Supply Medicine for Kids

[Jo123ABC]

Does anyone supply medicine such as Tylenol or Benadryl for kids? I have one that tells me to give her kiddo medicine if he needs it but doesn't give me the medicine. Would it be too passive aggressive to just pick some up in case dck needs it and bill it to the family next week? How about other supplies if a kid comes without. Do you buy it and bill them or....?

P.s. I usually will not administer medicine because I feel if they need it they probably shouldn't be at daycare but I will in some circumstances.

[hwichlaz]

Does anyone supply medicine such as Tylenol or Benadryl for kids? I have one that tells me to give her kiddo medicine if he needs it but doesn't give me the medicine. Would it be too passive aggressive to just pick some up in case dck needs it and bill it to the family next week? How about other supplies if a kid comes without. Do you buy it and bill them or....?

P.s. I usually will not administer medicine because I feel if they need it they probably shouldn't be at daycare but I will in some circumstances.

I keep it on hand for emergencies, like liquid benedryl or fever reducer. I'll give either with a permission text and IF the parent is on the way to pick up... I won't keep a child is they need medicine.


If I thought that it was going to be life or death, I'd also give the benedryl while waiting for EMS. Our county budget has been cut so that we only have one ambulance on duty at a time now, so there is frequently a wait.

[Blackcat31]

Does anyone supply medicine such as Tylenol or Benadryl for kids? I have one that tells me to give her kiddo medicine if he needs it but doesn't give me the medicine. Would it be too passive aggressive to just pick some up in case dck needs it and bill it to the family next week? How about other supplies if a kid comes without. Do you buy it and bill them or....?

P.s. I usually will not administer medicine because I feel if they need it they probably shouldn't be at daycare but I will in some circumstances.

Can I ask what specific circumstances?

I do not dispense medications and there is no way I would simply give a kid some based on mom saying that... I can see that being a major liability...

[storybookending]

I don’t supply. I do keep a bottle of Tylenol on hand for each child and have to have a signed permission slip in their file stating the dose that is allowed.

[Jo123ABC]

Can I ask what specific circumstances?

I do not dispense medications and there is no way I would simply give a kid some based on mom saying that... I can see that being a major liability...

An unknown allergy... I've never had any parent request I give medicine without automatically supplying the medicine. I don't think it's a bad idea to have it on hand for this dck though.

[Blackcat31]

An unknown allergy... I've never had any parent request I give medicine without automatically supplying the medicine. I don't think it's a bad idea to have it on hand for this dck though.

Yes, that is an odd request for a parent if they didn't supply it.

In my state, we can't give meds for allergies unless we have a documented allergy plan on file. This plan is filled out by the doctor and the allergy is identified.

An unknown allergy would kind of freak me out...if you don't know what the allergen is, then what if the child has a reaction to whatever med you give or something else... kwim?

If it's allergies as in seasonal allergies, that would also be included in the allergy plan on file.

I understand where you are coming from wanting to keep meds on site etc but imagine what would happen if you gave a child meds and the parent already did at home and now the child is double medicated...

For the parent, that is an accident.
For a provider, that is a criminal charge along with the potential to risk your business and everything you've worked for.

I'm not trying to talk you out of doing what you feel is appropriate or best for your business, I am just making sure you really think about all angles of a situation like this. I've heard my fair share of stories about providers that trust parents without hesitation because the family is like family. Until something happens and the family turns on the provider faster than than you can blink.

If you are going to have meds on site, please have documented policies that are clear and cover all your bases. Make sure you have parents document doses of any meds they give prior to drop off and document any and all conversation regarding medications.

My licensor told me a while back that simply having the medicine on site makes me liable so I won't and don't even keep medication of any kind on site with out a detailed plan of action that is shared with licensing so between myself, the parent, the doctor and licensing there are 4 copies.

Its sad that child care has become liability first but that's the sad truth no matter how you look at it.

[hwichlaz]

i have them on site for my own child....however...if a child's airway is closing I'll risk the criminal charge to save a life. We seriously ran out of money after the recent fires and have ONE paramedic on duty at a time. The child could die while waiting for an ambulance.

[Josiegirl]

We're not allowed to use our own OTC meds. for dcks. Parents have to bring it in specifically for their own child, with specific instructions down and I have to have a signed form for their permission, plus log in when I gave it to their child and in what form, etc. Too much liability and hassle. I call parents to come and administer in cases such as teething pain, etc. Much else and they're going home anyways.

[DaveA]

I don't supply any meds for DCKs. If DCPs want it here they need to supply it. Honestly I can't remember the last time I gave medicine. And I'm too lazy to go look it up .

[Cat Herder]

I have a full emergency medical and trauma kit, AED, training, signed forms, preplanned response, landing zone, private flight insurance, and medical control oversight.

But I practice heavily in overkill, so I am told.

I rarely have to give meds anymore even with medically fragile clients as meds are becoming more and more convenient with 8 and 12-hour dosing.

IMHO, providers should not keep any drug they are not specifically trained in and have currently signed permission to administer along with specific instruction of how and when to administer it to each individual child. It is a different world than even 10 years ago.

[DaveA]

I have a full emergency medical and trauma kit, AED, training, signed forms, preplanned response, landing zone, private flight insurance, and medical control oversight.

But I practice heavily in overkill, so I am told.

I rarely have to give meds anymore even with medically fragile clients as meds are becoming more and more convenient with 8 and 12-hour dosing.

IMHO, providers should not keep any drug they are not specifically trained in and have currently signed permission to administer along with specific instruction of how and when to administer it to each individual child. It is a different world than even 10 years ago.

Which AED do you have? I don't have a home daycare that I do CPR/ First Aid training for that has one yet.

[Cat Herder]

Which AED do you have? I don't have a home daycare that I do CPR/ First Aid training for that has one yet.

Physio-Control LIFEPAK® 1000 https://www.aedsuperstore.com/physio...epak-1000.html

They sell some great small business value packs, too. https://www.aedsuperstore.com/small-...-packages.html

When I teach I use the Phillips Heartstart onsite. Very user-friendly.

[Pestle]

i have them on site for my own child....however...if a child's airway is closing I'll risk the criminal charge to save a life.

Ditto. We have a couple of diphenhydramine bottles at home, one in my purse, one at the school, and one at the church. I wouldn't hesitate to dose somebody without prior parental instructions if I thought they needed it; I'd just get them on the phone if possible, and do it without their input if I couldn't reach them. I could always go back to working an office job if I couldn't legally be a daycare provider, but death is kind of a one-way thing.