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So after 16 years I finally got hit. A daycare girl has lice. Mom texted me this morning and said she was at work and a bug dropped out of her hair. She asked if any of my other kids had lice and is said no. I jumped up and looked at her daughter who is 1 1/2 yrs old and oh my God! I took a pic of her head and sent it to mom who said she would "try" to get out of work. I said you need to come NOW! I packed the kids up and went outside immediately. Called all other parents and they all came to pick up. I checked all other kids and didn't see anything. Told her she couldn't come back until 7 days and 2 treatments and a doctors all clear note. I haven't heard back from her on that text. Question for those that have had a dck with lice. Did all other kids get it? Did you or your family get it? I treated me and my 2 teenage kids and husband.
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I had one dcg who arrived with lice in her hair but I didn't notice until after nap time. I called her dad who picked her up right away. No one else got lice from her but I also cleaned like crazy after everyone left for the day. It took weeks before she was lice free.
My dd also came home with lice we believe she got from a friend/classmate at school. That was about 15 years ago so I don't remember for sure but I don't think any of us in the family got it. (I do remember feeling very itchy and not quite trusting my husband's eyesight but I don't think I actually had lice. I did treat myself twice just in case, though!
) I do know for sure none of the dc kids got lice from her. We family members were treated and I cleaned like crazy then, too. Again, it took weeks of nightly combing and picking before she was finally clear of lice. Definitely check your dcg's hair before you allow her back into your home - even with a doctor's note. I had to turn my dcg away at the door two or three times before she was finally clear.
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had a family with 3 kids get it, sent them home, Had a family with 4 kids (two infants) who got it too the same week. So far we have only had one unrelated case! We got that lice spray and ran around with it after hoursComment
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So the mom of the child that has lice still has not responded to my 5 text messages since yesterday. A co-worker of hers that brings her son here told me that she was pissed because I said one week and that she said that schools let them back after 24 hours. I talked to my friend that is a principal at our local school and he says that they're weaker than other districts that he's worked at. This district has a no live lice rule. Others he has worked at has no live or nits at all, so she can **** it. I guess she's so pissed that she may pull.I texted her husband and he responded and said that they both have it too and that the dcg is doing good and she had the hair treatment and that seh should be good to go in 24 to 48 hours. He also said it happened at the worst possible time since they're so busy at work. He said it's stressful but we will get through it. He said he hopes that me and the kids are all doing good. So he sounds like voice of reason and she's being a complete bitch.Comment
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I have not run into this yet (knock on wood), but as a new provider, curious how you'd handle payment on this case for the days you asked to stay home? How will you handle if she pulls - do you require two weeks notice? Thanks!Comment
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I thought you were being pretty lenient to give her a one week time frame - although I wouldn't even give a time frame at all. She may be surprised at how long it can take to totally get rid of the eggs/lice.
That's because the decision to allow kids back after 24 hours is made by a person who doesn't have to deal with it in his/her home or be exposed to it in the classroom.
Having gone through it twice, my thought would be that dcm can be as pissed as she wants to be but until her dd's hair is clear of all lice and eggs, she would not be allowed to step foot in my home. I also feel bad for any new provider who might take her on not knowing her child has lice!Comment
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The days that she keeps her home she has to pay for. I have a policy that states unlesss it's me that is sick or on vacation, they pay. If she does decide to leave, I doubt she'll pay me and I won't pursue it. I doubt highly that she'll leave. Not to be mean, but it takes more work to find a new daycare than I think she's willing to do, so she may be pissed now, but doubt she'll actually leave.Comment
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Exactly! Totally different to be in a school setting where they're not jumping on my furniture, on my carpet, using blankets etc and also hugging their friends. I may have phrased it differently here, but in my text I sent her it was a minimum of 7 days. She is not coming back with any sort of bug issue. I don't care how mad she gets. I'm not the one that started the bug issue, she is.Comment
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I had one child so full of lice I had never seen anything like it. He was treated but the lice popped up again. I'm not sure if siblings were checked and treated.
Out of all that only one other child ended up with lice.
When I taught preschool and also owned a group center there were a few incidences but never an all out epidemic. Never seemed to spread.
Good luck!Comment
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I don't put a time on it. They can come back if they can pass my inspection, bug and nit free. Some parents manage it in one day...by staying up all night treating and combing. During an outbreak I don't allow backpacks or outerwear inside, they hang on hooks outside, not touching eachother. I inspect EVERYONE's heads at the door for about a month after outbreak.Comment
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So dcg is coming back tomorrow. She went to the doctor to get checked on Friday and mom and dad have been doing daily checking and combing. She does have a note and I will be checking her at the door.
In the meantime I got a message last night that another dcb has it and his brother who doesn't come here, he's in school has it too. I about died! She's been checking him ever single day multiple times a day and last night was the first time she saw anything. So through treatment he goes. He hasn't been here since last Thursday. So question, can you get lice if all he had was eggs or do they have to be live to get it from him? My sheet from the local health dept says incubation period is 6 to 10 days, so I figure the initial dcg had it the Thursday before the Monday we realized she had it and he was with her that day. My husband did yet another check on me last night and knock on wood, I still don't have it, thank God. If you can't get it from the eggs, then I'm less worried.Comment
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It's my understanding that the eggs can fall off and hatch other places? Maybe I am incorrect? I hope so.
I have had a case of lice here. It spread through winter coats.
I required proof of treatment and if I sent home with lice or nits they couldn't return for a full 24 hours I believe. I re-checked daily for WEEKS. It was actually quite exhausting so I am sorry you're going through that.
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This really stuck out to me.
Why have a policy if you aren't going to enforce it?
If you have reasons for not enforcing it, then why not just get rid of the policy all together?
Not having it comes across as flexible and compromising.
Having a policy and not enforcing it comes across as being a pushover and that parents can dictate what policies they want to adhere to and which they simply ignore. (Or have an adult tantrum and not have to follow.
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That's not very fair to you at all.....
Schools here don't really exclude for nits (only live bugs) because the kids in school don't come in close contact and "share" things like kids in child care do. Same with pink eye. The exclusionary policies are much different for kids that understand how to keep hands out of their mouths and not be all over each other like kids in the under 5 crowd are.Comment
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Some great info here:
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