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In updating my policies for the new year, I am wondering if anyone requests DCKs to stay at home when a family member has a highly contagious illness? 3 weeks ago, both DCPs of one child had the stomach flu...but they brought her anyway...2 days later 2 other DCKs and myself had it...2 days later the rest of my family, 2 more DCKs and 2 more DCPs contracted it...after a week, almost everyone had it :/ With my own son having a weakened immune system and already missing 11 days of school this year to being sick, I kind of wanting to add a policy to be able to refuse children if someone else in their family is home sick with a contagious illness. What do you think?
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I think it would be very hard to enforce, however with your son having a weakened immune system (I assume from a documented medical issue?) I think you'd have a leg to stand on, so to speak, where the typical provider wouldn't, if that makes sense.Hee hee! Look, I have a signature! -
While in theory it's a great policy, in most cases what will happen is they just won't tell you.Comment
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Also another thing to think of is that not everyone is going to get it.
last month I had a family where both the mom and dad had the stomach flu so bad that they could not work for a week. they sent their kids here every day and luckily neither of them got it.
I think that the parents were able to also get the necessary rest by having the kids still attend daycare as well as sanitize their house daily while the kids were in my care.Comment
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I wish I could enforce that type of policy but it would never work that way, even with my "good" parents. But if it were something serious (or something like whooping cough since I had kids younger then 6 months here) I know they wouldn't come. I figure that's as good as it's going to get
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But, being that your child has a weakened immune system (and I would def. show the parents documentation of that from the doctor, just to REALLY enforce that it's serious) you could most likely do something like that.Comment
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Sigh, I wish! Last week I was talking with DCM about this nasty horrible stomach bug going around in our community. She proceeds to tell me that DCD is home sick with the bug - fever, chills, puking, diarrhea, etc. THEN DCD PICKS UP DCK AT THE END OF THE DAY.
The second he left I busted out the Lysol wipes.
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That's tough with your little one :/ I'd feel the same way but agree that it doesn't seem feasible.Comment
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Not all people get sick if someone in their home is sick so unless you don't charge for being absent, it would be unfair to require parents to keep everyone home if one person is ill.
I don't think it's fair anyways but whether you require payment or not really makes a huge difference in my opinion.
I require parents to tell me so I can be aware of what could be going around but I have no hard fast rules about it.
Other than the actual flu (H1N1 or whatever number/letter combo it is this year) I wouldn't ask a family to keep everyone home simply because of one family member being sick.
I only say that about the flu because it is so serious for littles without full immune systems, kids and adults that are part of my program that have compromised immune systems and myself if I got it because I'd have to close and put a lot of families at one time in dire straights for care arrangements.Comment
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a different solution
Why dont you try opening a Sick Room. Try secluding the sick kids so everyone else doesnt get sick. Parents pay you to take care of their kids. If parents have to take off work every time their kids are sick then they arent making money to pay for your services. So you will loose buisness. Its a vicous cycle. I am a mother of two and when my kids were home, they didnt get sick. I put the kids in daycare and after 2 days BAM we get hit with a 2 colds, 2 GI bugs and now my son has an ear infection. This has been going on for a month now. Between my husband and I taking off for them and us being sick, we are now in jeopardy of loosing our jobs. Its the kids at daycare that got them sick so maybe the answer is opeining a sick room and making your teachers stay home when they are sick. Also, teach and make sure everyone is washing their hand and maybe even make sure all surfaces are wiped down periodically throughout the dayComment
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I am iffy on this one. I know what I would want to do. I am sorta going through that right now although it is the dcb who has a rash. Now, I know there are all kinds of rashes out there and some are worse than others but I had him stay home today even though he went to the after hours clinic and they said no he wasn't contagious looks like bug bites (which it is not). I had hand foot and mouth go through here like wildfire last year and I will do anything I can to prevent it again. Some of the drs. out there do not know what to look for for hfm. Adults can get it, ones who are healthy and it is very painful and leaves marks for months. 5 adults, me, husband, and 3 adult children all got it. The dcb family did not get it. 10 people in all got it.
Anyway, as someone said, some may get it others may not. Go with your gut and leave it at that. Dcp might not be happy but it is your house, your rules.Comment
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I have it written in my illness policy. "In the event of a highly contagious illness, I reserve the right to refuse care to siblings of the ill child. These days will be unpaid for both children."
I have never had to enforce it, because I have no sibling sets yet or highly contagious illnesses, but it is there if I need it I guess
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What you may not realize is that in many states we are required to exclude children who are ill ( fever , vomiting , diarrhea ) due to state regulations . We must follow the regulations put in place or jeopardize our license .
What we need is for parents to be honest and not send their sick children to day care.Comment
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I don't think you will be able to enforce. I feel badly for your situation with your son and home daycare does not seem the right fit for your family.......however, I know we all do what we have to do. I would focus on separating your son from the group if you can, good cleaning, etc. Daycare parents are not going to be happy if they are expected to keep their child home and pay you just because someone else in their family is sick. To be honest, I would be upset if my daycare did this.Comment
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As much as this is a lovely idea, most states don't allow licensed providers to take sick kids or run a mildly ill home (I know, I tried 14 years ago in a different state); you have to have disposable everything, have nurse training, separate beds, room & toys for everyone & you must charge more because it costs more...
I went back to doing regular care after 6 months because my state tried to make my home so sterile & like a center - sorry, I am not tearing 2 year old carpet out and installing wood/vinyl floors just to please a bureaucrat; I also DIDN'T MAKE ENOUGH to pay my regular bills much less feed my children at the time. It's a catch 22Comment
True story. Part of the hazard of the job, unfortunately.
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