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Where can I get information on diarrhea and virus associated with it? I had one little one who had it a full day (three times in the am...then nothing til about 4:00 and more diarrhea) but I tried to make sure it was sickness as mom has a hard time getting off work. Second day mom brought her and it started in again so I sent her home. We are talking...brown water here not just a loose stool. Her mother took her to the doctor and he/she said up to 10 days of a watery stool is normal? What? I got a doctor's note so that's good but now I'm uncertain as to if my policy of 24 hours diarrhea free before returning is accurate...or is this doctor off? I had originally told her don't bring her tomorrow because she probably has a virus. On webmd it says more then two days is a concern...but this doctor totally contradicts that.
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"Normal" for what?
Did the child HAVE a diagnosis of some sort?
Pretty sure 10 days of diarrhea... and we'd be seeing a lawsuit on that doctor for severe dehydration if not worse!
Ugg!
I had a kid a few weeks ago bring in Viral gastroenteritis. ALL of us got it- including me. The worst thing I've ever experienced in my 40 years of life. Nobody with diarrhea is allowed here ever again! -
So who is the "official" authority on what is a virus and what is not? If a parent's doctor says ok...let them in!? Or...do we as caregivers have another "official" source available to us? Like I said...webmd said go to the doctor after two days. Oh...forgot to mention that mom admitted that the child also had it on Sunday! So today was day 4! I'd post a picture but no one wants to see that! LOL!Comment
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You run your business and you make the rules. I don't care if the Dr said the child is fine to return. Children must be out until they are diarrhea free for 24 hours regardless of the cause.
You need to change your policies to exclude for the symptoms, not the diagnosis.Comment
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I honestly couldn't count the number of times that a doctor has told me that I was "fine" and to go back to work, then 3 days later, I'm back in the office getting antibiotics for my infection that was just "fine" 3 days previously. I once ran a fever for 8 MONTHS straight, and had some of the worst gastro distress imaginable during that time. Doctor told me that I was "fine". Recently went in on the first day of influenza for antivirals. I was "fine". By the time I was diagnosed, it was too late for antivirals, and I was sick for 2 weeks (with a bonus sinus infection that I'm now treating). I could go on and on. What's fine to a doctor may not be fine to us. You need to go by your own guidelines. If you're OK with the kid coming, let it happen. If not, tell the mother that you must exclude the child until the symptoms disappear. Doctors feel pressure from employers to put sick people back to work and from parents to put sick kids back into daycare-they'll write notes saying that someone is "fine" even when they're not.Comment
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I don't worry about getting a specific diagnosis. I ask parents to keep kids home based on the symptom of diarrhea. My policies state the child needs to be symptom free for 24 hours before the child can return - regardless of what's causing the diarrhea.
As far as the doctor's note is concerned, I think doctors usually write notes with only their patient in mind, not necessarily me or the other kids the sick child could potentially infect. I had a child who was diagnosed with C-Dif. She was out with it and on antibiotics for close to 2 weeks before she came back. Her mom brought a doctor's note saying she was good to go and she seemed fine all morning. That afternoon, she had a bout of explosive diarrhea. They retested her and found that she still had C-Dif. I felt very lucky when no one else came down with it. Based on that experience and a couple of others like it, I take doctor's notes into account but since the child is entering my home, I get to make the final call on whether a child can return or not.Comment
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So do your policies state 24 hours diarrhea free regardless of doctors diagnosis? How is this justified if a "doctor" says the child is ok to return to daycare?Comment
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It's justified because it's YOUR home. You make the rules. Diarrhea is one of the worst in my opinion because if an infant has diarrhea fecal matter gets places that normal poo doesn't. If the diapers leak you have feces containing nasty bacteria everywhere. When you change the diaper you get it on your hands, the wipe container etc. yes you spray these things down but that doesn't mean you got it all. Young children touch everything, put everything in their mouth. I find that when a child has bad diarrhea it's more contagious then even a cold no matter how much I disinfect.Comment
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I exclude based on symptom. So that child wouldn't be here.
I also have it stated (based off of advice from here) that a doctor's note is not a guarantee of readmittance but that I make the final decision as to whether a child is ok for care. In this case, I would acknowledge the note but point out that she still has symptoms and needs to be 24 hours symptom free before returning (or whatever your policy is).
I agree with others. Your business, your rules.Comment
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When a child has a virus, diarrhea for up to 10 days is normal.
NORMAL to the illness....not normal as in it being normal to have diarrhea for up to 10 days.
The Dr cleared the child to come back for several reasons....
a) He/she is assuming everyone is already exposed to the illness/virus
b) He/she isn't the one having to care for the child
c) He/she will probably write a note stating anything as it's pretty common now days
I do agree with the others though, this is YOUR business and you do NOT have to accept a child into care simply because they have a Drs note. Especially one with diarrhea. That is a sanitary issue and one you should not have to deal with.
Also the child may very well already exposed others but the point of exclusion is to minimize the continual back and forth of those illnesses and to lessen the likelihood of the others getting it. Allowing her to come back WITH diarrhea is pretty much guaranteeing most everyone else will get it too.Comment
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Not sure what your state regs say about illness but for me I can not allow a child into care with diarrhea ( and vomiting , fever , etc...).
It does not matter what note the doctor wrote , it is my home and I make the rules here .
I had a dcg 2-3 weeks ago who was sick , then not really sick . Turned out to be strep then turned into the stomach virus . the dck was not here for 2 weeks because of her symptoms of not being sick . Vomiting , diarrhea , and full body rash but nothing is wrong.Comment
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At first, this and vomit were the hardest to get parents to understand. I don't care WHY either happened, they need to remain at home for 24 hours free of either one before returning. It may be just a food disagreeing with them, it may be because they drank too fast but it may be they are sick and not only do I not want myself or others to catch it but I have no desire to care for a sick child
so what I would do is send a reminder out to parents stating you exclude based upon symptoms not diagnoses and while you will consider a doctors recommendation, you have the final say on when a child may return. I have heard "the Dr said they can still come to childcare with a fever (or insert any other sickness)!" Sorry, but doctor's don't write my sick policy if you are in violation of it, you stay home.
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