Immunization question - what would you do?

[AcornsFalling]

Hello,
I had a parent contact me looking for one day per week. In my contract, I state that I require all children in my care to be immunized, and my own children are immunized. All the other children in my care have provided their records. The parent says that her child can't be immunized due to a medical reason but has not provided the reason.
I personally don't have a problem with the child not being immunized and feel that this is each parent's right to decide. If all the other children are immunized, would that not mean that they are not at risk?
My concern is more with the other parents, who registered their children with me under the impression that all children would be vaccinated. I would not want to jeapordize my relationship with them. Would I have to notify them that the new child was not immunized? I am sure one ft family would want to know and would not be too happy about it.
I am leaning towards not continuing with the interview process at this point, especially since I have another family interested in 2 days a week for the same spot.
Just curious to hear what others have to say.
Thanks!

[5 Little Monkeys]

I don't ask about immunizations nor do I feel that it is any of my business. I have only had one family tell me that their child wasn't and I said it didn't matter to me.

If you require it than I would just tell this parent that unfortunately you can't take on their child. I don't think it is fair or right to tell the other parents personal info on other parents. However, if the mom really wants a spot in your dc than I would ask her if she gives permission to you to tell the other parents and see what they say. They might not even care.

If their child is immunized than in theory they have nothing to worry about right? It will be the child that isn't immunized that is at risk. Just my opinion.....

[Fun&care]

It's none of the other parents business who is and is not immunized because as long as THEIR child is immunized they should not have to worry. And really that is personal information that I don't think you should be sharing. However you should have the parents of the non vacc. child sign some sort of waiver that you will not be held liable should this child become sick. And also if there were to be some sort of measles or other outbreak the parents have to agree to exclude the child from care until the threat is gone. There is a waiver of some sort that parents have to sign to enroll their child in school, maybe you could try to find that and sorta copy what is says and get the parents to sign it.

[mickyc]

As far as immunizations go I don't ask and really don't care. That being said I did have a family who was the kind of family who never went to the doctor. I am not the kind of person who runs to the doctor over everything but there are some things that should be given antibiotics for. This particular families view was that given time the body will fight off whatever virus/infection on its own. It would be fine if they actually followed my sick policy and didn't bring the kids when they were sick. I ran into a lot of issues with the family - kids were always passing on their illnesses as they were always sick it seemed. It would annoy me so much when the dad would ask me what I think and I would say they should go to the doctor to get it checked out (especially when all other daycare kids have been away sick and are on antibiotics). Then they would never go. Poor kids would have to suffer. Of course they were told not to tell me they were sick either.

My concern would be that if a family is against immunization they might be hesitant to take the child to the doc when needed which could spread things around daycare more.

[playfelt]

Many of the immunizations do not prevent the disease fully but instead some children get just a mild case - chickenpox for example. If your contract says you require immunization then you would be in breach of your own contract by taking the unvaxed family.

[sunnydays]

Like Playfelt said, if you take an non-immunized child and your contract states that you require the kids to be vaccinated, your other parents have a right to pull their children from your care. They signed on with you believing that all children would be vaccinated. Regardless of your personal views on vaccinating or not, I think you have to follow your contract to be fair to your current families.

[AcornsFalling]

Thank-you everyone, I will probably go with the other family anyways. I agree I would be in breach of my own contract.