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I am always split on this. DD had a runny nose and cough the whole time she was a baby. The doctor kept telling me "she is fine she just has a snot nosed cold". Really? Who has a cold that NEVER goes away? Finally we switched doctors and found it was allergies severe ones and when she was 8 or 9 she was also diagnosed with allergy induced asthma. The snotty nose is an issue, I get it, but sometimes even doctors can't tell the difference between a cold and allergies. My DD just turned 16 and she is still on two different allergy meds, if she doesn't take them she is all snotty again. I have allergies also, but not as everyday as my poor kid does.
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Sanitary + children = it doesn't exist, unfortunately.
As a parent, I'm pretty understanding that children WILL be sick and my kid WILL get sick in a group-care environment (or school), but also as a provider, I have to be reasonable too. Runny noses are a PAIN, but I had kids who had colds for a month (no kidding!) or sometimes it really was just allergies or sometimes, simply colder weather causes a nose to run, so I had to take the kids.
If they had fever, rash, lethargy, did not act like themselves, then I would exclude, but for the most part, I rarely had to do that. If a kid really did get sick, by the time they presented with symptoms, they were exposed (2 week incubation period on average for most bacterial infections and sometimes even more for viral), so depending on how well they FELT and acted, I'd probably keep the kids anyway. It's just part of the job. Albeit, ICKY,
And I was pregnant 3 times (once was with twins) during this period of time, too, so I feel ya.Comment
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Historic thread
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Nope. I exclude for colds. Most in my area do too and we all get calls and have clients. Running nose is fine with minor coughing.
Waterfall green runny nose and constant hacking is a deal breaker. I cannot run a healthy daycare with 4 to six kids with green waterfalls and hacking. I donรขโฌโขt want a cold. I donรขโฌโขt want my family to get a cold.
A minor cold they can stay. Anything more their kid canรขโฌโขt come here. If that doesnรขโฌโขt work for their family. I understand and good luck with your future childcare arrangements.
Providers are not hostages to a situation unless they choose to be.Comment
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To be honest, I think you are going to have this problem again. I don't exclude for a cold unless the child is feeling so puny that they can't participate in the daily activities. I have to agree with the mom on this one. Most employers are not going to allow that many absences. Colds (as gross as they are) are a part of our job. I would reconsider your policy or you may be loosing a good client. Kidgrind, I'm glad that you can exclude for colds and parents don't have a problem with it, for me it would depend on how bad of a cold. It would not fly here to exclude for a minor cold. Your parents must all have very flexible jobs?
I know it's not what you wanted to hear but I have to be honest. Good luck!Comment
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...If I could turn back time .... ::
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I have advice, but it is not likely what you want to hear.
If you have a sick policy that excludes children who have a cold, you are going to have this problem A LOT. Kids get colds. Usually, they are sick before you even realize it and everyone has already been exposed, meaning it is likely everyone is going to be sick within days and you would have to exclude everyone. Also, a cold generally lasts for 7-10 days, so would you expect parents to take off the entire time their child has symptoms? This is not realistic, for you or for the parents.
I would reconsider the sick policy, deal with the runny noses (as much as it ****s) and only exclude for severe symptoms such as fever/vomiting/diarrhea.
DCM is right. She is going to have to consider alternate care if you stick to this policy. It isn't even cold/flu season yet and she is down to one day of sick leave left because she has had to call out when her child has a cold.What is she to do when her child is REALLY sick and she has no time left? Just like you, she cannot afford to lose her job.
SO, personally, I would call Mom and tell her I have reconsidered and that you will allow her child to attend when she has a cold.
I know it ****s....none of us enjoy the runny noses, coughing and whiny children. BUT, it is part of the job and the sooner you adjust to that, the sooner you will ensure job security
all these. I consider my sick policy relatively strict compared to most in may area, including the schools.
However, if I excluded for every runny nose, I'd be run out of town.
I remember when my daughter was little, until age five, she was a sickly thing. I can't remember a day her nose didn't run. She didn't go to daycare either and was an only child and I wasn't a provider at that time. Some of them were REALLY bad colds that ended in screaming ear infections and always something secondary. Her Ent told me what a blessing this would be someday while I stared in horror wondering how he made a living telling parents junk like this.
Turns out he was right.
My son, the opposite. The healthiest child I ever saw. Other than seasonal allergies everyone in he south has. An a few allergies to stinging creatures. Related to illness only saw a dr ONCE in the first five years of life. After his sister I thought we had adopted an alien child. Fast forward age five in kindy. He has caught everything there.
Colds are colds are colds. The fever is where I exclude. Unless they are so sick they are unable to participate.
If I were dcm, I'd be a tad bit upset.
Please don't take this personally though. You DO have a right to have your own exclusion policy however you want it to be.
But be prepared for it to annoy parents and be prepared to lose clients.Comment
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