Hiding a fever

[fruitloop]

I'm pretty strict when it comes to my illness policy. Drugging/medicating a child and then bringing them here without my knowledge is grounds for termination...period ! I allow common colds and low fevers (under 100F) caused by teething but if it is something more than that, they need to stay home. If I get sick then everyone is screwed and I think it's very selfish and inconsiderate to send a child to daycare too ill to be there...infecting everyone else.

[Inspired by Reggio]

....Drugging/medicating a child and then bringing them here without my knowledge is grounds for termination...period .....

Ya - deal breaker here too cause that is not only a safety issue if you 'double dosed' a child not knowing but it is a TRUST issue as well!

Open and honest communication is KEY for sure and I make that clear to parents upon enrollment - if you have given medication at home I need to KNOW in case a medical emergency arises I need to be able to tell the paramedics what they have taken today. However in regards to 'exclusion' I am more like Playfelt ...as long as they are not sporting clear symptoms requiring exclusion according to the Health Unit and they are able to cope within within the program with minimal impact on the other's enjoyment of said program I do not 'exclude them' ... one of the perks of being home is if need be a child can lounge on the couch all day and I can tweak the program to be a quiet low flow day for them...and it works the same way for ME when I am under the weather - give give between my clients and I.

I have been open for almost 5 years and only ever sent a child home twice - once for vomiting and another cause the last day before Xmas break they started popping out with a blister like rash and they were suppose to be flying next day and figured mom would want a note she'd been seen by a Dr in order to get on the plane or to rearrange their plans if they could not fly... otherwise while they do come sporting the odd cold or what not I have been lucky that when REALLY needed parents choose to do the right thing and keep them home ... support goes two ways I think when we use common sense around 'illness' that parents tend to feel supported that minor things are not being kept home and more inclined to do the right thing when the major illnesses pop up - my clients have all been awesome though I had one client in the past who would call her daughter in sick because she was 'too bitchy' and say that no one should have to be exposed to her today .... poor thing was a horrible teether but mom was awesome in accepting she would not cope with having to be in a group

Personally if I send a child home I want to be sure it is because the kid was indeed too ill to participate in the program otherwise that 'trust' is broken and it leads to this parents behaviour - lying because t hey felt they were lied too

In centre care I use to see peers all the time 'giddy' at the first sign of anything sending kids home so that the day would be 'quieter' for them .... one loose poop from 'teething' was blown up into 'diarrhea' and the kid required to stay home for 24 hours and well the parent gets them home and NOTHING cause the kid was not sick just 'teething' .... and yes parents start to get 'pissy' at having to take time off when their kid is not really sick and all their sick days are used up they send them to daycare when they really should keep em home cause they feel they have no choice