Do You Ever NOT Take A Doctors Note?

[DanceMom]

To allow a child back into daycare? I have one girl out with a fever over 100 and vomitting..and I get the " I have a doctors note that she can return to daycare" oh really ? No she cannot until she is fever free and vomit free for 24 hours..

These doctors just writing notes for the hell of it? I cant believe a doctor would allow a child back into daycare with a fever and vomitting.

[kpa0627]

I'm so glad you asked this question. I just ran into this problem today. I had a child who was not himself on Monday. No fevers or anything but just laid around ALL day..... very unlike him. He came in Tuesday and was acting the same but once again no fevers. Then all of a sudden just started puking EVERYWHERE at 9:30 am. I called mom and she came and got him and took him to doctor yesterday afternoon. Called me at 5:00pm last night and said well doctor said it's just a cold so he can come back to daycare. I told her he either needs to be vomit free for 24 hours (so 9:30am tomorrow drop off) or there needs to be a note from doctor. Sure enough she came with a doctors note in hand at 7am this morning. I'm not a doctor but really why would they say it's okay for a child to return to daycare/school the very next day after vomiting EVERYWHERE!! Ugh it's so frustrating!

[bgmeyers]

My policies trump a doctors. I don't care if you have a note. The only thing I want a note for is something like an unexplained rash. Note must say child is not contagious. Even then, if child is uncomfortable and I can't reasonably take care of them and the rest of the group, they belong at home.

[Lilbutterflie]

Yes, these are YOUR daycare policies that she needs to follow, not the doctor's. Doctor's notes are only for the instances where there is a communicable disease (strep, flu, chicken pox, etc...) and the doctor is saying when the child can return to daycare. But if a doctor's note is overriding your policy, like coming back to daycare while still having fever or vomitting, do NOT accept it! I agree, that's just ridiculous that a doctor would put their own name on the line when a child is still ill and contagious. I wonder if maybe it was just a phone call to the nurse and the doctor did not get the whole story?

I used to watch a baby, and the mom questioned every single policy I had, especially the illness policy. Well, she got the doctor to write a note for his fever (which was 100.4), saying that it was just teething. And, she got a doctors note when he had bright GREEN mucus flowing out of his nose for the second day in a row (which is in my illness policy to be sent home for), saying that "kids are just snotty" and that green discharge in this case did not mean a serious infection. UGH. I learned my lesson then NOT to accept a doctor's note if it overrides my policies. The doctor's objective is for the one child to get well, not always to keep the other children and yourself from getting sick. YOU have to protect the other children in your care from illness as much as possible, so you have to stick with your policies!

Sorry for the rant, this just brought up so much frustration that I had with the precious DCM!!!

[marniewon]

I'm so glad you asked this question. I just ran into this problem today. I had a child who was not himself on Monday. No fevers or anything but just laid around ALL day..... very unlike him. He came in Tuesday and was acting the same but once again no fevers. Then all of a sudden just started puking EVERYWHERE at 9:30 am. I called mom and she came and got him and took him to doctor yesterday afternoon. Called me at 5:00pm last night and said well doctor said it's just a cold so he can come back to daycare. I told her he either needs to be vomit free for 24 hours (so 9:30am tomorrow drop off) or there needs to be a note from doctor. Sure enough she came with a doctors note in hand at 7am this morning. I'm not a doctor but really why would they say it's okay for a child to return to daycare/school the very next day after vomiting EVERYWHERE!! Ugh it's so frustrating!

Did you take him this morning? After you told her not before 9:30am and she still brought him at 7?

[countrymom]

I think we all need to rewrite the illness policy. It should be something like, if your child is vomiting/diarrhea or blah blah, they must be symptom free for 24 hours (and no masking the illness with medication) a dr's note is only required if the child has a unexplained rash or has been out sick for very long periods of time.

[DanceMom]

I think we all need to rewrite the illness policy. It should be something like, if your child is vomiting/diarrhea or blah blah, they must be symptom free for 24 hours (and no masking the illness with medication) a dr's note is only required if the child has a unexplained rash or has been out sick for very long periods of time.

I agree..Im going to add something to mine and send it out with a note.

bad thing too with this lady is she isnt even working..shes on mat leave ( last 2 weeks of it ).

