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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>How to Tell If a Child Has Been Drugged?
auntymimi 10:03 AM 12-04-2015
im really freaked out. Dcm calls to see if I'll be taking the kids to the Christmas parade, she has to work later and wants to pick them up after the parade. Previously it had been agreed that she would be here before and bring her own kids and I would take mine. I told her that I would take hers along with mine ONLY if I could get her 15 mo to nap. The parade is at 7:00 and he would be beside himself with exhaustion otherwise. He's a horrible sleeper and wakes at the slightest noise and in any case wakes every 20 min. I as worried as I have a new 21 mo transitioning this week. He was asleep when he got here and I put him down on the couch and he stayed asleep. This has never happened. He slept all through lunch, stories and new little girl fussing. He is the type to wake at a pin drop. He's still sleeping now, has been since 11:45. He woke up once, but didn't even cry, just looked around and went back to sleep. Usually he would sit up and scream. I really feel in my gut that she gave him something. How can I prove it?
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Blackcat31 10:09 AM 12-04-2015
Originally Posted by auntymimi:
im really freaked out. Dcm calls to see if I'll be taking the kids to the Christmas parade, she has to work later and wants to pick them up after the parade. Previously it had been agreed that she would be here before and bring her own kids and I would take mine. I told her that I would take hers along with mine ONLY if I could get her 15 mo to nap. The parade is at 7:00 and he would be beside himself with exhaustion otherwise. He's a horrible sleeper and wakes at the slightest noise and in any case wakes every 20 min. I as worried as I have a new 21 mo transitioning this week. He was asleep when he got here and I put him down on the couch and he stayed asleep. This has never happened. He slept all through lunch, stories and new little girl fussing. He is the type to wake at a pin drop. He's still sleeping now, has been since 11:45. He woke up once, but didn't even cry, just looked around and went back to sleep. Usually he would sit up and scream. I really feel in my gut that she gave him something. How can I prove it?

You don't have to prove it. I would simply send home because that is abnormal behavior and worrisome to say the least as most kids don't sleep that deeply or that long unless sick or drugged.

I would just send him home for abnormal behavior because you can suspect all you want but you will more than likely not be able to prove anything.

Also, a word of caution... I wouldn't ever accept a sleeping child in to care. I don't care if it's 3 am drop off. ALL children must be awake and alert upon drop off. They can go back to bed/sleep after drop off but they need to be awake AT drop off. Too much liability otherwise.
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daycarediva 10:14 AM 12-04-2015
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
You don't have to prove it. I would simply send home because that is abnormal behavior and worrisome to say the least as most kids don't sleep that deeply or that long unless sick or drugged.

I would just send him home for abnormal behavior because you can suspect all you want but you will more than likely not be able to prove anything.

Also, a word of caution... I wouldn't ever accept a sleeping child in to care. I don't care if it's 3 am drop off. ALL children must be awake and alert upon drop off. They can go back to bed/sleep after drop off but they need to be awake AT drop off. Too much liability otherwise.
CALL HER!

"DCM, Jr. is acting so odd today. He has been asleep since X, barely wakes and it is very concerning to me as he is a very light sleeper. He is probably coming down with something. I need you to come get him immediately."
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auntymimi 10:18 AM 12-04-2015
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
You don't have to prove it. I would simply send home because that is abnormal behavior and worrisome to say the least as most kids don't sleep that deeply or that long unless sick or drugged.

I would just send him home for abnormal behavior because you can suspect all you want but you will more than likely not be able to prove anything.

Also, a word of caution... I wouldn't ever accept a sleeping child in to care. I don't care if it's 3 am drop off. ALL children must be awake and alert upon drop off. They can go back to bed/sleep after drop off but they need to be awake AT drop off. Too much liability otherwise.
This is how I know something is wrong. Getting this kid to rest is WORK! He usually comes in overtired and wired out. Plus he eats like he's never been fed. No way would he skip lunch. I'm calling right now. I'm worried for him, though. Haven't kids overdosed on Benadryl and cough syrup? God forbid he is sent home and something happens. Then I'm the horrible lady who drugged a baby....I'm super freaked out.
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Blackcat31 10:24 AM 12-04-2015
Originally Posted by auntymimi:
This is how I know something is wrong. Getting this kid to rest is WORK! He usually comes in overtired and wired out. Plus he eats like he's never been fed. No way would he skip lunch. I'm calling right now. I'm worried for him, though. Haven't kids overdosed on Benadryl and cough syrup? God forbid he is sent home and something happens. Then I'm the horrible lady who drugged a baby....I'm super freaked out.
I would write up the behaviors that you are concerned about. Make a point of writing that he was dropped off in that condition.

Have mom sign the statement AT pick up

That is probably the best you can do right now to protect yourself.
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NillaWafers 10:30 AM 12-04-2015
Has she done anything else that raises suspicions? I think what blackcat said is what I would do (about her signing a statement). Holy cow I would be really worried too. It's good to know about accepting sleeping children. Not something I've ever thought about.

I would term if I was sure that he had been drugged. The only reason I wouldn't is if I had my doubts actually.
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daycarediva 10:34 AM 12-04-2015
Originally Posted by NillaWafers:
Has she done anything else that raises suspicions? I think what blackcat said is what I would do (about her signing a statement). Holy cow I would be really worried too. It's good to know about accepting sleeping children. Not something I've ever thought about.

