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Unregistered 03:52 PM 02-25-2014
Have any you parents every dealt with hand food mouth disease. My child was recently diagnosed and the provider is stating my child can't return until all lesions are gone which can take weeks. My child has no fever and is acting normal. I still have to pay the full amount eventhough my doctor has already cleared my child but the provider isn't letting my child go back
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Cradle2crayons 05:06 PM 02-25-2014
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
Have any you parents every dealt with hand food mouth disease. My child was recently diagnosed and the provider is stating my child can't return until all lesions are gone which can take weeks. My child has no fever and is acting normal. I still have to pay the full amount eventhough my doctor has already cleared my child but the provider isn't letting my child go back
Doctors clear children whether they are contagious or not. That's why I personally don't accept a dr return to daycare letters AT ALL. I exclude based in symptoms, not a dr letter or a diagnosis.

With hfm, I do not allow them back until their lesions have dried up completely. I am not really concerned with how long that takes, because every child is different.

It's against the law for most providers to keep children that are contagious.

Also, most providers charge based on enrollment, not attendance. I do not give refunds if a child doesn't show.

If a child is sick for a week, I can't replace their income for a week, so payment is still due.

It's not the providers fault and they shouldn't lose income.

I sympathize with you because I am a parent myself. However, kids get sick, and it's just a part of life.

And honestly, doctors really don't care whether your kid is contagious or not. And hfm is not something providers want to risk exposure with.
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blandino 06:40 PM 02-25-2014
Yes ! Every spring we get a few kids who have it. Spring is the peak season.

I don't allow them to return until all fever is gone, and all sores are gone/scanned over.
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kitykids3 05:18 PM 02-26-2014
I had it run through one time years ago and I believe they all had to stay out for a full week after the fever and all the sores were no longer 'active.' They weren't open, etc.
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TwinKristi 05:36 PM 02-26-2014
Usually once the fever is gone they're no longer contagious, but sores must be dried, not oozing. And yes, you have to pay daycare even if the child doesn't attend. That's pretty standard.
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daycare 05:37 PM 02-26-2014
this is why I tell parents that it is important that they have back up care arrangements. Children will get sick, it's not something that we can control.


When a child is sick, it is the parents responsibility to care for the child. Ill children may NOT be in daycare ill.

As someone else stated in most states it is not legal to care for ill children without having a medical license, which I don't really think even exist.

Speaking for myself, I allow children to take 5 full days at one time at 1/2 price that they can choose to use for illness or vacation. however the child must be full time.

does your provider offer anything like this
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Unregistered 05:45 PM 02-26-2014
I know my daycare provider feels horrible because all the kids in her daycare came down with it. A doctor misdiagnosed one of the kids and this is how this whole thing started. I haven't spoken with her regarding any special arrangements regarding sick time. My child's fever has been gone for 4 days now her sores never did ooze.
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daycare 05:57 PM 02-26-2014
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
I know my daycare provider feels horrible because all the kids in her daycare came down with it. A doctor misdiagnosed one of the kids and this is how this whole thing started. I haven't spoken with her regarding any special arrangements regarding sick time. My child's fever has been gone for 4 days now her sores never did ooze.
this is exactly why most of us do not take notes from doctors that state can return to care. Things like this happen and now the entire daycare has it.

i am very strict with my illness policy. I sent a child home with eczema, made mom take her to the doc and get diagnosed. When it came back i was still not comfortable providing care for the child do to the amount of the rash and the location. good thing I did, it was HFM and I was lucky that I excluded at drop off no one else got it.

so even though it may seem like we are being extreme at times, you have to understand that many of us have been doing this for years and we want to keep ALL of the children as safe as possible.....

one other thing to think about it that if your child goes back and is still contagious, your child could get the provider sick and then they would have to close the DC............resulting in loss of care for everyone.....
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Unregistered 01:07 PM 03-02-2014
Parents have to still pay the provider PLUS find someone else to care for the child because the provider won't take them back ? That is nuts.
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Unregistered 09:08 PM 03-22-2014
As far as I know the mouth sores are the contagious part. I think they can go back if the sores are not open anymore but they are still contagious for a few more weeks. I dont think there is a law that says how long the provider can exclude. I dont think its fair or realistic of her to exclude for weeks.
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Moppetland 05:07 AM 03-23-2014
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
As far as I know the mouth sores are the contagious part. I think they can go back if the sores are not open anymore but they are still contagious for a few more weeks. I dont think there is a law that says how long the provider can exclude. I dont think its fair or realistic of her to exclude for weeks.
If your child was enrolled in a day care center, the same illness rules will apply, and you will still have to pay your tuition. Licensed child care providers from the home and center have state rules they have to follow too, so basically, most of the rules we give to parents in the policy handbook are the same rules the state tells us to enforce.

I understand your gripe. That is an inconvenience to have to skip work because your child has no child care while sick. This is why you MUST have back-up, no matter what. Anything can happen with your child care provider (home or center) where they have to close down.

Do you have any relatives or close friends or neighbors that are available daily and dependable that can agree to babysit your ill child without charging? These are the type of back-ups you would look for.

I hope you can understand your provider's stance on illnesses a little more. I hope you can also find the right back-up for your child. God bless.
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Tags:hand foot and mouth, hand foot mouth illness rash, hfm
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