Wwyd? Diaharrea On A Monday :(

[SunshineMama]

DCM dropped off DCB this am and says to me: "DCB didn't want anything to eat or drink this morning."

DCB looks fine, so I go about my regular routine, give him his breakfast and a drink... and 45 minutes later, out comes this liquid diaharrea with the strangest sickest smell ever.

I told dcm and dcd if he has another episode they have to come pick him up. My policy states 2 or more episodes of diaharrea and they have to be excluded from care.

The problem is that I KNOW it cant be food related because of the smell- it has a rotovirus-y stench to it.


What should I do? I have to abide by my own policy (right?), but I have a gut feeling it is a virus. The parents of this child typically dont realize he is ill until for a few days. (He was walking here for a few days before they even knew he was walking so illness is definitely not something they recognize- not to say they dont love him, they are just really busy).

Did I do the right thing? Should I just keep him separated and hope I am wrong (and he doesnt have another episode) and stick to my 2 diaharrea policy? What would you do?

[countrymom]

if he has one more then I would call. I find that sometimes after the first initial diarrhea they either get better and have no more or they start to spike a fever. So start checking him for fevers.

[bunnyslippers]

I would call, say he had diarrhea again, and send him home. I don't mess around with stomach bugs, and I think he is sick. Get him out of there!

[godiva83]

As much as you need to abide by your own polocies so others will as well, you do need tO go with your gut! You know what's best and need to looks out for all your other kiddos.

I would call and say, DCB is obviously not well, not eating, drinking, not his normal self. And as you know diarrhea spreads through kids like wild fire so at this time please come and pick him up

[SilverSabre25]

I would send him home now. It may not be entirely honest, but I would say that per your illness policy you need to send him home. No need to be specific unless they ask .

Also, you may want to add a line to your illness policy that in cases of diarrhea you reserve the right to exclude after one incident if you have good reason to suspect that the cause is contagious--and good reasons include color, consistency, frequency, and odor.

[Breezy]

I would send him home- especially if it smelled sickly!

[Blackcat31]

I don't mess with stomacne bugs either.....diarrhea once and home they go.

This sounds weird but I know doing child care we all know there is a BIG difference between a loose stool and diarrhea (as you said by the smell etc).

I say he goes home. Stays home the next day as well since technically he won't be diarrhea-free for 24 hours until after tomorrow morning so spending a day at home for the FULL 24 hours would be a good way to to prevent spread to others.

We just had this intestinal bug come through here as well. Most my kiddos got it in one way or another. Some for 2 days and others for most the week.

Good luck and time to bleach down your stuff!

[SunshineMama]

I am pretty sure I decided to call his parents. I agree that he needs to stay home another day, but I know the parents dont have any "time" left at work. I know this is not my problem, but I also do not have a 24 hour stay home exclusion policy in my contract.

Do you think I can tell them to keep him home anyway? If so, how should I communicate this to them?

Thanks!

I don't mess with stomacne bugs either.....diarrhea once and home they go.

This sounds weird but I know doing child care we all know there is a BIG difference between a loose stool and diarrhea (as you said by the smell etc).

I say he goes home. Stays home the next day as well since technically he won't be diarrhea-free for 24 hours until after tomorrow morning so spending a day at home for the FULL 24 hours would be a good way to to prevent spread to others.

We just had this intestinal bug come through here as well. Most my kiddos got it in one way or another. Some for 2 days and others for most the week.

Good luck and time to bleach down your stuff!

[SilverSabre25]

I am pretty sure I decided to call his parents. I agree that he needs to stay home another day, but I know the parents dont have any "time" left at work. I know this is not my problem, but I also do not have a 24 hour stay home exclusion policy in my contract.

Do you think I can tell them to keep him home anyway? If so, how should I communicate this to them?

Thanks!

I dunno what to do about now, but you definitely need to revise that sick policy!

I guess for now you just tell them, verbally, that diarrhea is NOT something to mess with and they need to keep him home until he's been symptom-free for 24 hours.

[Blackcat31]

I dunno what to do about now, but you definitely need to revise that sick policy!

I guess for now you just tell them, verbally, that diarrhea is NOT something to mess with and they need to keep him home until he's been symptom-free for 24 hours.

I agree! Change that policy NOW! I would tell them that per CDC rules, kids cannot be in attendance until they are diarrhea free for 24 hours. I know it isn't written in your contract but you could always play the "I figured it was common knowledge" card and say that you will add it to your contract in writting but you figured it was something everyone knew.

Here is a fact sheet you can print out for the parents: http://www.hennepin.us/files/Hennepi...H%20parent.pdf

and here is the info sheet for providers:

http://www.hennepin.us/files/HennepinUS/HSPHD/Public%20Health%20Protection/Epidemiology/Daycare%20Manual/1280_s6DIARRH.pdf

[SilverSabre25]

I would send him home now. It may not be entirely honest, but I would say that per your illness policy you need to send him home. No need to be specific unless they ask .

Also, you may want to add a line to your illness policy that in cases of diarrhea you reserve the right to exclude after one incident if you have good reason to suspect that the cause is contagious--and good reasons include color, consistency, frequency, and odor.

Another good reason to add to that policy would be "containment" or rather, lack thereof. If a diaper isn't containing it no matter the cause, you do NOT want two of those.

[SunshineMama]

Thanks!

I am actually amending the sick policy right this minute and excluding for any diaharrea period, and adding the 24 hour stay at home clause.

I wish I had done that sooner!

[SunshineMama]

Okay so I called the parents to pick up dcb (he actually did end up having another episode of diaharrea) and I received a message back saying that dcd is in a meeting for another 45 mins and will leave after that- is that okay?

I said okay, because I understand that dcm cant take any more time off of work, and it would be bad for dcd to leave a meeting early, but honestly it kind of isn't really okay. I want this sick child out of my house before anyone gets sick. I do have him in a superyard away from the other kids so they dont get sick too, but now I have to wait until 1/2 way through naptime for dcd to get here. I'm glad I had the nerve to call but what the heck is wrong with me!

[littlemissmuffet]

DCM dropped off DCB this am and says to me: "DCB didn't want anything to eat or drink this morning."

DCB looks fine, so I go about my regular routine, give him his breakfast and a drink... and 45 minutes later, out comes this liquid diaharrea with the strangest sickest smell ever.

I told dcm and dcd if he has another episode they have to come pick him up. My policy states 2 or more episodes of diaharrea and they have to be excluded from care.

The problem is that I KNOW it cant be food related because of the smell- it has a rotovirus-y stench to it.


What should I do? I have to abide by my own policy (right?), but I have a gut feeling it is a virus. The parents of this child typically dont realize he is ill until for a few days. (He was walking here for a few days before they even knew he was walking so illness is definitely not something they recognize- not to say they dont love him, they are just really busy).

Did I do the right thing? Should I just keep him separated and hope I am wrong (and he doesnt have another episode) and stick to my 2 diaharrea policy? What would you do?

I simply don't care what the reason for the diarhea is (because really, how will you ever know... many parents will ALWAYS blame food as the culprit, conveniently forgetting to mention other symtoms dck had over the weekend ) - 2 diarhea episodes and you're out. No excuses.

[SunshineMama]

I simply don't care what the reason for the diarhea is (because really, how will you ever know... many parents will ALWAYS blame food as the culprit, conveniently forgetting to mention other symtoms dck had over the weekend ) - 2 diarhea episodes and you're out. No excuses.