I would term if I was sure that he had been drugged. The only reason I wouldn't is if I had my doubts actually.
Also, when mom comes to pick up, I would specifically ask if she gave him anything to see her reaction. IF he admits it, I would term- (it's in my policies). IF she denies it, I would tell her how concerned I was, and push for a dr visit.
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childcaremom 10:35 AM 12-04-2015
Originally Posted by daycarediva:
Also, when mom comes to pick up, I would specifically ask if she gave him anything to see her reaction. IF he admits it, I would term- (it's in my policies). IF she denies it, I would tell her how concerned I was, and push for a dr visit.
+ statement
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Ariana 10:54 AM 12-04-2015
WOW!! I really hope mom did not drug the child to get him to sleep but it does sound like it.

Keep us posted
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mommiebookworm 07:27 PM 12-04-2015
Just curious what happened?
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Thriftylady 08:06 PM 12-04-2015
Please update!
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Unregistered 04:04 AM 12-05-2015
This is why we have to grow back bones as providers. This could have all be avoided if you just said "That's great you want to go to. However do to X,Y, and/or Z, you can WILL take your kids and I will take mine. I just can't manage to take all of the children with me because of X,Y, and/or Z. See you at pick up time". Big smile.
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Rockgirl 05:49 AM 12-05-2015
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
This is why we have to grow back bones as providers. This could have all be avoided if you just said "That's great you want to go to. However do to X,Y, and/or Z, you can WILL take your kids and I will take mine. I just can't manage to take all of the children with me because of X,Y, and/or Z. See you at pick up time". Big smile.
That is assuming the mom did indeed drug her child specifically so he would sleep. There's a chance he is sick or injured. I've been watching for an update.
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Unregistered 07:18 AM 12-05-2015
To me, this it too fishy. I was really shocked by the reply that said keep the child if the mom says they didn't drug. What if she is lying? This is too coincidental for me. I wouldn't accept a parent like this after this. Honestly, I'd call CPS just in case. I don't know where the OP is, but many years ago I worked in a center someone else owned. I called CPS after something occurred in another room. They told me you must report the day of. IMO, better to be over protective and cover your @ss than to end up closed or worse for the child.
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Thriftylady 07:30 AM 12-05-2015
Originally Posted by Rockgirl:
That is assuming the mom did indeed drug her child specifically so he would sleep. There's a chance he is sick or injured. I've been watching for an update.
Even if he was sick or injured I still would send home. To much liability either way. The child wouldn't be in my home very long acting so out of the normal range.
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Rockgirl 08:53 AM 12-05-2015
Originally Posted by Thriftylady:
Even if he was sick or injured I still would send home. To much liability either way. The child wouldn't be in my home very long acting so out of the normal range.
Absolutely--I would've sent the child home, too. I was responding to the above poster who had said OP should've had a backbone and told dcm to take her own child to the parade....we don't actually know that dcm drugged the child for a nap.
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auntymimi 10:44 AM 12-07-2015
Sorry I didn't update, very busy day! Grandma came to pick up and was super irritated. "You send him home because he's sleeping, you send home because he won't sleep. What is it you want!?" I explained that I thought his lethargy was abnormal and I thought he should be checked out. She was pissed but took him and left. When mom came to pick up the other 2 I asked her "did dcb have any medicine or anything, he was just acting so weird". She said no but looked guilty. I then went on to talk about how dangerous even over the counter meds are for kids that age and that's why they don't even make cough syrup for kids under 6, it can depress the nervousness system blah, blah, blah. This is the same family with the little girl with bad teeth. I'd hate to term, these kids have come so far with me and I'd be losing 3 kids but it's coming to that. This family is a mess. Dcb was back with me today, though, and his usual screamer self. Never thought I'd be so happy to see a difficult kid in all his glory! I do think mom KNOWS that I know, I doubt she'll pull that again.
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Ariana 10:50 AM 12-07-2015
Wow!! I am in shock!! Drugging her child and Rude behavior from grandma?! This family needed to be terminated yesterday.
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auntymimi 10:55 AM 12-07-2015
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
This is why we have to grow back bones as providers. This could have all be avoided if you just said "That's great you want to go to. However do to X,Y, and/or Z, you can WILL take your kids and I will take mine. I just can't manage to take all of the children with me because of X,Y, and/or Z. See you at pick up time". Big smile.
I didn't fully explain it in the post but mom knew that my Dh would take my kids and I would have to keep her 3 at the house with me if baby was super tired. She could have stayed at work either way, but her 4 and 10 yo would have been disappointed. Or her mom and dad (grandma and grandpa) could have picked up on early/on time. There were options. I also can't prove that she did this. Maybe he was just coming down with something. I have my suspicions, though.
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childcaremom 11:00 AM 12-07-2015
Originally Posted by auntymimi:
I didn't fully explain it in the post but mom knew that my Dh would take my kids and I would have to keep her 3 at the house with me if baby was super tired. She could have stayed at work either way, but her 4 and 10 yo would have been disappointed. Or her mom and dad (grandma and grandpa) could have picked up on early/on time. There were options. I also can't prove that she did this. Maybe he was just coming down with something. I have my suspicions, though.
When I have my suspicions about dope and drops, I look at the big picture. How are the clients overall? If they are good clients, I will give the benefit of the doubt. If they are already on shaky ground, I will term.

I don't need proof, I just need to doubt enough. Once my trust is eroded, it doesn't take much for it to disappear completely.
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auntymimi 11:00 AM 12-07-2015
Originally Posted by Ariana:
Wow!! I am in shock!! Drugging her child and Rude behavior from grandma?! This family needed to be terminated yesterday.
You are right. I can't prove the drugging, I'll have to come up with something else. Or nothing else, but I know she'll want a reason. I've been advertising on fb and got a call yesterday. Ugh. Such a rough time of year to replace kids.
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