Providers Who Use Prescription Drugs

[mamac]

Bottom line is - where does that leave parents and how does that protection/privacy help keep kids safe from providers who have fallen victim to the prescription drug epidemic?

Why does this fall on just daycare providers then?? Why not demand this information from our children's teachers, doctors, gymnastics teachers, clergy, etc?

Prescription pain medications affect EVERY profession.

[Blackcat31]

Why does this fall on just daycare providers then?? Why not demand this information from our children's teachers, doctors, gymnastics teachers, clergy, etc?

Prescription pain medications affect EVERY profession.

I am speculating that child care providers are different because most of them work in their own homes, are left alone with a group of children that are too young to speak or communicate what goes on each day.

Which is a lot different that the roles a teacher (older kids), a doctor (not left alone with a child) and the others you mentioned (again rarely left alone with small children under their supervision)

[Willow]

I am speculating that child care providers are different because most of them work in their own homes, are left alone with a group of children that are too young to speak or communicate what goes on each day.

Which is a lot different that the roles a teacher (older kids), a doctor (not left alone with a child) and the others you mentioned (again rarely left alone with small children under their supervision)

Having a system of checks n balances in place can definitely make all the difference.

Young children are incredibly vulnerable in that they are largely incapable of caring for themselves, they cannot identify or report behavioral changes in their provider and they usually are incapable of getting help on their own if something goes wrong.

Many are left in care for extended periods of time and most in home providers operate their daycares alone.

That can be a recipe for disaster on many levels when you get to throwing potential addiction in the mix.

[Cradle2crayons]

Having a system of checks n balances in place can definitely make all the difference.

Young children are incredibly vulnerable in that they are largely incapable of caring for themselves, they cannot identify or report behavioral changes in their provider and they usually are incapable of getting help on their own if something goes wrong.

Many are left in care for extended periods of time and most in home providers operate their daycares alone.

That can be a recipe for disaster on many levels when you get to throwing potential addiction in the mix.

That's very true not just about potential addiction but also abuse both physically and emotionally from providers who don't use any DRUGS AT ALL.

But considering I spend quite a bit of time with my parents during hours and outside I'm pretty sure they'd notice if anything was other than the norm.

However I did have a family long ago the kids told me I details of drug use going on at home. They could tell me when, how, and to what extent that mama acted weird....

I called CPs.

[mamac]

I am speculating that child care providers are different because most of them work in their own homes, are left alone with a group of children that are too young to speak or communicate what goes on each day.

Which is a lot different that the roles a teacher (older kids), a doctor (not left alone with a child) and the others you mentioned (again rarely left alone with small children under their supervision)

I figured that would be the response. I was going to elaborate but was hoping to keep it simple.

I just meant that we entrust our children's care to many people without ever knowing anything about their personal lives. Yes, most of the times in my examples the parent's are on site with their children. But that doesn't mean that they can prevent anything bad from happening if someone made a poor decision because they were impaired due to taking prescription pain meds. Impaired is impaired. It takes a split second for someone to do the wrong thing whether there is parental supervision or not. Based on the explanation you provided, that would mean that parents would be okay with knowingly having their child's doctor on pain meds while making a life and death decision about their child, right? Probably not. Parents make decisions all the time about their child's "caregivers" based on personal experience with them and their guts feelings and not necessarily on information about them.

[Blackcat31]

I figured that would be the response. I was going to elaborate but was hoping to keep it simple.

I just meant that we entrust our children's care to many people without ever knowing anything about their personal lives. Yes, most of the times in my examples the parent's are on site with their children. But that doesn't mean that they can prevent anything bad from happening if someone made a poor decision because they were impaired due to taking prescription pain meds. Impaired is impaired. It takes a split second for someone to do the wrong thing whether there is parental supervision or not. Based on the explanation you provided, that would mean that parents would be okay with knowingly having their child's doctor on pain meds while making a life and death decision about their child, right? Probably not. Parents make decisions all the time about their child's "caregivers" based on personal experience with them and their guts feelings and not necessarily on information about them.

That is so true.

Most of my DCP's know very little about my personal life.

