as going to the doctors office again creates more opportunity to spread/share)

At the very least I'd close for the day and sanitized everything thoroughly and watched to see how symptoms played out.

I'd have definitely let parents know what I suspect as a precautionary measure but if I didn't know I wouldn't say anything more other than I was "being precautionary"...
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Blackcat31 07:45 AM 02-25-2019
Originally Posted by sahm1225:
I probably should’ve added that my dd was the last to get hfm when the daycare had an outbreak.
I also read it as child wasn’t part of the daycare but lived in the home.
With any other illness, that would be ideal but HFM is like lice for providers.....it's so highly contagious that even being in the same covered building is risky....

A mild, contagious virus is usually not that big of a deal but there are times with some illnesses/viruses that we can (but don't) do sooooo much more to impede the likelihood of spreading those illnesses.

If I learned anything over the last year I learned that what the general public views as "under the weather" or "not feeling well" could mean something deadly to someone else.

IF there is anything I can do as a precautionary step so that I am not spreading something contagious, I will absolutely do so.

Good health is something many people take for granted.
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proudmommyofthree 07:55 AM 02-25-2019
My grandson LIVES in my home with my daughter. We do not have a definite diagnosis yet. Which is why I'm questioning if I should close or not. If I was told it was hand foot and mouth, I would close for a couple of days to be able to sanitize everything.

I guess my main question was, is this something that must be reported to license. This parent is saying her doctor told her I HAVE to report hand foot and mouth whenever a child has it in my daycare. I looked at title 22 regulations. All I found was communicable disease must be reported. So I looked on the California public health department website and Hand foot and mouth was not listed as a communicable disease that needs to be reported. I screen shot it, and sent it to her.

She then came back with well Streptococcal infections was listed. (since we are not sure if it is strep either) . I also looked at the site and saw that streptococcal infections in food born or food handlers such as diary is what to be reported.

I guess I was just a little upset, that the parent is telling me it must be reported to licensing, yet does not want to follow other Licensing regulations.

I tototally understand about closing the daycare with hand foot and mouth. In 11 years of doing daycare, I've had it run it's course twice. I closed once for a day on a Monday. The other time I remained open and only two kids had it that time.

Thanks for all your input. I appreciate it.
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Cat Herder 08:23 AM 02-25-2019
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID...leDiseases.pdf


Reportable diseases PDF.
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Blackcat31 08:30 AM 02-25-2019
Originally Posted by proudmommyofthree:

I guess I was just a little upset, that the parent is telling me it must be reported to licensing, yet does not want to follow other Licensing regulations.
Ugh! This would bother me as well....

How does she know if you did/didn't report anything?

I would tell her you are fully aware of licensing rules and regulations and appreciate her doctor's input but it's not necessary.

Parents like that really can be a thorn in your side.
I have a couple that are similar.
I have one that every.single.time I send her kid home with a fever (I take a picture of the thermometer when letting her know) she sends me a picture of her thermometer reading something different when she gets home.

I would honestly just ignore your pushy DC parent and tell them that you'll manage you, they can manage them.

Hoping your grandson feels better soon and its not something serious!
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proudmommyofthree 09:10 AM 02-25-2019
Update:

I called licensing this morning and this is what I was told.

If the child lives in the home, you do not have to close nor does it have to be reported since he is not on the roster and is able to kept away from the children. My daughter is able to keep him in another room.

I have not seen him yet this morning, So I'm not sure if he has blisters or not. He did not have any blisters yesterday, so this is why I was a bit confused. HFM takes days for all the symptoms to appear. I am sanitizing like crazy lol.

It must be reported on an unusual incident report if a daycare child has it. So this part is true. I just needed some clarification and advice from all of you wonderful providers




Thank you!
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megoddess444 12:13 PM 02-25-2019
I just dealt with HFMD for the 1st time in 14 years. I closed for a week. It was terrible. I lost a family because of my closure, but I don’t care. They were the family that started it too. All 7 kids got it. Unfortunately it spreads fast.
My issue would be with the parent telling you how to do your job. I would tell them to find a new daycare!
I don’t mess around with parents like that anymore.
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proudmommyofthree 12:32 PM 02-25-2019
Originally Posted by Cat Herder:
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID...leDiseases.pdf


Reportable diseases PDF.
Yup this is the screen shot I sent her. When she came back and said it showed streptococcal infection is one to report as well
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Cat Herder 12:36 PM 02-25-2019
Originally Posted by proudmommyofthree:
Yup this is the screen shot I sent her. When she came back and said it showed streptococcal infection is one to report as well
I think she is confusing health care provider reporting with daycare provider reporting. They are more interested with treatment outcomes and antibiotic use reporting. Tell her we have faith that their pediatricians will do their job, we are not diagnosticians. That is her pediatricians' job and she should feel free to micromanage him/her, instead..
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Tags:illness - provider's child, illness policy, providers own child, providers own children
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