Croup

[Unregistered]

I have a child who was diagnosed with croup today. Now, the family wants to bring their child back to care. In my contract it states that any child with a contagious illness has to bring a doc's note saying that they are no longer contagious and any sibling has to stay home to help stop the spread of a contagious illness. I told Mom this, now I have dad contacting me saying that she said I'm not open tomorrow and he wanted to check that. (they live together!) I'm not sure what to do. Do you allow a child that has croup come to care? I just told Dad that once the child has a doc note stating that the child is not contagious they can come back and yes I was open.

Now, I only have this 1 family and my own children. 3 weeks ago this same child had a high fever which broke out into a rash and was out for 2 days plus sent home that next Mon because of the rash that broke out and I had no idea what it was. Last week my own child had croup and was hospitalized. Then the sibling had a high fever for 2 days and didn't come at all last week and now the child is sick again and this time with croup. I don't want to lose this family but I don't want my own children sick again.

I'm not sure what to do.

[daycare]

I have a child who was diagnosed with croup today. Now, the family wants to bring their child back to care. In my contract it states that any child with a contagious illness has to bring a doc's note saying that they are no longer contagious and any sibling has to stay home to help stop the spread of a contagious illness. I told Mom this, now I have dad contacting me saying that she said I'm not open tomorrow and he wanted to check that. (they live together!) I'm not sure what to do. Do you allow a child that has croup come to care? I just told Dad that once the child has a doc note stating that the child is not contagious they can come back and yes I was open.

Now, I only have this 1 family and my own children. 3 weeks ago this same child had a high fever which broke out into a rash and was out for 2 days plus sent home that next Mon because of the rash that broke out and I had no idea what it was. Last week my own child had croup and was hospitalized. Then the sibling had a high fever for 2 days and didn't come at all last week and now the child is sick again and this time with croup. I don't want to lose this family but I don't want my own children sick again.

I'm not sure what to do.

its not your fault the child is sick......children get sick it will happen, nothing we can do to control that.

Stick to your rules and do not let the child come back. Last think you want is to come down with it or get others sick.....

I have issues with parents too, but rules are rules....

[Unregistered]

its not your fault the child is sick......children get sick it will happen, nothing we can do to control that.

Stick to your rules and do not let the child come back. Last think you want is to come down with it or get others sick.....

I have issues with parents too, but rules are rules....

I had to call the dad and he's more upset that in 2 weeks they are paying for care when neither of their children are attending because they keep passing it back and forth to each other and he wants to send the sibling that's not sick. I told him I have to stick to my contract as I have my own child who hasn't been sick and I would like it not to be brought back into my home until the child is cleared not contagious. He doesn't understand why the one child can't come back so they can have them separated so the one child can get better.

I have it in my contract for a reason. I have to protect my own kids from highly contagious illnesses. I have a feeling I'll be losing them soon and I've had them for 3 yrs! I have to look out for my family. I feel really bad and sick to my stomach as I love those kids.

[daycare]

I had to call the dad and he's more upset that in 2 weeks they are paying for care when neither of their children are attending because they keep passing it back and forth to each other and he wants to send the sibling that's not sick. I told him I have to stick to my contract as I have my own child who hasn't been sick and I would like it not to be brought back into my home until the child is cleared not contagious. He doesn't understand why the one child can't come back so they can have them separated so the one child can get better.

I have it in my contract for a reason. I have to protect my own kids from highly contagious illnesses. I have a feeling I'll be losing them soon and I've had them for 3 yrs! I have to look out for my family. I feel really bad and sick to my stomach as I love those kids.

I guess I can see both sides....... I used to have that in my policy as well in regards to siblings but I have found out that often siblings don't always get what the other has. Sometimes it is very hard on the parent to care for the sick child and the well child at the same time.

As long as the well child has no symptoms, I would allow for them to come back

[Familycare71]

I also don't exclude unless the child is actually ill- I would take the healthy sibling. There are just no garuntees about illness... If you went to the groc store with your children they were exposed to a bunch of things...
Personally I would stick with the child with croup staying home but allow the other child to attend.

[Unregistered]

I also don't exclude unless the child is actually ill- I would take the healthy sibling. There are just no garuntees about illness... If you went to the groc store with your children they were exposed to a bunch of things...
Personally I would stick with the child with croup staying home but allow the other child to attend.

