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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Policy on Ear Infections
Ac114 04:23 AM 01-16-2019
What is your policy on ear infections? I know this sounds like a stupid question by why do parents have this common misconception that an ear infection is not contagious? Obviously the ear infection itself is not but the virus that cause it is. So you would think that common sense with my policies would be 24 hrs symptom free would not be the very next day when you were just sent home with a fever the day before. How do you explain this to parents that don’t want to hear it? Im so angry because I’m tired of being the bad guy.
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Cat Herder 05:34 AM 01-16-2019
I don't explain it because I don't exclude for ear infections.

If they had an ear infection with thick nasal/eye discharge, lethargy + crying + not eating/drinking, and/or fever, then I'd exclude until 24 hours after starting antibiotics or resolution of symptoms, whichever comes first.

sent home with a fever the day before = Minimum 48 hours exclusion in my program.
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Blackcat31 05:56 AM 01-16-2019
Originally Posted by Ac114:
What is your policy on ear infections? I know this sounds like a stupid question by why do parents have this common misconception that an ear infection is not contagious? Obviously the ear infection itself is not but the virus that cause it is. So you would think that common sense with my policies would be 24 hrs symptom free would not be the very next day when you were just sent home with a fever the day before. How do you explain this to parents that don’t want to hear it? Im so angry because I’m tired of being the bad guy.
More often than not, when a child has an ear infection their immune system is already stressed. They can pick up/carry other viruses or illness easily in that state.

A fever equates to exclusion until they have been fever free for a FULL 24 hours. NO MATTER the root of the fever.

So while Jimmy is getting over his ear infection he might very well be brewing up a mix of strep throat and a respiratory infection he could easily pass onto the other kids so until his body says he is 100% recovered (fever free for 24 hours) he is excluded from care.

That's pretty much how I explain it if parents aren't content with "I exclude for symptoms regardless of cause".
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Tags:24/48 hours, 24/48 rule
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