Rarely do I share details with them. Other than who my DH is, as he spends time here at the daycare but VERY few of my daycare parents know where I live, who my friends are, what I do on my off hours and who I am other than their child care provider.

They don't know if I drink, smoke, take prescription drugs or belong to a gang.

All they have to go on is their gut instincts, references from others and what we talk about during the interview. (and info from the state about my license but that stuff is a given for most providers).

[rmc20021]

That's very true not just about potential addiction but also abuse both physically and emotionally from providers who don't use any DRUGS AT ALL.

But considering I spend quite a bit of time with my parents during hours and outside I'm pretty sure they'd notice if anything was other than the norm.

However I did have a family long ago the kids told me I details of drug use going on at home. They could tell me when, how, and to what extent that mama acted weird....

I called CPs.

Let me ask you a couple questions...do your dcp's know, or would you be willing to inform them of prescription pain killer use? Why, or why not?

Please do not think I am in any way attacking your or judging YOU...I'm only giving my personal opinion, the same as you are and we all have different thoughts on the subject.

As for being cautious of any provider...by ALL means, I'd just be more cautious of someone I knew was using narcotics while my child was in their care (which would not happen if I was aware of it).

You don't need to defend your use of medications...it is what it is and if you need it, by all means use it. However you have to expect there ARE going to be parents who have concerns with it.

[Willow]

mamac - jmho, I think it's all about minimizing risk where we feel we can. Every parent and every provider has had their own life experiences which lead us all to prioritize in different ways.

Doing foster care for a number of years, watching the effects addiction have on good people, seeing families ripped apart and never making it back together again....it all sealed the deal on this topic for me.

Addicts are people too. They aren't monsters and the only thing that separates many from you or I is a sports injury, or car accident. Some people act as if it could never happen to them, ask any addict and they'll tell you it's not something they ever planned for or anticipated either.

The best way to safeguard is to supervise. Directly or indirectly by knowing if you can't be there to see someone else is right there.

Most inhome daycares don't have that available or ability which leaves kids in that situation particularly vulnerable.

I do believe there should be extra precautions taken by licensing regarding physical and mental health to safeguard.

[Michelle]

So why wouldn't you just have started a "let's lighten up and hear some good jokes" thread instead of picking a potentially controversial subject that isn't especially funny and posting as unregistered?

This is exactly the reason that so many members here won't even respond to unregistered posters. What happens when someone posts as unregistered and actually needs some help? They most likely won't get the varying viewpoints and discussion they might have if there weren't so many trolls, let alone our own members, trying to stir things up.

well, like in another thread..people told me that not everyone does things the same way and everyone has the right to do things their own way.

[Blackcat31]

From my standpoint, I think is be pretty open minded. I'd want to know from the potential providers doctor that says there isn't any contraindications to the provider doing daycare, I'd also ask for lots of references. And if I went on an interview I'm pretty sure I can tell if the is impaired in just a few minutes. If all went well, I'd see no reason why provider couldn't do great at Childcare. Good luck OP

You say later in this thread that you think people who use prescription meds RARELY show any kind of impairment so how can you tell in just a few minutes if a provider is or isn't impaired?

Michelle, thanks for that post.

Im the OP of the post about prescription drugs. The post wasn't about me. It's the story of an awesome friend of mine who does keep a few of her nieces but wants to open a home daycare. She lives about an hour from me. So I told her I'd post and see what other providers thought.


But here's another admission. I've been seeing a pain management doctor for five years. I also use the three day patch and meds for breakthrough.

If I was as impaired as you guys assume all us PAIN PATIENTS ARE... I'll bet not a single one of you EVER in your wildest dreams would have guessed it. In person or on here. Unless I told you.

So you are or you aren't the person the OP (you) were asking about?

Is there a friend or is the friend hypothetical and you were really asking for yourself?

I am confused about your "admission"......

Nope, that's why I don't disclose and don't have a plan to. Morally and ethically they have no right to know.

They only have a right to know something that may potentially reflect care given. And my issues... Do not.

Why would you NOT disclose when you just said in the first post I quoted that "I'd want to know from the potential providers doctor that says there isn't any contraindications to the provider doing daycare",?


Seems to me those are two very differing and opposite statements.