I did call back and told them that the sibling could come.

[Cradle2crayons]

I agree with pp.

I don't exclude healthy siblings ever.

As far as the croup is concerned, as long as the child is fever free and can resume activities they should be ok by a doc as not contagious and can come back to care. Likely the cough itself will hang around for a while. Chances are your kids are already exposed again as e child was there wi a fever before the croup itself started.

I would exclude until they have been fever free for 24 hours without fever reducing agents....IF the child feels well enough to participate in care.

[Familycare71]

Good for you- and hopefully they will keep kids with you! It is so hard for parents when the kids are sick a lot but they have to understand its hard on our side too... Well- I guess they DON'T HAVE TO UNDERSTAND!

[Unregistered]

I agree with pp.

I don't exclude healthy siblings ever.

As far as the croup is concerned, as long as the child is fever free and can resume activities they should be ok by a doc as not contagious and can come back to care. Likely the cough itself will hang around for a while. Chances are your kids are already exposed again as e child was there wi a fever before the croup itself started.

I would exclude until they have been fever free for 24 hours without fever reducing agents....IF the child feels well enough to participate in care.

The doc said child could be contagious for another 4 days! Croup also put my own child in the hospital last week for 4 days so I'm not taking any more chances. I'm going to stick to my contract and state a doc note needs to come for the child to come back.

[Unregistered]

Good for you- and hopefully they will keep kids with you! It is so hard for parents when the kids are sick a lot but they have to understand its hard on our side too... Well- I guess they DON'T HAVE TO UNDERSTAND!

Nope, it's only about that they pay for a service. They don't understand that it's the illness coming back to my house and could get another one of my children sick or me and my older child hasn't been exposed because he wasn't home for the past couple of weeks. Which would result me in closing again This is the hard part of having a daycare in my own home.

[Jewels]

My own son used to get croup with every single cold, my pediatrician has always told me The "croup " itself is not contagious, its the virus that caused the croup which is contagious, and its just a cold, some kids bodies just turn it to croup, my son when he was 6 months old got a cold and then croup, and ever since he got it once, he got it every time, in my daycare with children here, no one else ever caught his croup, but they would all get a cold, I do have another boy now who gets croup, and as long as he is fever free, he can come, the cough sticks around for a while, I still worked the first year and a half my son was a baby and when he came down with croup once I kept him home for the 3 days he was pretty bad, but he was fever free, and the doc said he could resume daycare, but my provider said not until all symptoms were gone, I understand he still sounds bad, but he usually has the cough for 2 weeks, I could not take 2 weeks off of work, so that was his last day, it was mainly the last day because I felt she was grossed out by my son, and just didn't want him around her kids at all, since he was her only daycare child. But anywaybecause really its all its I treat croup just like I treat a cold, because really its all it is.

[Unregistered]

My own son used to get croup with every single cold, my pediatrician has always told me The "croup " itself is not contagious, its the virus that caused the croup which is contagious, and its just a cold, some kids bodies just turn it to croup, my son when he was 6 months old got a cold and then croup, and ever since he got it once, he got it every time, in my daycare with children here, no one else ever caught his croup, but they would all get a cold, I do have another boy now who gets croup, and as long as he is fever free, he can come, the cough sticks around for a while, I still worked the first year and a half my son was a baby and when he came down with croup once I kept him home for the 3 days he was pretty bad, but he was fever free, and the doc said he could resume daycare, but my provider said not until all symptoms were gone, I understand he still sounds bad, but he usually has the cough for 2 weeks, I could not take 2 weeks off of work, so that was his last day, it was mainly the last day because I felt she was grossed out by my son, and just didn't want him around her kids at all, since he was her only daycare child. But anywaybecause really its all its I treat croup just like I treat a cold, because really its all it is.

I can see it from both sides. But my younger son will get hospitalized if he gets it again. So, I have to protect my family. I talked to my doc and she said that a child with croup can be contagious and spread it to others. This child's doc even said that he could be contagious for another 4 days... yeah I'm not taking any chances. To each there own and that's why everyone runs their daycare's different.