[kpa0627]

Did you take him this morning? After you told her not before 9:30am and she still brought him at 7?

Yes, I did take him at 7am this morning because she brought the doctors note in. IF there would have been no note I would have told her it had not been 24 hours. My policy states either 24 hours or a doctors note saying whatever it is isn't contagious. So, honestly she followed the rules. I just don't understand the doctor's part on this. I'm calling to ask them why they think it's okay for a child to come to daycare after vomiting.

[Lilbutterflie]

I just don't understand the doctor's part on this. I'm calling to ask them why they think it's okay for a child to come to daycare after vomiting.

Good for you! That's what I would do too! I have a feeling maybe he was told a story like he vomited after eating something that usually upsets his stomach, and leaving out the fever part. Hmmmm. Let us know what they say!

[Live and Learn]

I don't get into the whole doc note thing with parents.
MY HOME MY POLICIES
My policy trumps a doc's note basically. If I feel he is too sick to be here he isn't. I am not afraid to tell a parent "if you have a doc's note then the doc is more than welcome to watch junior for the day. As you know my policy is 24 hours without meds fever, diarrhea, and vomit free. That is what I go by." I have only had to say this to one parent in six years but I will again if I need to!! I provide care for a prominent doc in our area and have for years and his kids have never been pawned off on me with a doc's note. Why? He respects me.
My policy also says that a child cannot attend if they are not well enough to participate in the normal daily activities. if he is so sick that he cannot participate I would call parent at work and present her with a copy of your sick policy highlighted.
Also I don't do the whole it is ok to come after 9:30 thing.....if they are sent home anytime on Tuesday for vomiting then the earliest they can come back here is Thursday.
That is just how I roll. On the whole we are a pretty healthy bunch because I am so strict with my sick policy.
Good Luck!!

[kendallina]

My policies trump a doctors. I don't care if you have a note. The only thing I want a note for is something like an unexplained rash. Note must say child is not contagious. Even then, if child is uncomfortable and I can't reasonably take care of them and the rest of the group, they belong at home.

Yup, this is me too.

[kpa0627]

Good for you! That's what I would do too! I have a feeling maybe he was told a story like he vomited after eating something that usually upsets his stomach, and leaving out the fever part. Hmmmm. Let us know what they say!

So, I didn't end up having to call the doctor after all. Once again he threw up everywhere while here so I called mom and told her she had to come pick him up. She came shortly after and got him and said she'd be calling the doctor again. I will not be allowing the child to come tomorrow (even if she does throw a fit). I learned my lesson and should have followed my gut feeling.

[Live and Learn]

***warning***snarky***alert***
it would be tempting to ask mom is the doc would be paying the carpet cleaning bill or would she be paying the carpet cleaning bill.....I think Stanley steamer charges about $99 for one area....
Seriously though...feel free to let it slip that after her child threw up twice you will have to schedule a professional carpet cleaner to take care of the mess.......gross!

[misol]

So, I didn't end up having to call the doctor after all. Once again he threw up everywhere while here so I called mom and told her she had to come pick him up. She came shortly after and got him and said she'd be calling the doctor again. I will not be allowing the child to come tomorrow (even if she does throw a fit). I learned my lesson and should have followed my gut feeling.

Ugh!!! Had a feeling that was going to happen to you. I'm so sorry you had to spend another day cleaning up vomit. I would call the doctor anyway just to see what they say. And I would call again tomorrow to make sure she called back!

When she returns to care you should tell her that you will no longer accept dr.'s notes from her for fever/vomiting/diarhea and and that from now on YOU will be the one that determines when he can return. You should keep him out until Monday.

[marniewon]

So, I didn't end up having to call the doctor after all. Once again he threw up everywhere while here so I called mom and told her she had to come pick him up. She came shortly after and got him and said she'd be calling the doctor again. I will not be allowing the child to come tomorrow (even if she does throw a fit). I learned my lesson and should have followed my gut feeling.

Like someone else said, I would still call the doctor just to see what he/she said about it. Question: I've never had to do this, but I've seen several people talk about calling the doctor regarding a dck. Will the doctor actually give out info about their patients? I thought there was some sort of privacy law about that.

Sorry you had to deal with that again! Sometimes we are just too nice/giving for our own good, aren't we..? Good thing we learn fast!