The Allergy Excuse!!!!!

[TSDaycare]

Why is it that every parent says their child has allergies and can't just admit they have a cold or sinus issues? ? I feel like it's mainly because they don't want to take off and keep them home, and they don't want to take them to the Dr's either. It's happened with many of my kids, but this 1 year old I have has had a runny nosee at least once a month for the past 4 months I have had him in care......it's always allergies until he passes it to someone else, usually my 1 year old

[Blackcat31]

Why is it that every parent says their child has allergies and can't just admit they have a cold or sinus issues? ? I feel like it's mainly because they don't want to take off and keep them home, and they don't want to take them to the Dr's either. It's happened with many of my kids, but this 1 year old I have has had a runny nosee at least once a month for the past 4 months I have had him in care......it's always allergies until he passes it to someone else, usually my 1 year old

Exclude for allergies.

This stops parents from using that excuse.

If the child does in fact have allergies, I'd need a statement and written treatment on file from the child's Dr.

If they are seasonally allergies, then I treat those like colds too.... if the symptoms become too much and the child is suffering, then they need to stay home and reduce exposure to those seasonal things that cause flare ups.

Excluding for symptoms instead of actual illnesses or conditions allows you to include symptoms of seasonal allergies (and teething ) into your illness policies which in turn eliminate parent's ability to use those things as excuses.

[JackandJill]

Start excluding for symptoms. That take the control out of the parents hands and put it back into yours.

This morning sent a little one home who has a fever. Mom kept saying its probably just his teeth. I told her that's fine, but he still can't stay. Excluding for symptoms ends the back and forth with parents happyface

[laundrymom]

I agree with the symptom exclusion. It doesn't really matter to me if it's a cold or the corn out back, snot is gross to share.

[daycare]

I did what everyone here says.

I got the allergy excuse. I said if your child has allergies, I need a doctors note of diagnosis with treatment plan or I can not keep them in my care. I will exclude them for the symptoms anyways, so it doesnt matter if they have a note or not.

[MunchkinWrangler]

Because then that would mean that THEY(the parents) would have to be responsible for their child!!!

I am starting to believe parents do this as a self-actualization...a way of making themselves feel better for trying not to care wile they leave their child, although they might be questioning. We only make them feel worse when we tell them that their little one is not well enough for care. When they realize that it isn't fun taking care of an ill child and it didn't mean life and death....they get mad at us for not being like a nanny. (Full of sarcasm, I am in a mood today).

I get it we all need to work but their kids being sick is a HUGE inconvenience to them!!!::

I feel the same but I guess I'm on the other side of the fence because it seems everyone drags their nasty germs (HFM, Impetigo, even lice!!) when I have important things planned for my ds. So I get mad, they get mad, and it just becomes a vicious cycle.

More parody than not but this is seriously what I think the real issue is.

[Mad_Pistachio]

This morning sent a little one home who has a fever. Mom kept saying its probably just his teeth.

in some cultures, doctors say that a teething baby has a fever because the teething caused a plummet in immune system, and a baby caught something contagious, therefore, is also contagious. yes, you can pass teething to someone else

[thrivingchildcarecom]

I LOVE THIS!

My granddaughter was excused from her school on Friday because she had a minor asthma attack. I totally got it though.

Seriously, parents will try to get anything pass a provider if they can.

We need to insist on written documentation so we can protect the other children in care as well as ourselves.

I especially agree with the "symptom exclusion" policy. If symptoms are too much to handle, they should be at home.

[bubblegum]

Exclude for allergies.

This stops parents from using that excuse.

If the child does in fact have allergies, I'd need a statement and written treatment on file from the child's Dr.

If they are seasonally allergies, then I treat those like colds too.... if the symptoms become too much and the child is suffering, then they need to stay home and reduce exposure to those seasonal things that cause flare ups.

Excluding for symptoms instead of actual illnesses or conditions allows you to include symptoms of seasonal allergies (and teething ) into your illness policies which in turn eliminate parent's ability to use those things as excuses.

I exclude for excessively runny noes. Especially with the kids who can't wipe it themselves.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I exclude for excessively runny noes. Especially with the kids who can't wipe it themselves.

Me, too. Excessive runny noses and persistent coughs. It can be because of any reason, but the symptoms need to be under control or gone before they can return.

[MunchkinWrangler]

Me, too. Excessive runny noses and persistent coughs. It can be because of any reason, but the symptoms need to be under control or gone before they can return.

I had a family put in their notice because of this. I know right!

Dcm said she doesn't see any reason why I have to wipe her nose so much, she doesn't care if there are boogers on her. They didn't take into account that I don't want boogers all over the place and I am obsessed with clean faces and hands. This is the same family that on more than one occasion would drop off dcg(14 mos) with her face covered in crusted on boogers from the night before. I would, of course, clean her up but I felt so bad for her. How uncomfortable! She would seem relieved after I washed her face.

[finsup]

I had a family put in their notice because of this. I know right!

Dcm said she doesn't see any reason why I have to wipe her nose so much, she doesn't care if there are boogers on her. They didn't take into account that I don't want boogers all over the place and I am obsessed with clean faces and hands. This is the same family that on more than one occasion would drop off dcg(14 mos) with her face covered in crusted on boogers from the night before. I would, of course, clean her up but I felt so bad for her. How uncomfortable! She would seem relieved after I washed her face.

So many dcm's don't get the "big deal" about a constant runny nose. One was so excited to hear it was all "coming out"...and i was like yes, and even better you can share all that excitement with him. Dcb needs to be home, please pick up within the hour. It's just like ugh, we have a group of other kids, when boogers get wiped on anyone and everything it is really, really gross. And unsanitary. Of course if a parent walked in and saw that they would be mad at why the child was there...unless it's *their* child, then it's fine
*Just to be clear, we're talking constant dripping here, not just one that may need a wipe an hour or so. For my program that is.

[Ariana]

My illness policy is two pages long ::

I exclude for anything above a slight runny nose and a slight cough. Green snot is an exclusion. Allergies do not exist without a written note from a dr and a treatment plan of some kind.

I have a child who has been sick off an on since she started in September. Unfortunately nothing to be excluded for but now my whole house has the sniffles. I do not understand why these kids are sick all.the.damn.time.

[daycare]

My illness policy is two pages long ::

I exclude for anything above a slight runny nose and a slight cough. Green snot is an exclusion. Allergies do not exist without a written note from a dr and a treatment plan of some kind.

I have a child who has been sick off an on since she started in September. Unfortunately nothing to be excluded for but now my whole house has the sniffles. I do not understand why these kids are sick all.the.damn.time.

because they eat horrible food outside of childcare and don't sleep enough.

sorry that may have sounded mean....but it is what I see with my group. I have kids that eat pop tart for dinner and chocolate milk, stay up until 11pm and then back at my house by 7:30am..

[Mike]

because they eat horrible food outside of childcare and don't sleep enough.

I personally have known a few parents that did such a poor job of parenting that they were on the verge of being abusive. I babysat regularly for one of them and the kids were much different when they were with me. We can't do much about how parents raise their kids. All we can do is our part when they are with us.