Toddler Diarrhea

[spchildcare]

I just opened my in-home daycare this year and have an 18 month old boy attending who has had loose stools since his first day. He is constantly sick. I don't think there has been a week when he hasn't had something. The last 3 days he has had such runny stools that it is leaking through his diaper and clothes (2-3 a day.) The mom says it is just a "cold" and continues to send him the same foods and 8 oz of pure apple juice every day. He has pooped through his spare pants and I have even had to put him in my own son's pants! This mom is an old co-worker of mine, so I somewhat feel taken advantage of. She tells me how she absolutely cannot take any more days off from work...and I understand bc the kid is always sick!

I'm at my wits end and don't know what else to do. I have expressed to her that it is a health and sanitation issue and I hope we can figure out what is causing him to always be sick. I have given her suggestions and asked her if she needs to take him to the doctor, but she won't do any of it? Help??

[momofboys]

I just opened my in-home daycare this year and have an 18 month old boy attending who has had loose stools since his first day. He is constantly sick. I don't think there has been a week when he hasn't had something. The last 3 days he has had such runny stools that it is leaking through his diaper and clothes (2-3 a day.) The mom says it is just a "cold" and continues to send him the same foods and 8 oz of pure apple juice every day. He has pooped through his spare pants and I have even had to put him in my own son's pants! This mom is an old co-worker of mine, so I somewhat feel taken advantage of. She tells me how she absolutely cannot take any more days off from work...and I understand bc the kid is always sick!

I'm at my wits end and don't know what else to do. I have expressed to her that it is a health and sanitation issue and I hope we can figure out what is causing him to always be sick. I have given her suggestions and asked her if she needs to take him to the doctor, but she won't do any of it? Help??

Do you have your own kids there also? Even if you don't you risk infecting other kids or yourself. I'd give her an ultimatum just simply say you know she is hard pressed to be able to take off work but you simply can't care for him if he has diarrhea. I have a friend whose son had diarehha issues & it was b/c he had a food issue, not a food allergy actually but eating certain foods (I think bread/crackers, etc) caused him to have loose stools. I can't recall what the condition is called but it's fairly common. So maybe he isn't truly sick but has some other condition. Either way, I'm sure if she calls the dr's office & explains the situation they could give her an early or late appt so she won't miss much work. I have an illness policy in place & one thing I won't permit is diarehha. Good luck!

[Michael]

I would bet it's food related but to be on the safe side here is a rough breakdown on chonic diarrhea:

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/diarrhea/factsht_chronic_diarrhea.htm

[jen]

Does the Mom supply the meals?

I think you might be better off, at least as far as the loose stools go if you supply meals. In the mean time tell her you want to lay off the juice until the problem is resolved. If she refuses, tell her it is that or she will need to take off work and keep him home until he has normal stool. There isn't a daycare around that is going to allow a kid to come to daycare with yucky diapers.

As for the constant illnesses, some kids are like that. I keep them with colds, but beyond that they need to stay home.

[momma2girls]

I will tell you more than likely it is the juice!! Tell the mother to try and not to give him any juice for about 1 week to see if this works.

[Unregistered]

i def. think its the juice too. i had one like this once. mom was a health freak, and was putting kelp seaweed stuff in his morning bottle. YUCK! she claimed it was to "keep his bowels clean" yeah- at my expense!!!!

[momma2girls]

I had one Mom give a toddler a whole cup of koolaid or juice in his sippee every am, and boy it didn't take me long to figure it out!! But needless to say she told me she was getting rid of the koolaid and juice, but she wasn't, so it kept happening and happening. It had the worse smelll also!!! It got all over him, legs, pack and play sheet, when he kept on the sheet. It was awful!!!!!!!

[gbcc]

I will tell you more than likely it is the juice!! Tell the mother to try and not to give him any juice for about 1 week to see if this works.

I agree. I have had this issue with children before especially being so young he may not be able to process all that sugar, even if it's 100% natural there is still lots of sugar!

Another possibility, is he teething still?

[momma2girls]

I agree. I have had this issue with children before especially being so young he may not be able to process all that sugar, even if it's 100% natural there is still lots of sugar!

Another possibility, is he teething still?

Yes, her Dr. played it off as him teething. It was way worse than any teething diarrhea!!!!

[laundryduchess@yahoo.com]

I would call her to pick him up every time he leaks. if it cant be contained, it cant be sanitary. you know? I know its hard,.. but Her child is her responsibility. Even when her job gets upset.

[momma2girls]

I did this for months and months everyday!!! SOmetimes more than once!! It was awful, even the Dr. said to stay away from Koolaid and juice to see if this would work. She did it for a little while, but went back to it!! After months and months of this, she finally had to find another daycare, because she got a new job, and I wouldn't stay open til 6:00 for her. Wow!!!!