[Cradle2crayons]

My own son used to get croup with every single cold, my pediatrician has always told me The "croup " itself is not contagious, its the virus that caused the croup which is contagious, and its just a cold, some kids bodies just turn it to croup, my son when he was 6 months old got a cold and then croup, and ever since he got it once, he got it every time, in my daycare with children here, no one else ever caught his croup, but they would all get a cold, I do have another boy now who gets croup, and as long as he is fever free, he can come, the cough sticks around for a while, I still worked the first year and a half my son was a baby and when he came down with croup once I kept him home for the 3 days he was pretty bad, but he was fever free, and the doc said he could resume daycare, but my provider said not until all symptoms were gone, I understand he still sounds bad, but he usually has the cough for 2 weeks, I could not take 2 weeks off of work, so that was his last day, it was mainly the last day because I felt she was grossed out by my son, and just didn't want him around her kids at all, since he was her only daycare child. But anywaybecause really its all its I treat croup just like I treat a cold, because really its all it is.

In some respects you are right... Except one very important thing... Although some kids are more predisposed to croup than others, the virus that typically causes croup is NOT usually the common cold.

Generally croup is caused by parainfluenza, RSV, and sometimes adenovirus. It's not generally just from a common cold. The common cold is generally from rhinovirus or corona virus. Two very different viruses than RSV and parainfluenza. RSV and parainfluenza are also generally much more harsh than the viruses that cause the common cold. And for kids with underlying allergies or reactive airway problems, the two most common croup viruses can be deadly.

most kids who have RSV or parainfluenza generally only show signs of a common cold and don't get the swelling of the airway that signifies croup.

My daughter had croup tons of times, usually to the point of retractions and blue lips. Because she has asthma, every bout of croup was serious and potentially deadly.

However, the important part of my rambling is that infectious-wise, the viruses that cause croup and the common cold should be treated exactly the same. They are contagious as long as there is a fever. The danger is generally over with croup when the fever and barking itself is gone. The cough may linger for a while with both and shouldn't itself be a reason for exclusion any more than the common cold should be.

Both generally start with a clear runny nose and progress from there.

Important though, most true croup symptoms, especially in children with breathing problems historically, is that sometimes the airway swelling needs treated with steroids, breathing treatments, and even antibiotics if bacterial croup is suspected.

[Familycare71]

My boys had asthma and my one would get hospitalized with croup... Yes- croup can manifest itself as a cold in SOME children- in others it is very serious. My Pediatrician always recommend that as long as the bark is still present and a freq cough to exclude.
I completely agree and understand keeping the croupy child home- fever or not- breathing is important!

[Unregistered]

In some respects you are right... Except one very important thing... Although some kids are more predisposed to croup than others, the virus that typically causes croup is NOT usually the common cold.

Generally croup is caused by parainfluenza, RSV, and sometimes adenovirus. It's not generally just from a common cold. The common cold is generally from rhinovirus or corona virus. Two very different viruses than RSV and parainfluenza. RSV and parainfluenza are also generally much more harsh than the viruses that cause the common cold. And for kids with underlying allergies or reactive airway problems, the two most common croup viruses can be deadly.

most kids who have RSV or parainfluenza generally only show signs of a common cold and don't get the swelling of the airway that signifies croup.

My daughter had croup tons of times, usually to the point of retractions and blue lips. Because she has asthma, every bout of croup was serious and potentially deadly.

However, the important part of my rambling is that infectious-wise, the viruses that cause croup and the common cold should be treated exactly the same. They are contagious as long as there is a fever. The danger is generally over with croup when the fever and barking itself is gone. The cough may linger for a while with both and shouldn't itself be a reason for exclusion any more than the common cold should be.

Both generally start with a clear runny nose and progress from there.

Important though, most true croup symptoms, especially in children with breathing problems historically, is that sometimes the airway swelling needs treated with steroids, breathing treatments, and even antibiotics if bacterial croup is suspected.

Yes, this is why I have the contagious rule that if a child is contagious they can not return until they are cleared by a doc. My son has asthma and allergies and was in ER last week with croup because of respiratory distress. This is why I was concerned about the sibling coming because the child's sibling has not had it and they seem to share everything each other gets. I allowed the sibling to come today and the child is now coughing after being told that the child was 100% fine. So, looks like my family has been exposed again! I shouldn't have ever gone against my contact.