[mamac]

mamac - jmho, I think it's all about minimizing risk where we feel we can. Every parent and every provider has had their own life experiences which lead us all to prioritize in different ways.

I completely agree. But have you ever had anyone that your child has been in regular contact with tell you their medical history just so you would know? I get where everyone is coming from when they say a provider should tell, but then that requirement should also apply to anyone making decisions for a child whether they are completely under their care or not. I'd be more apt leave my child with a provider on pain meds who I felt in my gut was able to care for my child all day than to trust a surgeon or swim teacher on pain meds to ensure my child's safety.

I do believe there should be extra precautions taken by licensing regarding physical and mental health to safeguard.

This. This is what I am more concerned about than anyone being on prescription pain meds. Mental health issues. If a person forgets to take their pain meds- no harm, no foul. They end up in a lot of pain. If a person with a mental disorder forgets their meds- big problems can arise. I'd much rather know if my provider was seeing a shrink or had bi-polar issues (or the like) than to know if they were taking medications to control chronic pain. But yet, (and I'm sure there are many of you out there) how many providers willingly admit to their clients that they are seeing a psychologist or a psychiatrist?

[Cradle2crayons]

Let me ask you a couple questions...do your dcp's know, or would you be willing to inform them of prescription pain killer use? Why, or why not?

Please do not think I am in any way attacking your or judging YOU...I'm only giving my personal opinion, the same as you are and we all have different thoughts on the subject.

As for being cautious of any provider...by ALL means, I'd just be more cautious of someone I knew was using narcotics while my child was in their care (which would not happen if I was aware of it).

You don't need to defend your use of medications...it is what it is and if you need it, by all means use it. However you have to expect there ARE going to be parents who have concerns with it.

In my twenty years of doing Childcare and nursing, my chronic pain issues have never meant squat to my parents. They know i TAKE awesome care ifntheirnkids, theynknowim not impaired and if asked, I'd show them all the reports from my doctors. I generally don't just tell them at interview but yes, most of the time I disclose at some point.

NONE OFMTHEM HAVE EVER CARED IN THE LEAST BIT.

those that do know, swear they'd have never known if I hadn't told them. My own mother doesn't even know as well as any other friends snd family that dint know.

As far as I'm concerned, I know I take excellent care of their kids and that's all they need to know.

[Blackcat31]

Nope, that's why I don't disclose and don't have a plan to. Morally and ethically they have no right to know.

They only have a right to know something that may potentially reflect care given. And my issues... Do not.

In my twenty years of doing Childcare and nursing, my chronic pain issues have never meant squat to my parents. They know i TAKE awesome care ifntheirnkids, theynknowim not impaired and if asked, I'd show them all the reports from my doctors. I generally don't just tell them at interview but yes, most of the time I disclose at some point.

NONE OFMTHEM HAVE EVER CARED IN THE LEAST BIT.

those that do know, swear they'd have never known if I hadn't told them. My own mother doesn't even know as well as any other friends snd family that dint know.

As far as I'm concerned, I know I take excellent care of their kids and that's all they need to know.

Again, two COMPLETELY different statements. :confused:

First you said you don't disclose and have no plans to and then you said that you do disclose at some point.

NOT picking on you...just confused as to where you stand.

[Cradle2crayons]

Again, two COMPLETELY different statements. :confused:

First you said you don't disclose and have no plans to and then you said that you do disclose at some point.

NOT picking on you...just confused as to where you stand.

It's clearly not two different statements. As I said, I don't disclose at interview, but that doesn't mean at some point down the road I wouldn't disclose and I have done so.

Seems pretty clear to me

[Blackcat31]

It's clearly not two different statements. As I said, I don't disclose at interview, but that doesn't mean at some point down the road I wouldn't disclose and I have done so.

Seems pretty clear to me

Your statement was "Nope, that's why I don't disclose and don't have a plan to. Morally and ethically they have no right to know."

That is pretty clear.

It says to me that you don't disclose and don't have a plan to.

It doesn't say you don't disclose at certain times but at other times you will.

It clearly says to me that you don't disclose and don't have a plan to.

But now you are saying you don't disclose at the time of interview but that doesn't mean you won't sometime down the road....

How do you not see that as saying two different things? :confused: