Molluscom: A contagious viral skin condition that is painless but results in small wart like bumps on the skin. Can take months-years to resolve, even with treatment. Treatments include oral medication or freezing the warts off. Contagious through contact. It is not a dormant virus like Herpes that continues to reappear throughout life. Once it is gone it is gone. However, a person is not immune after having it and could become reinfected if contacted again. The incubation is usually 2-7 weeks but could be up to 6 months.

It's not uncommon, it spreads through contact, and like most things young children are most suceptible, especially those in daycare...

Should I accept a new potential DCchild who has Molluscum on their stomach and under arm?

This wonderful little DCG 2.75years old seems like an excellent fit for our group. Mom seemed great, location perfect, little girl exactly what we're looking for and behavior seemed great. But she's got this skin condition... I don't want to put my own child at risk or the rest of my daycare.

And, is it a red flag that mom didn't tell me about this at the interview but says she forgot to mention it and told me about it in an email later?

Mom said she never touches or scratches it. So on the one hand, as long as she kept it covered, it would be fine. But what if the kids are playing and her shirt comes up and someone touches her contagious bumps?

Thoughts?

Reply

Here are some FAQ's about Molluscom and child care from the CDC

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/mollu...aq/daycare.htm

Hope that helps.

Reply

Thanks BC. I've been doing a Ton of reading and eVen called my pediatrician. I'm super torn about the decision. What would you do?

Reply

I've had two girls with it, and they had it for years. Nobody ever caught it from them. So, I think I wouldn't worry too much over it.

Reply

My youngest granddaughter had it at 10 mos. She had 14 warts that they "burned" off, but they came back. She went to a different derm who cut them off with a curved blade and they never came back.

No one else caught them.

Reply

Honestly? I wouldn't take the child.

I know the FAQ's said that having that condition isn't dangerous and that it can be managed in a child care setting and all but truth be told, I do this job because I want to be the one who gets to decide how much or how little I have to deal with or manage while on the job....kwim?

I don't know how to say that without sounding as if only my needs matter.... I suppose if I were just starting out and really worried about getting kids into my program, I'd probably consider it....I've dealt with a lot of odd situations in the past that I wouldn't even entertain today but that's just me... I'm kind of on the downward slide in this career and my perspective and viewpoints about a lot of things I felt strongly about before has changed....

So, with all that...I wouldn't do it. I have a DH with a compromised immune system and a pretty good track record of not being sick or having to close due to illness and/or medical conditions so I would more than likely pass on this one.

Reply

I have to say after reading a few different websites and seeing it can be done without spreading...I still wouldn't do it I would worry too much that someone else might catch it, it WOULD be possible and I wouldn't want to worry about it all the time.

Reply

I had a dcg here who had it, and I had no idea until my son popped up with it. After informing the parents that a child had it (that's right, I didn't admit it was my own), the dcg's mom says "Oh, yeah, dcg has that, too." Well, thanks for telling me. Sheesh! Anyhow, none of the other dk caught it, and neither did anyone in our family, so it must not be SUPER contagious. Since your girl's are in areas covered by clothing, there's probably little to no risk of it spreading.

BUT, the scars they leave looks like a tiny hole. We were fortunate that none of our son's were on his face. And his must have been mild (we just had to scrape over them and apply an ointment and they disappeared). If freezing, burning, or cutting them off is what often has to happen, then I would not take that risk. If I really liked the family, I would voice my concerns over it, and see what kind of treatment she is getting for it. That might tell you if her parents are taking it seriously, or at least a time frame of when it will be cleared up.

Reply

I know a provider who caught this from a dc kid despite careful sanitation procedures. In adults it usually breaks out in the genital area...

I believe she has said she would never take a child with it again...

Reply

It is probably more common then you think and your children will more then likely come in contact with it somewhere. Once they are in school if they aren't already they will be exposed to children that have this kind of thing.

My daughter had it when she was in kindergarten and no one in the childcare caught it,nor did any of us in the family. We did have them burned off after awhile and they haven't come back.

Most of the children I know that have had it, seem to get it on their legs. If that is where hers are then the chances of the kids comming into contact with it would be pretty low.

Reply

I'm so torn about it. On the one hand it doesn't sound like that big of a deal, relatively harmless. And I know that by having DC in my house I put my son at risk of lots of illnesses, but that's just part of it.

However, on the other hand, I hate the thought of if he DID catch it from the girl... What if he ended up with pock marks on his face? I don't want to give my child oral medication for weeks or months on end. And what if she gave it to another child, then I'd have 2 kids to worry about spreading it. And that sounds aweful to have to have my son have warts frozen, burned, or cut off of his body...

But if it's harmless and not much risk of spreading it, and it's all supposedly located under the girl's t-shirt area it should be no problem right?

I don't know, I'm so torn. Family seems great. But then again I'm also irked that the mom didn't mention it at the interview but only later in an email. Now she's called my references and it might be for nothing. I HATE to bother my families for references unnecessarily!!!

I so don't know what to do and I feel like it should be a simple decision.

Reply

my own child had it - just a few small bumps on his arm - they never spread elsewhere on him or to anyone else. At first I kept them covered (he was in school) and was using a cream the pediatrician gave me but after a while I stopped and no one ever got it.

a few years later I had a dc boy with them. When they were really bad I required they be kept covered. They took him to a dermatologist to have them treated, and the ones treated seemed to heal but they keep spreading on him so he's had to have them treated a handful of times so far and still needs more. Fortunately no one else ever got it but they are not in an area that is exposed.

Reply

Well, I pulled the trigger. I sent the mom an email explaining that I could not take them on as clients.

I just think about the other children I have and my own son and there's just no reason for me to expose them all to it when I already have enough children that I'm not HURTING anymore to fill the final spot. And interest is high I'm sure there will be more inquiries and I can afford to wait for a better situation. Too bad. Other than this condition, it was perfect.

I just wish I hadn't wasted a call to 3 of my references...

Reply

same here... I had a DCK that had it and he had it same place...... he always had a shirt on so I never worried. No one ever got it....

Reply

One of my dcbs had it recently, mostly in his diaper area but a few on his face. Most of the bumps have gone away on their own--took about a month. I didn't think about excluding him--didn't seem like anything serious. I used to be a nanny for a little girl that had it too. I bathed her, dressed her, held her, etc. (this was back in the days where we weren't washing our hands every 15 minutes too) and I never got it. Neither did any of her family. So I guess I never thought of it as being serious. I don't think I would have a problem taking another child that had it.

Reply

Well the potential family called me asking me to reconsider. They said they would set up derm appointments and just have the papules frozen off. So I guess I'll accept them if they're willing to do that. The girl seems terrific so I really would love to have her. .. we'll see if they are serious I guess. ..

Reply