Sick Children

Hi I was wondering if I could get some advice from you all! I previously posted last week about a brother and sister from one family having pnemonia. They have been on antibiotics but still have a cough..not severe but still there..anyway dcg3 was fine at drop off this morning then all of sudden became very whiney and crying..I noticed she felt warm and took her temp which was 102.2...I gave tylenol and called dad to pick her up. I know these parent seem to be getting frustrated about me calling because their kids are sick, I understand that they have jobs and its a inconvenience to them, but what else am I to do? None of my other dck or my own are not sick, only these two kids..they are ALWAYS sick...I am afraid of losing this family, (they are my highest paying family, can't afford to lose them). I am wondering what all of your polices are and what you would do in my situation???
thanks in advance

The daycare we used had it in the contract that parents or someone arranged by parents must pick up a child with a fever over 100. It also stated that the child would have to remain home the entire next day because they had to be fever free (without taking tylenol) for a full 24 hours before returning - that pretty much stops a parent from dosing up a sick kid (and claiming their kid was 100% better) before dropping them back at daycare. That was always fine by me.

I think I'd be really upset if a parent pulled an attitude about picking up their sick child. But the anger would be towards them for acting so uncaring about their own flesh & blood. You did the right thing and shouldn't feel abit of guilt. Truthfully, I would pull my child out of any daycare that would even consider caring for sick children while my healthy child was playing in the same room. A few hours is understandable - but only until the parent can come to get them.

[Carole's Daycare]

Here in MN , our state provides an illness exclusion as part of the daycare rule- 24 hs after throwing up, diahrea, fevers over 100 , and the usual myriad of childhood illnesses are addressed in a handout. I give it to parents at interview and explain that ALL must abide by it- and remind families if, as in your instance, a family is dealing w/ a lot of illness- that they wouldn't want me to allow another child to stay and spread illnss to their family-. I usually send home handouts regarding illness/contagion and work w/ kids on how germs are on everything- we even have a song about handwashing germs away- from the walmart or grocery cart, from touching toys or the booth at McD's etc. and send a copy with parents.

There's a great resource available: "Exclusion and Inclusion of Ill Children in Child Care Facilities and Care of Ill Children in Child Care." These are standards published by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Public Health Association... should put your mind at ease.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Hi I was wondering if I could get some advice from you all! I previously posted last week about a brother and sister from one family having pnemonia. They have been on antibiotics but still have a cough..not severe but still there..anyway dcg3 was fine at drop off this morning then all of sudden became very whiney and crying..I noticed she felt warm and took her temp which was 102.2...I gave tylenol and called dad to pick her up. I know these parent seem to be getting frustrated about me calling because their kids are sick, I understand that they have jobs and its a inconvenience to them, but what else am I to do? None of my other dck or my own are not sick, only these two kids..they are ALWAYS sick...I am afraid of losing this family, (they are my highest paying family, can't afford to lose them). I am wondering what all of your polices are and what you would do in my situation???
thanks in advance

[Former Teacher]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I am afraid of losing this family, (they are my highest paying family, can't afford to lose them). I am wondering what all of your polices are and what you would do in my situation???
thanks in advance

My former boss was like this and it would TICK me off! You shouldn't worry about losing a family just because their child is sick. You have rules and laws to go by and you must follow them.

As for these so called parents, they too tick me off. Don't have kids if you aren't going to take of them. There are people out there that would sell their soul to have a child, myself included.

[ConcernedMotherof2]

Originally Posted by Carole's Daycare

Here in MN , our state provides an illness exclusion as part of the daycare rule- 24 hs after throwing up, diahrea, fevers over 100 , and the usual myriad of childhood illnesses are addressed in a handout. I give it to parents at interview and explain that ALL must abide by it- and remind families if, as in your instance, a family is dealing w/ a lot of illness- that they wouldn't want me to allow another child to stay and spread illnss to their family-. I usually send home handouts regarding illness/contagion and work w/ kids on how germs are on everything- we even have a song about handwashing germs away- from the walmart or grocery cart, from touching toys or the booth at McD's etc. and send a copy with parents.

I love the way you educate your dck about spreading germs and illnesses! Personally, I have been in a situation where my kids were sick one right after the other, passing it back and forth, so that I had to either take them to work with me or sit home with them for over a week in a stretch, so I empathize with any parent who is in the same position. HOWEVER, I *always* tell my daycare and school that my kids are my #1 priority and if they need me for *anything* to call me. I apreciate them not wanting to "bother" me at work, but it always irks me when I arrive at normal pick-up time and find out that one of my children has been sick all day and I never got a call.

IMO, parents should value a provider who cares enough about the children in her care to call parents when needed.